# YouTube TV vs Side+

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Side+ at 96% against YouTube TV's 12%. Side+ also leads on rating (4.9 vs 3.6) and ads (none vs shown). YouTube TV's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 2) and update cadence (weekly vs every 6 weeks). On price, monetization model, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Side+ sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month. YouTube TV asks for nothing beyond the download.

Side+ holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 3.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: YouTube TV has 60K ratings behind it against 7.1K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 12% of YouTube TV's written reviews are positive against 96% of Side+'s.

YouTube TV ships an update weekly, Side+ every 6 weeks. Both last shipped on September 25, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | YouTube TV | Side+ |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.6 (60K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/youtube-tv/id1193350206/reviews) | **[4.9 (7.1K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/side-plus/id1589187670/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **60K** | 7.1K |
| Positive reviews | 12.1% of reviews | **96.2% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Weekly** | Every 6 weeks |
| Monetization | Subscription | Subscription |
| Best chart rank | **#30** | — |
| Size | 151 MB | 68 MB |
| Requires iOS | **16.0** | 16.6 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Apple TV | iPhone, iPad, Apple TV |
| Age rating | 12+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Google](https://appshunter.io/developer/281956209) | [Sidemen Entertainment Limited](https://appshunter.io/developer/1589187672) |

## What reviewers say

### YouTube TV

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/youtube-tv/id1193350206)

**Currently charting:** #30 Top Free · Entertainment (US App Store)

Stream live TV from over 100 networks without a cable box. Record your favorite shows with unlimited cloud DVR storage and share accounts with family. Cancel your monthly membership anytime.

**Highlights:** Cable-free live TV streaming, 100+ networks including local channels, Unlimited cloud DVR storage, Recordings stored for 9 months, 6 accounts per household, Watch on multiple devices

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Great alternative to cable
- 👍 Lots of channel options
- 👍 Sports features like key plays
- 👍 Ability to record shows
- 👍 Ability to access on the go

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔍 Too many ads
- 🐛 Playback issues like freezing and audio problems
- 🐛 Difficulty finding and managing recorded shows
- 🐛 Inconsistent volume levels
- 🐛 Buggy app behavior on various devices

**Reported bugs**

- Recorded shows not marking as watched
- Playback issues like freezing and audio problems
- App crashing when trying to resume watching
- Difficulty finding recently recorded shows
- Location-based content restrictions causing issues for travelers

**Requested features**

- Add delete and mark as watched buttons for library
- Improve navigation and organization of recorded shows
- Add option to select preferred video quality
- Improve channel browsing and customization
- Add profile support for multiple users


### Side+

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/side-plus/id1589187670)

Access exclusive content, behind-the-scenes footage, and interactive Q&A sessions from popular creators. Engage with a global community and participate in unique challenges and events.

**Highlights:** Exclusive weekly episodes, Behind-the-scenes content, Exclusive podcast access, Weekly Q&A segments, Exclusive challenges and events, Private Zoom calls

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Side+ Monthly | $9.99 | per month |
| Side+ Yearly | $99.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Smooth app experience
- 👍 Entertaining content
- 💡 Exclusive behind-the-scenes and podcasts
- 🤑 Good value for money

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional bugs and glitches
- 🔍 Needs better content organization/navigation

**Reported bugs**

- Full-screen mode issues (video pausing)
- Resume feature not always accurate

**Requested features**

- Add ability to sort/filter content by date or category
- Improve video playback controls (e.g. seek, pause)
- Add subtitles/closed captions for accessibility


## Frequently asked questions

### Is YouTube TV free?

YouTube TV is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Side+ free?

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

### Which has better reviews, YouTube TV or Side+?

Side+ is rated higher. YouTube TV averages 3.6 out of 5 from 60K ratings, while Side+ averages 4.9 from 7.1K ratings.

### Do YouTube TV or Side+ have ads?

YouTube TV shows ads; Side+ does not.

### Which is updated more often, YouTube TV or Side+?

YouTube TV ships an update weekly, and Side+ every 6 weeks. Most recently, YouTube TV was updated on September 25, 2026 and Side+ on September 25, 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.*