# MagellanTV Documentaries vs DocuBay

The clearest difference is monetization model: DocuBay at free with in-app purchases against MagellanTV Documentaries's subscription. DocuBay also leads on iOS requirement (13.0 vs 18.6). MagellanTV Documentaries's advantage is rating (4.6 vs 4.1) and ratings volume (3.9K vs 50). On price, review sentiment, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. MagellanTV Documentaries sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 per month and DocuBay sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 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 4.1. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: MagellanTV Documentaries has 3.9K ratings behind it against 50, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 37% of MagellanTV Documentaries's written reviews are positive against 39% of DocuBay's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

MagellanTV Documentaries ships an update every 3 weeks, DocuBay monthly. The most recent releases landed on September 22, 2026 and September 19, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | MagellanTV Documentaries | DocuBay |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.6 (3.9K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/magellantv-documentaries/id1449628141/reviews)** | [4.1 (50 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/docubay-watch-documentaries/id1458102898/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **3.9K** | 50 |
| Positive reviews | 36.6% of reviews | **39.3% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 weeks** | Monthly |
| Monetization | Subscription | **Free with in-app purchases** |
| Size | 66 MB | 111 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.6 | **13.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Apple TV | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple TV** |
| Age rating | 12+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [MagellanTV LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1449628140) | [Docubay Media Private Limited](https://appshunter.io/developer/1459476645) |

## What reviewers say

### 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


### DocuBay

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/docubay-watch-documentaries/id1458102898)

Stream a vast collection of award-winning documentaries across diverse categories like crime, nature, and history. Enjoy curated playlists, daily new releases, and offline viewing options. Discover insightful content for free or with premium membership.

**Highlights:** Categorized documentary library (Bays), Curated LIVE Channel, Short documentary previews (DocuBytes), Daily new releases, Monthly featured film (DocBuster), Offline viewing via download, Favorites and Watchlist management

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Premium Membership | $3.99 | per month |
| Premium Membership | $9.99 | per 3 months |
| OneTribe Membership | $29.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is MagellanTV Documentaries free?

MagellanTV Documentaries is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is DocuBay free?

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

### Which has better reviews, MagellanTV Documentaries or DocuBay?

MagellanTV Documentaries is rated higher. MagellanTV Documentaries averages 4.6 out of 5 from 3.9K ratings, while DocuBay averages 4.1 from 50 ratings.

### Do MagellanTV Documentaries or DocuBay have ads?

Neither MagellanTV Documentaries nor DocuBay shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, MagellanTV Documentaries or DocuBay?

MagellanTV Documentaries ships an update every 3 weeks, and DocuBay monthly. Most recently, MagellanTV Documentaries was updated on September 22, 2026 and DocuBay on September 19, 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.*