Comparison

History Hit vs MagellanTV Documentaries

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

Head to head
About

History Hit

Access an extensive library of history documentaries, original films, and expert interviews. Enjoy ad-free podcasts and download content to watch offline. New programs are added weekly for history enthusiasts.

Highlights
  • Extensive library of history documentaries
  • Exclusive original films
  • Interviews with top historians
  • Ad-free history podcasts
  • Downloadable content for offline viewing
  • New programs added weekly
Features
Read full description

History Hit TV is a new kind of history channel. We've built up an extensive library of history programmes: hundreds of hours of documentaries, exclusive original films, interviews and ad-free podcasts made for proper history fans. *New programmes added every week *Exclusive interviews with the world’s top historians *Original documentaries from historic sites all over the world *Listen to Dan Snow’s History Hit Podcast advert-free *Download shows to watch on the go Join the History Hit team. Download our app today to start exploring our ever-growing library of films and podcasts - available to watch and listen wherever you are. Each of our documentaries and podcasts delve into key events from history with insights from experts, survivors, and historians. These are all downloadable onto any device so you can watch them even when you are offline. Terms of Service: https://access.historyhit.com/tos Privacy Policy: https://access.historyhit.com/privacy

About

MagellanTV Documentaries

Explore a vast library of documentaries covering history, science, true crime, and more. Enjoy unlimited streaming on multiple devices with new content added weekly. This service offers an ad-free, immersive learning experience for the curious mind.

Highlights
  • Unlimited streaming
  • Extensive genre collections
  • Exclusive curated playlists
  • New content added weekly
  • Ad-free viewing experience
  • Cross-device compatibility
  • Casting to smart TVs
Features
Read full description

Documentaries Worth Watching MagellanTV is more than just a streaming service—it's a journey of discovery. Designed for the inquisitive, our expansive library offers documentaries that enlighten, inspire, and feed your lifelong love of learning. For those craving substantial content and awe-inspiring insights, MagellanTV is your refuge. Rekindle your sense of wonder and dive into a world where every film is a chance to learn, explore, and grow. MagellanTV membership includes: -Unlimited streaming anytime, anywhere, on multiple devices. -Extensive genre collections in History, Nature, Science, Space, Crime, and more. -Exclusive playlists that explore personalities and events that shaped our world. -New content added weekly. -No advertising or other interruptions ever. -Cast MagellanTV programs from your iOS device to a Roku, FireTV, Chromecast, or Smart TV. Please Note: -All subscriptions automatically renew at the end of your selected plan period, unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24 hours before the end of your plan period. -Your account will be charged for renewal within 24 hours before the end of your current plan period, and the cost of the renewal will be identified. -If you paid for your subscription through In-App Purchases, go to your App Store Account to cancel the service, change the plan period, or turn off auto-renew. -If you cancel your subscription, you can continue to enjoy all MagellanTV programs and features right up to the end of your plan period. -By downloading the MagellanTV app, you agree to its Terms & Conditions (https://www.magellantv.com/terms_conditions) and its Privacy Policy (https://www.magellantv.com/privacy_policy).

Screenshots

History Hit4 screens
MagellanTV Documentaries4 screens

Verdict

The call

History Hit and MagellanTV Documentaries both sit at 4.5 stars, but that hides the real split: 86% of History Hit's written reviews are positive against 37% of MagellanTV Documentaries's. History Hit also leads on iOS requirement (16.6 vs 18.6). MagellanTV Documentaries's advantage is update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 2 months) and ratings volume (3.9K vs 1.2K). On price, rating, ads and in-app purchases 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. History Hit sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $7.99 per month and MagellanTV Documentaries sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.5 for History Hit against 4.6 for MagellanTV Documentaries. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 1.2K and 3.9K respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 86% of History Hit's written reviews are positive against 37% of MagellanTV Documentaries's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

History Hit ships an update every 2 months, MagellanTV Documentaries every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 2, 2026 and November 3, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
History Hit versus MagellanTV Documentaries: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterHistory HitMagellanTV Documentaries
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.5 (1.2K ratings)4.6 (3.9K ratings) — better
Positive reviews85.6% of reviews — better36.9% of reviews
Number of ratings1.2K3.9K — better
Update frequencyEvery 2 monthsEvery 3 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, Apple TViPhone, iPad, Apple TV
Requires iOS16.6 — better18.6
Further details — not scored
Size86 MB67 MB
Age rating12+12+
DeveloperHit Networks LtdMagellanTV LLC

Customer experience

History Hit

All ratings1,153 ratings
Positive88.0%
Neutral2.2%
Negative9.8%
Written reviews737 reviews
Positive85.6%
Neutral2.2%
Negative12.2%

MagellanTV Documentaries

All ratings3,883 ratings
Positive91.1%
Neutral4.4%
Negative4.5%
Written reviews195 reviews
Positive36.9%
Neutral16.9%
Negative46.2%

User reviews

History Hit

From 1.2K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🌟 Excellent content and presenters
  • 🎓 Wide range of historical topics
  • 🔍 In-depth and well-researched documentaries
  • 🎧 Engaging and informative podcasts
  • 🔒 Ad-free listening experience

Room to improve

  • 🔍 Difficulty navigating and finding content
  • 🔑 Issues with account management and password resets
  • 📱 Inconsistent app performance and functionality
  • 🌍 Limited coverage of non-British/European history

MagellanTV Documentaries

From 3.9K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 👍 Great content and selection
  • 💡 Diverse range of documentaries
  • 🚀 Excellent customer service
  • 🤩 Impressive content quality

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Buggy app with frequent crashes
  • 🔍 Difficult to navigate and search
  • 🔌 Inconsistent streaming performance
  • 🤯 Frustrating login and account issues
  • 🤔 Lack of basic features (e.g. continue watching, auto-play)

Bugs and requests

History Hit

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Subscription issues and inability to access content
  • Podcast playback problems and missing episodes
  • Compatibility problems on certain devices

Requested features

5 requests
  • Improved search and browsing functionality
  • Ability to create playlists and save favorites
  • Closed captions/subtitles for all videos
  • Cross-device syncing and offline viewing/listening
  • Expanded coverage of global historical topics

MagellanTV Documentaries

Reported bugs

5 issues
  • App crashes frequently
  • Videos freeze or have audio-only playback
  • Login issues and inability to access account
  • Inconsistent performance across devices
  • Download failures and unreliable offline viewing

Requested features

5 requests
  • Add skip forward/backward buttons
  • Implement picture-in-picture mode
  • Improve offline viewing and downloads
  • Provide better content organization and search
  • Add user profile and watch history features

In-app purchases

2 purchases

History Hit

Subscriptions2
  • History Hit Monthly$7.991 Month
  • History Hit Yearly$59.991 Year
4 purchases

MagellanTV Documentaries

Subscriptions4
  • Monthly Membership1 Month trial$5.991 Month
  • Monthly Membership7 Days trial$6.991 Month
  • Quarterly Membership14 Days trial$17.993 Months
Show 1 more
  • Annual Membership1 Year trial$59.991 Year

Questions

Is History Hit free?
History Hit is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is MagellanTV Documentaries free?
MagellanTV Documentaries is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, History Hit or MagellanTV Documentaries?
MagellanTV Documentaries is rated higher. History Hit averages 4.5 out of 5 from 1.2K ratings, while MagellanTV Documentaries averages 4.6 from 3.9K ratings.
Do History Hit or MagellanTV Documentaries have ads?
Neither History Hit nor MagellanTV Documentaries shows ads.
Which is updated more often, History Hit or MagellanTV Documentaries?
History Hit ships an update every 2 months, and MagellanTV Documentaries every 3 weeks. Most recently, History Hit was updated on November 2, 2026 and MagellanTV Documentaries on November 3, 2026.

Other comparisons