# MagellanTV Documentaries vs Sword And Scale

The clearest difference is monetization model: Sword And Scale at free with in-app purchases against MagellanTV Documentaries's subscription. Sword And Scale also leads on review sentiment (70% vs 37%) and rating (4.9 vs 4.6). On price, ratings volume, 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 Sword And Scale sells 16 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Sword And Scale holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.6. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 3.9K and 6.7K respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 37% of MagellanTV Documentaries's written reviews are positive against 70% of Sword And Scale's.

MagellanTV Documentaries ships an update every 3 weeks, Sword And Scale fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on October 14, 2026 and October 19, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | MagellanTV Documentaries | Sword And Scale |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.6 (3.9K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/magellantv-documentaries/id1449628141/reviews) | **[4.9 (6.7K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sword-and-scale/id1505946105/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 3.9K | **6.7K** |
| Positive reviews | 36.9% of reviews | **70.1% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | **Fortnightly** |
| Monetization | Subscription | **Free with in-app purchases** |
| Best chart rank | — | **#118** |
| Size | 67 MB | 135 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.6 | **17.6** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, Apple TV** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 12+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [MagellanTV LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1449628140) | [Incongruity, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1505946104) |

## 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


### Sword And Scale

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sword-and-scale/id1505946105)

**Currently charting:** #118 Top Grossing · Entertainment (US App Store)

Explore real criminal cases and the justice system's response through in-depth podcast episodes. Features 911 calls, court testimonies, and interviews for a comprehensive look at each story. Receive notifications for new episode releases.

**Highlights:** Real criminal case explorations, Justice system analysis, 911 call recordings, Court testimonies, Interviews, New episode notifications

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

**In-app purchases (16)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| +BASE LEVEL SUPPORTER | $9.99 | per month |
| +BONUS LEVEL SUPPORTER | $9.99 | per month |
| BASE LEVEL SUPPORTER | $9.99 | per month |
| BONUS LEVEL SUPPORTER | $9.99 | per month |
| Bonus Supporter | $9.99 | per month |
| +ADVANCED LEVEL SUPPORTER | $14.99 | per month |
| Super Supporter | $19.99 | per month |
| +HARDCORE LEVEL SUPPORTER | $24.99 | per month |
| VIP Supporter | $29.99 | per month |
| BASE LEVEL SUPPORTER (Yearly) | $49.99 | per year |
| +BASE LEVEL SUPPORTER (Yearly) | $99.99 | per year |
| +BONUS LEVEL(Yearly) | $99.99 | per year |
| Bonus Supporter | $99.99 | per year |
| Super Supporter | $199.99 | per year |
| +BASE LEVEL SUPPORTER | $4.99 | one-time |
| +BASE LEVEL SUPPORTER | $49.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Excellent app
- 👍 Convenient and easy to use
- 🔒 Robust security features
- 💎 High-quality content
- 🎨 Great graphics and layout

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Bugs and glitches
- 🔋 High data usage
- 🔒 Login and account issues
- 📥 Offline listening problems
- 🔀 Lack of episode progress tracking

**Reported bugs**

- Frequent app crashes
- Subscription validation issues
- Inconsistent episode downloads
- Playback menu navigation problems

**Requested features**

- Variable playback speed
- Ability to filter played episodes
- Automatic pause during GPS directions
- Improved search functionality


## Frequently asked questions

### Is MagellanTV Documentaries free?

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

### Is Sword And Scale free?

Sword And Scale is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, MagellanTV Documentaries or Sword And Scale?

Sword And Scale is rated higher. MagellanTV Documentaries averages 4.6 out of 5 from 3.9K ratings, while Sword And Scale averages 4.9 from 6.7K ratings.

### Do MagellanTV Documentaries or Sword And Scale have ads?

Neither MagellanTV Documentaries nor Sword And Scale shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, MagellanTV Documentaries or Sword And Scale?

MagellanTV Documentaries ships an update every 3 weeks, and Sword And Scale fortnightly. Most recently, MagellanTV Documentaries was updated on October 14, 2026 and Sword And Scale on October 19, 2026.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*