# BBC America vs Spectiv

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.

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.

## The numbers

| Metric | BBC America | Spectiv |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [1.8 (589 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bbc-america/id1089249069/reviews) | **[4.5 (24 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/spectiv/id1286699781/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **589** | 24 |
| Positive reviews | 5.0% of reviews | **60.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Monthly** | Every 4 months |
| Monetization | **Free with in-app purchases** | Subscription |
| Size | 63 MB | 10 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | **8.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple TV | iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple TV |
| Age rating | 12+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [BBC America](https://appshunter.io/developer/1089249068) | [Spectiv Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1362025202) |

## What reviewers say

### BBC America

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bbc-america/id1089249069)

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.

**Highlights:** Full episode streaming, Video extras and sneak peeks, Live TV streaming, Cable/satellite provider login, Resume watching, Searchable library, Airplay/casting support

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- ⭐ Great app for watching shows
- 🚀 Streams in high quality
- 👍 Straightforward and easy to use

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes and glitches
- 🤯 Frustrating navigation and controls
- 💸 Too many ads and interruptions
- 🤔 Inconsistent content availability

**Reported bugs**

- Login issues and sign-in problems
- Playback freezes and restarts randomly
- Closed captions not working as expected
- Casting and mirroring features broken

**Requested features**

- Add search and browse functionality
- Improve rewind/fast-forward controls
- Provide a paid ad-free subscription option
- Sync playback progress across devices


### Spectiv

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/spectiv/id1286699781)

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.

**Highlights:** Ambient video library, Ultra High Definition content, HDR support, Spectiv Art Gallery, Ad-free experience, 14-day free trial

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Standard Monthly - HD | $2.99 | per month |
| Premium Monthly - 4K HDR | $5.99 | per month |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is BBC America free?

BBC America is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Spectiv free?

Spectiv is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, BBC America or Spectiv?

Spectiv is rated higher. BBC America averages 1.8 out of 5 from 589 ratings, while Spectiv averages 4.5 from 24 ratings.

### Do BBC America or Spectiv have ads?

BBC America shows ads; Spectiv does not.

### Which is updated more often, BBC America or Spectiv?

BBC America ships an update monthly, and Spectiv every 4 months. Most recently, BBC America was updated on October 21, 2026 and Spectiv on October 11, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*