# Desktop Presentation Remote vs Essential Sci

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Desktop Presentation Remote at none against Essential Sci's 2. Desktop Presentation Remote also leads on ads (none vs shown) and iOS requirement (9.0 vs 16.6). Essential Sci's advantage is update cadence (every 6 weeks vs every 23 months) and device support (4 vs 2). On price there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Essential Sci sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 per month. Desktop Presentation Remote asks for nothing beyond the download.

Desktop Presentation Remote ships an update every 23 months, Essential Sci every 6 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 7, 2026 and October 4, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Desktop Presentation Remote | Essential Sci |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | — | **[4.5 (31 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/essential-sci-fi-channel/id1635437392/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | — | **31** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 23 months | **Every 6 weeks** |
| Monetization | — | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 54 MB | 8 MB |
| Requires iOS | **9.0** | 16.6 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple TV** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Z-Systems](https://appshunter.io/developer/584756546) | [MacMillan Interactive Communications, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/820481297) |

## What reviewers say

### Desktop Presentation Remote

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/desktop-presentation-remote/id1122013696)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### Essential Sci

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/essential-sci-fi-channel/id1635437392)

Stream a vast library of science fiction movies and TV shows for free. Subscribe monthly to enjoy an ad-free viewing experience and access premium content.

**Highlights:** Hundreds of hours of sci-fi content, Free streaming, Monthly ad-free subscription, Watch on Apple TV, iPhone, iPad, iPod

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Essential Sci-Fi Subscription | $5.99 | per month |
| Essential Sci-Fi Yearly Sub | $69.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Desktop Presentation Remote free?

Desktop Presentation Remote is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Essential Sci free?

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

### Do Desktop Presentation Remote or Essential Sci have ads?

Essential Sci shows ads; Desktop Presentation Remote does not.

### Which is updated more often, Desktop Presentation Remote or Essential Sci?

Desktop Presentation Remote ships an update every 23 months, and Essential Sci every 6 weeks. Most recently, Desktop Presentation Remote was updated on October 7, 2026 and Essential Sci on October 4, 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.*