# StarTimes ON vs Apple TV The clearest difference is rating: Apple TV at 4.8 against StarTimes ON's 3.5. Apple TV also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 21) and ratings volume (1.9M vs 215). On price, update cadence, ads and monetization model there is nothing between them. Both are free to download. StarTimes ON sells 21 one-off in-app purchases. Apple TV asks for nothing beyond the download. Apple TV holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 3.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Apple TV has 1.9M ratings behind it against 215, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 30% of StarTimes ON's written reviews are positive against 43% of Apple TV's. Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 28, 2026 respectively. ## The numbers | Metric | StarTimes ON | Apple TV | | --- | --- | --- | | Price | Free | Free | | Rating | [3.5 (215 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/startimes-on/id1168518958/reviews) | **[4.8 (1.9M ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/apple-tv/id1174078549/reviews)** | | Number of ratings | 215 | **1.9M** | | Positive reviews | 29.5% of reviews | **43.1% of reviews** | | In-app purchases | Yes | **No** | | Ads | Yes | Yes | | Update frequency | Every 2 months | Every 2 months | | Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases | | Size | 83 MB | 8 MB | | Requires iOS | 13.0 | **10.2** | | Devices | iPhone, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Vision Pro** | | Age rating | 4+ | 12+ | | Developer | [Union Shine Holdings Co., Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/1449436876) | [Apple](https://appshunter.io/developer/284417353) | ## What reviewers say ### StarTimes ON [App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/startimes-on/id1168518958) Stream live TV channels, popular dramas, blockbuster movies, and live football matches from Africa and around the world. Access thousands of hours of entertainment, including kids and educational content, all in one app. **Highlights:** Live TV streaming, Live football matches, Thousands of TV series, Blockbuster movies, Kids and education content, Local and international dramas **Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support **In-app purchases (21)** | Purchase | Price | Billing | | --- | --- | --- | | StarTimes ON VIP-1 | $0.99 | one-time | | StarTimes ON VIP-2 | $1.99 | one-time | | StarTimes ON VIP-3 | $2.99 | one-time | | StarTimes ON VIP-4 | $3.99 | one-time | | StarTimes ON VIP-5 | $4.99 | one-time | | StarTimes ON VIP-6 | $5.99 | one-time | | StarTimes ON VIP-7 | $6.99 | one-time | | StarTimes ON VIP-8 | $7.99 | one-time | | StarTimes ON VIP-11 | $10.99 | one-time | | StarTimes ON VIP-12 | $11.99 | one-time | | StarTimes ON VIP-13 | $12.99 | one-time | | StarTimes ON VIP-14 | $13.99 | one-time | | StarTimes ON VIP-15 | $14.99 | one-time | | StarTimes ON VIP-16 | $15.99 | one-time | | StarTimes ON VIP-20 | $19.99 | one-time | | StarTimes ON VIP-25 | $24.99 | one-time | | StarTimes ON VIP-27 | $26.99 | one-time | | StarTimes ON VIP-30 | $29.99 | one-time | | StarTimes ON VIP-33 | $32.99 | one-time | | StarTimes ON VIP-35 | $34.99 | one-time | | StarTimes ON VIP-44 | $43.99 | one-time | **What reviewers like** - 👍 Fast and active app - 👍 Not too expensive - 👍 No need for decoder - 👍 Streams live TV and sport nicely - 👍 No buffering issues (for some) **What reviewers complain about** - 👎 Nothing is organized - 👎 Shows stupid football matches - 👎 Some commentary in Chinese - 👎 No code sent for mobile plan renewal - 👎 App crashes a lot **Reported bugs** - No code sent for mobile plan renewal - App crashes a lot - Repeating scenes in episodes - App crashes when launched multiple times - Subscription disappears after activation **Requested features** - Allow Airplay - Add Cast feature to allow watching on TV - Bring ID channel to the app - Improve app for iPad screens - Allow watching on both Android and iOS simultaneously ### Apple TV [App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/apple-tv/id1174078549) This app is a central hub for exclusive original series, movies, and live sports like Formula 1 and MLB. It also aggregates content from your favorite streaming services, allowing you to buy or rent titles and discover new shows. **Highlights:** Exclusive Apple Originals, Live Formula 1 & MLB, Buy or rent movies, Aggregate streaming services, Personalized recommendations, Continue Watching feature **Features:** Family Sharing **In-app purchases:** none **What reviewers like** - 🚀 Decent quality viewing experience - 👍 Impressive 4K and audio quality - 🤩 Fantastic original content **What reviewers complain about** - 🐛 Buggy and unreliable app - 🤯 Confusing and unintuitive interface - 💰 Misleading pricing and pay-to-watch content - 🤔 Lack of user-friendly features - 😡 Terrible customer support **Reported bugs** - App crashes frequently - Playback issues and random freezes - Incorrect episode/content display - Syncing problems across devices **Requested features** - Ability to save/bookmark content for later - Improved content organization and navigation - Sync playback progress across devices - Chromecast/casting support - User profiles and personalized recommendations ## Frequently asked questions ### Is StarTimes ON free? StarTimes ON is free to download, with in-app purchases available. ### Is Apple TV free? Apple TV is free to download, with no in-app purchases. ### Which has better reviews, StarTimes ON or Apple TV? Apple TV is rated higher. StarTimes ON averages 3.5 out of 5 from 215 ratings, while Apple TV averages 4.8 from 1.9M ratings. ### Do StarTimes ON or Apple TV have ads? Both StarTimes ON and Apple TV show ads. ### Which is updated more often, StarTimes ON or Apple TV? StarTimes ON ships an update every 2 months, and Apple TV every 2 months. Most recently, StarTimes ON was updated on October 24, 2026 and Apple TV on October 28, 2026. --- *Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*