# The Explorers vs MagellanTV Documentaries

The clearest difference is monetization model: The Explorers at free with in-app purchases against MagellanTV Documentaries's subscription. The Explorers also leads on review sentiment (55% vs 37%) and device support (5 vs 3). MagellanTV Documentaries's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and ratings volume (3.9K vs 86). On price, rating and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. The Explorers sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $2.99 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.

MagellanTV Documentaries holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 4.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: MagellanTV Documentaries has 3.9K ratings behind it against 86, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 55% of The Explorers's written reviews are positive against 37% of MagellanTV Documentaries's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

The Explorers ships an update every 6 weeks, MagellanTV Documentaries every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on June 9, 2026 and September 22, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | The Explorers | MagellanTV Documentaries |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.4 (86 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-explorers/id1436285774/reviews) | **[4.6 (3.9K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/magellantv-documentaries/id1449628141/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 86 | **3.9K** |
| Positive reviews | **55.4% of reviews** | 36.6% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 6 weeks | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | **Free with in-app purchases** | Subscription |
| Size | 110 MB | 66 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 18.6 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac, Apple TV** | iPhone, iPad, Apple TV |
| Age rating | 12+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [The Explorers Network](https://appshunter.io/developer/1475751692) | [MagellanTV LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1449628140) |

## What reviewers say

### The Explorers

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-explorers/id1436285774)

Explore and share Earth's wonders through photos and videos. Join a global community of creators and scientists to document biodiversity and natural heritage. Discover location-based content and contribute your own media to a growing planet inventory.

**Highlights:** Explore location-based content on a world map, Follow other Explorers' discoveries, Post photos and videos in original size, Private messaging with friends and Explorers, Zoom feature for detailed photo viewing, Access content up to 8K HDR with premium

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| The Explorers+ | $2.99 | per month |


### MagellanTV Documentaries

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/magellantv-documentaries/id1449628141)

Access an expansive library of documentaries across various genres like history, nature, and science. Enjoy unlimited streaming with new content added weekly, free from advertisements. Cast content to your TV and explore exclusive playlists.

**Highlights:** Unlimited streaming, Extensive genre collections, Exclusive playlists, New content added weekly, No advertising, Cast to TV

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly Membership | $5.99 | per month |
| Monthly Membership | $6.99 | per month |
| Quarterly Membership | $17.99 | per 3 months |
| Annual Membership | $59.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

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

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 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)

**Reported bugs**

- 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**

- 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


## Frequently asked questions

### Is The Explorers free?

The Explorers 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, The Explorers or MagellanTV Documentaries?

MagellanTV Documentaries is rated higher. The Explorers averages 4.4 out of 5 from 86 ratings, while MagellanTV Documentaries averages 4.6 from 3.9K ratings.

### Do The Explorers or MagellanTV Documentaries have ads?

The Explorers shows ads; MagellanTV Documentaries does not.

### Which is updated more often, The Explorers or MagellanTV Documentaries?

The Explorers ships an update every 6 weeks, and MagellanTV Documentaries every 3 weeks. Most recently, The Explorers was updated on June 9, 2026 and MagellanTV Documentaries on September 22, 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.*