BBC America vs Spectiv
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
BBC America
Stream full episodes of popular BBC America series like Killing Eve and Top Gear. Access video extras, sneak peeks, and live TV with your cable provider login. Resume watching where you left off.
- Full episode streaming
- Video extras and sneak peeks
- Live TV streaming
- Cable/satellite provider login
- Resume watching
- Searchable library
- Airplay/casting support
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Get caught up in your favorite BBC America shows with full episodes, video extras, and sneak peeks at upcoming series. Log in with your cable or satellite provider to watch BBC America LIVE or full episodes of Killing Eve, Top Gear, The Graham Norton Show, and more of your favorite series. Plus you can search the library and track recently-viewed episodes and resume where you left off. Most full episodes require a cable or satellite login, though season premieres are sometimes made available with no login required. You can also sample trailers and behind-the-scenes clips. New episodes are available in-season, usually the day after broadcast. Use your iPhone or iPad to Airplay or cast to your television.
Spectiv
Discover a library of beautiful, ambient videos designed to create a relaxing atmosphere or enhance focus. Transform your screen into a window to stunning natural landscapes or a gallery of classic art. Enjoy an ad-free, no-commitment streaming experience.
- Ambient video library
- Ultra High Definition content
- HDR support
- Spectiv Art Gallery
- Ad-free experience
- 14-day free trial
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Spectiv is the streaming service you and your screens have both been waiting for. Access a library of beautiful videos to help curate a more relaxing atmosphere. Spectiv's ambient entertainment is designed for you to use any way you want. Experience gorgeous Ultra High Definition content providing an ambient entertainment experience designed to help you unplug from what's going on or focus on the things you want to do. Use it however works best for you. Get lost in the transportive imagery or simply let it improve the ambiance of the room while you cook, host a party, or finally read that book. Transform your screen into a window to the world and explore Swiss mountaintops with your family, find some solitude on Hawaiian beaches, meditate by the forest stream, and beyond; all while promoting presence and peace for your heart and mind. HDR: Many of our shows are mastered in stunning High Dynamic Range offer the best way to show off your phone's OLED display. You will feel like you could reach out and grab the leaves off the trees. Spectiv Art Gallery: In addition to Spectiv's original content your will also have access to the Spectiv Art Gallery. Instead of a window, make your screen a museum and enjoy videos featuring high resolution scans of classic works of art. No Commitment & Ad-Free: Sign up for one of our monthly plans and start your 14 Day Free Trial to gain access to the entire library of relaxing content. If subscribing through iTunes: Payment will be charged to iTunes Account at confirmation of purchase. Subscription automatically renews unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24-hours before the end of the current period. Account will be charged for renewal within 24-hours prior to the end of the current period at the rate of your selected plan. Subscriptions may be managed by the user and auto-renewal may be turned off by going to the user's Account Settings after purchase. Terms of Use: https://spectiv.tv/termsofuse
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is review sentiment: Spectiv at 60% against BBC America's 5%. Spectiv also leads on rating (4.5 vs 1.8) and ads (none vs shown). BBC America's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 2) and update cadence (monthly vs every 4 months). On price and device support there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS
Both are free to download. Spectiv sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. BBC America asks for nothing beyond the download.
Spectiv holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 1.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: BBC America has 589 ratings behind it against 24, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 5% of BBC America's written reviews are positive against 60% of Spectiv's.
BBC America ships an update monthly, Spectiv every 4 months. The most recent releases landed on October 21, 2026 and October 11, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | BBC America | Spectiv |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 1.8 (589 ratings) | 4.5 (24 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 5.0% of reviews | 60.0% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 589 — better | 24 |
| Update frequency | Monthly — better | Every 4 months |
| Ads | Yes | No — better |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases — better | Subscription |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple TV | iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple TV |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | 8.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 63 MB | 10 MB |
| Age rating | 12+ | 12+ |
| Developer | BBC America | Spectiv Inc. |
Customer experience
BBC America
Spectiv
Bugs and requests
BBC America
Reported bugs
4 issues- Login issues and sign-in problems
- Playback freezes and restarts randomly
- Closed captions not working as expected
- Casting and mirroring features broken
Requested features
4 requests- Add search and browse functionality
- Improve rewind/fast-forward controls
- Provide a paid ad-free subscription option
- Sync playback progress across devices
Spectiv
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
BBC America
No in-app purchases
Spectiv
- Standard Monthly - HD14 Days trial$2.991 Month
- Premium Monthly - 4K HDR14 Days trial$5.991 Month









