Comparison

MagellanTV Documentaries vs TruBlu

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

MagellanTV Documentaries

Access an extensive library of documentaries across various genres, including history, science, and true crime. Enjoy unlimited streaming on multiple devices with new content added weekly. This service is ad-free and offers exclusive playlists.

Highlights
  • Extensive documentary library
  • Unlimited streaming
  • Multi-device support
  • New content added weekly
  • Ad-free viewing
  • Casting to TV devices
Features
Read full description

Documentaries Worth Watching MagellanTV is more than just a streaming service—it's a journey of discovery. Designed for the inquisitive, our expansive library offers documentaries that enlighten, inspire, and feed your lifelong love of learning. For those craving substantial content and awe-inspiring insights, MagellanTV is your refuge. Rekindle your sense of wonder and dive into a world where every film is a chance to learn, explore, and grow. MagellanTV membership includes: -Unlimited streaming anytime, anywhere, on multiple devices. -Extensive genre collections in History, Nature, Science, Space, Crime, and more. -Exclusive playlists that explore personalities and events that shaped our world. -New content added weekly. -No advertising or other interruptions ever. -Cast MagellanTV programs from your iOS device to a Roku, FireTV, Chromecast, or Smart TV. Please Note: -All subscriptions automatically renew at the end of your selected plan period, unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24 hours before the end of your plan period. -Your account will be charged for renewal within 24 hours before the end of your current plan period, and the cost of the renewal will be identified. -If you paid for your subscription through In-App Purchases, go to your App Store Account to cancel the service, change the plan period, or turn off auto-renew. -If you cancel your subscription, you can continue to enjoy all MagellanTV programs and features right up to the end of your plan period. -By downloading the MagellanTV app, you agree to its Terms & Conditions (https://www.magellantv.com/terms_conditions) and its Privacy Policy (https://www.magellantv.com/privacy_policy).

About

TruBlu

Stream gripping crime programs and documentaries featuring prominent personalities in investigation. Explore scams, predator catches, and a variety of true crime content. Subscribe for full access to all features and content.

Highlights
  • Crime programs and documentaries
  • Spearheaded by Chris Hansen
  • Scam and predator investigations
  • Factual streaming network
  • Monthly and yearly subscription options
Features
Read full description

TruBlu Factual Streaming Network is home to some of the biggest personalities in crime and investigation. Spearheaded by Chris Hansen, we examine scams, catch predators and bring you a fresh supply of gripping crime programs and documentaries. To access all features and content you can subscribe to TruBlu Factual Streaming Network, LLC on yearly or monthly basis with an auto-renewing subscription right inside the app.* Pricing can vary by region and will be confirmed before purchase in the app. In app subscriptions will automatically renew at the end of their cycle. All payments will be paid through your iTunes Account and may be managed under Account Settings after the initial payment. Subscription payments will automatically renew unless deactivated at least 24-hours before the end of the current cycle. Your account will be charged for renewal at least 24-hours prior to the end of the current cycle. Cancellations are incurred by disabling auto-renewal. Terms of Service: https://trublu.vhx.tv/tos Privacy Policy: https://trublu.vhx.tv/privacy

Screenshots

MagellanTV Documentaries4 screens
TruBlu4 screens

Verdict

The call

MagellanTV Documentaries and TruBlu both sit at 4.6 stars, but that hides the real split: 85% of TruBlu's written reviews are positive against 37% of MagellanTV Documentaries's. TruBlu also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 4) and iOS requirement (15.0 vs 18.6). MagellanTV Documentaries's advantage is update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 2 months) and ratings volume (3.9K vs 842). On price, rating, ads and device support 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. MagellanTV Documentaries sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 per month. TruBlu asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.6 for MagellanTV Documentaries against 4.6 for TruBlu. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 3.9K and 842 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 37% of MagellanTV Documentaries's written reviews are positive against 85% of TruBlu's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

MagellanTV Documentaries ships an update every 3 weeks, TruBlu every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on November 6, 2026 and November 7, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 4 level
MagellanTV Documentaries versus TruBlu: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterMagellanTV DocumentariesTruBlu
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.6 (3.9K ratings)4.6 (842 ratings) — better
Positive reviews36.9% of reviews84.5% of reviews — better
Number of ratings3.9K — better842
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeks — betterEvery 2 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases — betterSubscription
DevicesiPhone, iPad, Apple TViPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple TV — better
Requires iOS18.615.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size67 MB71 MB
Age rating12+12+
DeveloperMagellanTV LLCTruBlu Factual Streaming Network, LLC

Customer experience

MagellanTV Documentaries

All ratings3,884 ratings
Positive91.1%
Neutral4.4%
Negative4.5%
Written reviews195 reviews
Positive36.9%
Neutral16.9%
Negative46.2%

TruBlu

All ratings842 ratings
Positive91.2%
Neutral0.7%
Negative8.1%
Written reviews362 reviews
Positive84.5%
Neutral1.9%
Negative13.5%

User reviews

MagellanTV Documentaries

From 3.9K App Store ratings

What we love

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

Room to improve

  • 🐛 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)

TruBlu

From 842 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 👍 Great content
  • 🚀 Smooth streaming
  • 💯 Excellent value
  • 🙌 Supportive of Chris Hansen's work
  • 🎥 Variety of true crime shows

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Occasional crashes or bugs
  • 🔍 Limited content beyond Takedown with Chris Hansen
  • 🔊 Censored language in paid subscription
  • 🔍 Difficult to find/access account settings

Bugs and requests

MagellanTV Documentaries

Reported bugs

5 issues
  • 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

5 requests
  • 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

TruBlu

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Playback issues when resuming episodes
  • Inconsistent availability of subtitles/captions
  • Billing/subscription management problems

Requested features

4 requests
  • More episodes of Takedown with Chris Hansen
  • Improved organization and filtering of content
  • Ability to skip ahead/rewind easily during playback
  • Offline viewing or download option

In-app purchases

4 purchases

MagellanTV Documentaries

Subscriptions4
  • Monthly Membership1 Month trial$5.991 Month
  • Monthly Membership7 Days trial$6.991 Month
  • Quarterly Membership14 Days trial$17.993 Months
Show 1 more
  • Annual Membership1 Year trial$59.991 Year
None

TruBlu

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is MagellanTV Documentaries free?
MagellanTV Documentaries is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is TruBlu free?
TruBlu is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, MagellanTV Documentaries or TruBlu?
TruBlu is rated higher. MagellanTV Documentaries averages 4.6 out of 5 from 3.9K ratings, while TruBlu averages 4.6 from 842 ratings.
Do MagellanTV Documentaries or TruBlu have ads?
Neither MagellanTV Documentaries nor TruBlu shows ads.
Which is updated more often, MagellanTV Documentaries or TruBlu?
MagellanTV Documentaries ships an update every 3 weeks, and TruBlu every 2 months. Most recently, MagellanTV Documentaries was updated on November 6, 2026 and TruBlu on November 7, 2026.

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