# CruiseCompanion Media Player vs Aether Player

The clearest difference is rating: CruiseCompanion Media Player at 2.5 against Aether Player's 2.0. CruiseCompanion Media Player also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 6) and iOS requirement (15.6 vs 26.0). Aether Player's advantage is update cadence (weekly vs every 22 months) and device support (5 vs 3). On price, ratings volume and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Aether Player sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month. CruiseCompanion Media Player asks for nothing beyond the download.

CruiseCompanion Media Player holds the better App Store score, 2.5 against 2.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 2 and 3 respectively.

CruiseCompanion Media Player ships an update every 22 months, Aether Player weekly. The most recent releases landed on November 6, 2026 and November 5, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | CruiseCompanion Media Player | Aether Player |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[2.5 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cruisecompanion-media-player/id1295022475/reviews)** | [2.0 (3 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/aether-player/id6775229911/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 2 | **3** |
| Positive reviews | — | 50.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 22 months | **Weekly** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 27 MB | 160 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.6** | 26.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple TV, Vision Pro** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Getslash GmbH](https://appshunter.io/developer/1293739253) | [Vaclav Zmrhal](https://appshunter.io/developer/6774553226) |

## What reviewers say

### CruiseCompanion Media Player

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cruisecompanion-media-player/id1295022475)

Stream Hollywood movies and TV shows directly to your device while on a cruise. This media player requires connection to the CruiseCompanion Platform for secure, DRM-protected content delivery.

**Highlights:** Hollywood movies and TV shows, DRM protected content, Secure content delivery, Guest experience platform, Onboard ship use only

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### Aether Player

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/aether-player/id6775229911)

This media player aggregates content from Plex, Jellyfin, Emby, and local files into a unified library. It supports a wide range of formats and offers features like offline downloads, user profiles, and advanced subtitle management.

**Highlights:** Unified library from multiple sources, Supports various media formats (MKV, HEVC, HDR), Offline downloads and Smart Downloads, User profiles with age restrictions, Advanced subtitle customization and search, Music playback with offline catalog, Live TV support with custom guides

**Features:** Family Sharing, iPhone Duo support

**In-app purchases (6)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Supporter (Monthly) | $0.99 | per month |
| Supporter (Yearly) | $9.99 | per year |
| Small Tip | $0.99 | one-time |
| Medium Tip | $4.99 | one-time |
| Large Tip | $9.99 | one-time |
| Aether Lifetime | $39.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is CruiseCompanion Media Player free?

CruiseCompanion Media Player is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Aether Player free?

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

### Which has better reviews, CruiseCompanion Media Player or Aether Player?

CruiseCompanion Media Player is rated higher. CruiseCompanion Media Player averages 2.5 out of 5 from 2 ratings, while Aether Player averages 2.0 from 3 ratings.

### Do CruiseCompanion Media Player or Aether Player have ads?

Neither CruiseCompanion Media Player nor Aether Player shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, CruiseCompanion Media Player or Aether Player?

CruiseCompanion Media Player ships an update every 22 months, and Aether Player weekly. Most recently, CruiseCompanion Media Player was updated on November 6, 2026 and Aether Player on November 5, 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.*