# SBIFF vs Metropolitan Theatres

SBIFF and Metropolitan Theatres both sit at 4.8 stars, but that hides the real split: 100% of SBIFF's written reviews are positive against 29% of Metropolitan Theatres's. Metropolitan Theatres's advantage is update cadence (every 2 months vs every 11 months) and iOS requirement (15.0 vs 17.0). On price, rating, ratings volume and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.8 for SBIFF against 4.7 for Metropolitan Theatres. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 540 and 1.6K respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 100% of SBIFF's written reviews are positive against 29% of Metropolitan Theatres's.

SBIFF ships an update every 11 months, Metropolitan Theatres every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on November 6, 2026 and November 7, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | SBIFF | Metropolitan Theatres |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (540 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sbiff/id1446817883/reviews)** | [4.7 (1.6K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/metropolitan-theatres/id1520118399/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 540 | **1.6K** |
| Positive reviews | **100.0% of reviews** | 29.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 11 months | **Every 2 months** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 105 MB | 34 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Santa Barbara International Film Festival](https://appshunter.io/developer/1446817882) | [The Boxoffice Company, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1012413230) |

## What reviewers say

### SBIFF

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sbiff/id1446817883)

Access comprehensive schedules and detailed film information for all events, including the annual Film Festival and year-round programming. Stay updated on screenings at SBIFF's Riviera Theatre and Film Center.

**Highlights:** Event schedules, Film information, Annual Film Festival details, Year-round programming, Venue information

**In-app purchases:** none


### Metropolitan Theatres

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/metropolitan-theatres/id1520118399)

Easily find movie showtimes and purchase tickets for your favorite films. Join the rewards program to earn points on every purchase, redeemable for future tickets and concessions.

**Highlights:** View showtimes, Buy tickets, Earn rewards, Redeem rewards, Concession rewards

**Features:** Apple Wallet, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 💎 Great for movie goers
- 👍 Convenient to order tickets and food together
- ⚡ Fast for showtimes

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Buggy app with issues
- 💔 Worst payment experience
- 🤯 Frustrating user experience
- 🤖 App has less functionality than website
- 💰 Booking fees are too high

**Reported bugs**

- Login issues
- Tickets purchased for wrong date
- Payment processing problems
- App crashing or not updating information

**Requested features**

- Improve delineation between movie listings
- Allow applying loyalty points and paying with credit card
- Provide handicap/senior seating information


## Frequently asked questions

### Is SBIFF free?

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

### Is Metropolitan Theatres free?

Metropolitan Theatres is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, SBIFF or Metropolitan Theatres?

SBIFF is rated higher. SBIFF averages 4.8 out of 5 from 540 ratings, while Metropolitan Theatres averages 4.7 from 1.6K ratings.

### Do SBIFF or Metropolitan Theatres have ads?

Neither SBIFF nor Metropolitan Theatres shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, SBIFF or Metropolitan Theatres?

SBIFF ships an update every 11 months, and Metropolitan Theatres every 2 months. Most recently, SBIFF was updated on November 6, 2026 and Metropolitan Theatres on November 7, 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.*