Channels vs Pixelcade
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Channels
This app allows you to watch live TV and recorded shows on any device, even when you're away from home. It offers a unified viewing experience across all your platforms, with features like commercial skipping and the ability to record new episodes of favorite shows.
- Record and watch on any device
- Pause and resume viewing across devices
- Schedule recordings remotely
- Skip commercials automatically
- Watch live TV with pause, rewind, and fast forward
- Support for surround sound and closed captioning
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Cut the cord without missing your shows. You don't have to lose your DVR just because you canceled your cable. Channels is easy for the whole family to love. Watch your favorite programs on every TV and device, from the living room, hotel room, or even on your commute. Channels delivers a unified experience across all your TVs, devices, and streaming platforms. Learn more about Channels and how it works at http://getchannels.com/features/ -- Record Your Shows -- • Record in one place, watch on every TV & iOS device. • Pause in one room and resume in another, or on your iPhone or iPad. • Pick your favorite shows or teams, and choose to record all or just their new airings. • Browse or search through 21 days worth of guide data that updates daily. • Schedule a recording from your phone while you're away from home. • Watch your favorite shows or teams while you're away from home. Live or recorded. • Watch your shows while they're currently recording. Don't wait for them to finish. • Your recordings get their commercials indexed, and can be automatically skipped. -- Watch Live TV -- • Pause, rewind, and fast forward live TV. • Support for full 5.1 surround sound. • Full support for closed captioning and alternate audio tracks. • Mark channels as favorites. Browse them for quicker access to your favorite networks. • Full support for VoiceOver. Browse and watch TV with ease. NOTE: DVR features require Channels DVR Server installed and running on your home computer or NAS to stream to your devices. Learn more at https://getchannels.com/dvr-server/ -- People Love Channels -- "One of the most capable cord-cutting replacements for a cable DVR" - TechHive "Apple TV just became the best box for streaming live broadcast TV" — Macworld "Apple TV already has at least one 'killer app'. The new third-party Apple TV app, Channels." — MacDailyNews "I can tell you it’s buttery smooth" — Zatz Not Funny! For questions, concerns, bug reports, and feature requests, contact us on twitter @getchannels or via email support@getchannels.com
Pixelcade
This companion app allows users to manage their Pixelcade LED and LCD marquees. Browse, update, and change settings for your marquee artwork and access widgets. Connect wirelessly over Wi-Fi for a seamless experience.
- Browse Pixelcade artwork
- Update marquee artwork
- Change marquee settings
- Access Pixelcade widgets (LED only)
- Wi-Fi connectivity
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The Pixelcade Companion App enhances your experience with Pixelcade LED and LCD marquees by allowing you to browse Pixelcade artwork, update artwork, change settings, and access Pixelcade widgets (LED only). Connect seamlessly to your Pixelcade marquee over Wi-Fi, ensuring both devices are on the same network. Please note, Pixelcade LED software version 5.8 or higher is required for Pixelcade LED marquees. Learn more about Pixelcade arcade marquees at http://pixelcade.org.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: Channels at 4.7 against Pixelcade's 4.0. Channels also leads on ratings volume (623 vs 1). Pixelcade's advantage is update cadence (every 8 days vs every 3 weeks). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model 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
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
Channels holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Channels has 623 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.
Channels ships an update every 3 weeks, Pixelcade every 8 days. The most recent releases landed on November 2, 2026 and October 30, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Channels | Pixelcade |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.7 (623 ratings) — better | 4.0 (1 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 72.8% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 623 — better | 1 |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | Every 8 days — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Apple TV — better | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | 16.6 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 108 MB | 5 MB |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Fancy Bits, LLC | OPEN GADGETS LLC |
Customer experience
Channels
Pixelcade
In-app purchases
Channels
No in-app purchases
Pixelcade
No in-app purchases
