Comparison

Infuse vs Octopus Explorer

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Infuse

A versatile video player that supports a vast array of formats and streaming options. Enjoy smooth playback, HDR, and Dolby audio, with integrated subtitle downloads and Trakt sync. Stream content from various devices and cloud services without conversion.

Highlights
  • Plays virtually any video format
  • Stream from Mac, PC, NAS, and cloud services
  • Supports HDR, Dolby Vision, and Dolby/DTS audio
  • Integrated subtitle downloads
  • Trakt 2-way sync
  • AirPlay & Google Cast support
Features
Read full description

Ignite your video content with Infuse – the beautiful way to watch almost any video format on your iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, Mac, and Vision. No need to convert files! Infuse is optimized for iOS 27, with powerful streaming options, Trakt sync, and unmatched AirPlay & subtitle support. Gorgeous interface. Precise controls. And silky-smooth playback. - PLAY MORE VIDEO TYPES A powerful video player that plays just about anything, including MP4, MKV, M4V and MOV – plus many others. Includes support for HDR, HDR10+, Dolby Vision, plus Dolby and DTS audio. - STREAM FROM OTHER DEVICES Browse and play videos stored on your Mac, PC, NAS, Wi-Fi hard drive, apps like Plex, Emby, and Jellyfin, or from cloud services like Dropbox, Google Drive, OneDrive, Box, pCloud, Yandex.Disk, MEGA, Aliyun Drive, and others – no syncing required! - AIRPLAY & GOOGLE CAST OPTIONS Stream a wide variety of videos types such as MKV, MP4, M4V, and others over AirPlay & Google Cast with full surround sound and subtitles. - TRAKT 2-WAY SYNC Connect with Trakt to sync watched history, submit ratings and post comments. - OPTIMIZED SUBTITLES POWERED BY OPENSUBTITLES Bring your own subtitles, or download them on the fly (for free) in virtually any language. ===== “Looks great, plays anything you throw at it...surprisingly powerful” - Lifehacker “The best media player for iPhone and iPad...superior to VLC.” - Cult of Mac “I can't give the UI high enough praise. It's great.” - 9to5Mac “I see no reason whatsoever to remove Infuse from my Home screen anytime soon.” - iDownloadBlog “A beautiful UI.” - Trakt co-founder “A mini Kodi!” - Infuse user ===== MORE THAN JUST A PRETTY FACE THE BASICS - Silky-smooth video player (plays full 4K w/ HDR & Dolby Vision) - Stream from a Mac, PC, NAS or Wi-Fi enabled hard drive - Connect with Plex, Emby, Jellyfin, Kodi (XBMC), WMC and other media servers - Beautiful layout with quick access to video info - Artwork and metadata added automatically - Split View & PIP - Spatial audio SUPPORTED FORMATS - Video: 33GP, AVI, AV1, ASF, BDMV, DIVX, DVDMEDIA, DVR-MS, FLV, H.264 (AVC), H.265 (HEVC), ISO/IMG, M4V, MKV, MOV, MP4, MPEG, MTS/M2TS, MXF, OGM, OGV, RMVB, TS, VC1, VIDEO_TS, VOB, VP9, WEBM, WMV, WTV - Audio: AAC, AC3/E-AC3, DOLBY TRUEHD, DTS, DTS-HD MA, FLAC, MP3, OGG, PCM, WMA - Subtitles: DVB, DVDSUB, MICRODVD, MPL2, PGS, SMI, SSA/ASS, SRT, SUB, SUP, TIMED TEXT, TXT, VOBSUB, VTT, XSUB PLAYER FEATURES - Multiple audio tracks - Chapters - Gesture controls - 8 video zoom options - Continuous playback - TV out via HDMI or VGA adapter - Deinterlacing EXTRAS - Folders - One-click subtitle downloads from OpenSubtitles - Scrobble plays to Trakt - Download videos from networked devices - Drag and drop uploads via web browser - Get extra onboard storage with SanDisk iXpand and other USB drives GET MORE WITH INFUSE PRO! - Play even more video formats - Stream video trailers for movies and TV shows - Enjoy high-resolution Dolby® and DTS® audio - Access videos stored in cloud services like Dropbox, Google Drive, Box, OneDrive, pCloud, Yandex.Disk, MEGA, Aliyun Drive, and more - Stream a wide variety of video types over AirPlay and Google Cast - Sync libraries, settings, watched history, and playback progress between devices ==== Note: DRM-protected movies & TV shows purchased from the iTunes store are not supported. Metadata and artwork provided by TMDB, which is a community maintained movie and TV show database. ==== Infuse Pro is available as a optional subscription, and includes a free trial period that begins once your purchase has been confirmed with your iTunes Account. When the trial period concludes, your subscription will start and renew automatically. Your iTunes Account will be charged for the upcoming period unless you disable auto-renew or cancel your subscription in your Account Settings at least 24-hours prior to the end of the current period. Visit firecore.com/terms-privacy for full terms and privacy policy.

About

Octopus Explorer

Features
Read full description

Octopus Explorer is a free, open-source native iOS app for managing your self-hosted media server. If you run Jellyseerr, Overseerr, or Seerr, Octopus Explorer gives you a fast, native way to browse, search, and request movies and TV shows — no browser tab required. IMPORTANT: Octopus Explorer is an independent, unofficial client. It connects to your own Jellyseerr, Overseerr, or Seerr server and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by those projects. It is not a media streaming service and does not include any content — you'll need an existing server to use the app. WHAT YOU CAN DO • Browse curated Discover sliders configured on your server • Search movies, TV shows, and people with instant type-ahead results • View rich detail pages: overview, cast, seasons, episodes, recommendations, and similar titles • Request movies and full or partial TV seasons, with Radarr/Sonarr quality profile selection • Request individual titles from a collection, or the whole collection at once • Track request status: pending, approved, processing, and available • Approve, decline, or delete requests as an admin — right from your phone • Browse and request from your Jellyfin watchlist (Jellyseerr/Seerr) • Add and switch between multiple servers • Sign in with local credentials, Plex OAuth, or Jellyfin/Emby login • Stay signed in with secure Keychain-backed session persistence • Choose system, light, or dark appearance SUPPORTED BACKENDS Octopus Explorer works with Jellyseerr, Overseerr, and Seerr. The app automatically detects which one you're running and adjusts the interface accordingly. PRIVACY AND OPENNESS Octopus Explorer has no ads and no in-app purchases. It's built and maintained by Frost Forge Labs Inc. under the Apache License 2.0 — the source code is public on GitHub. Optional sponsorship links are available from the Support Development page on our website; supporting the project never unlocks features, and every user gets the same app. REQUIREMENTS • iOS 17 or later, iPhone or iPad • An existing Jellyseerr, Overseerr, or Seerr server (self-hosted or remote) Learn more, get setup help, and see supported platforms at seerrclient.dev.

Screenshots

Infuse4 screens
Octopus Explorer4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Octopus Explorer at none against Infuse's 7. Infuse's advantage is chart position (#188 vs unranked) and device support (5 vs 2). On price, ads and iOS requirement 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Infuse sells 7 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. Octopus Explorer asks for nothing beyond the download.

Scorecard3 real differences · 8 level
Infuse versus Octopus Explorer: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterInfuseOctopus Explorer
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.7 (28K ratings) — better—
Positive reviews60.4% of reviews—
Number of ratings28K — better—
Update frequencyFortnightly—
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases—
Best chart rank#188 — better—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple TV, Vision Pro — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS18.018.0
Further details — not scored
Size197 MB6 MB
Age rating4+17+
DeveloperFirecore, LLCFrost Forge Labs Inc.

Bugs and requests

Infuse

Reported bugs

5 issues
  • Frequent crashes and freezes
  • Connectivity issues with network shares
  • Playback problems with certain video formats
  • Sync issues between devices
  • Unreliable subtitle downloads

Requested features

5 requests
  • Ability to edit metadata manually
  • Support for more media file types (photos, music)
  • Improved TV show organization and episode handling
  • Picture-in-picture controls and gestures
  • Customizable library views and sorting options

Octopus Explorer

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

7 purchases

Infuse

Subscriptions4
  • Infuse Pro - Monthly3 Days trial$1.991 Month
  • Infuse Pro - Monthly1 Month trial$1.991 Month
  • Infuse Pro - Yearly7 Days trial$16.991 Year
Show 1 more
  • Infuse Pro - Yearly1 Year trial$16.991 Year
One-time3
  • Dolby AudioFree
  • DTS AudioFree
  • Infuse Pro - Lifetime$99.99
None

Octopus Explorer

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Infuse free?
Infuse is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Octopus Explorer free?
Octopus Explorer is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Infuse or Octopus Explorer have ads?
Neither Infuse nor Octopus Explorer shows ads.

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