# MagellanTV Documentaries vs TruBlu

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 iOS requirement (15.0 vs 18.6). MagellanTV Documentaries's advantage is update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 3 months) and ratings volume (3.9K vs 838). On price, rating, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. MagellanTV Documentaries sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 per month and TruBlu sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

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 838 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 37% of MagellanTV Documentaries's written reviews are positive against 85% of TruBlu's.

MagellanTV Documentaries ships an update every 3 weeks, TruBlu every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on September 27, 2026 and September 26, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | MagellanTV Documentaries | TruBlu |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.6 (3.9K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/magellantv-documentaries/id1449628141/reviews) | [4.6 (838 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/trublu/id6443777497/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **3.9K** | 838 |
| Positive reviews | 36.6% of reviews | **85.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 weeks** | Every 3 months |
| Monetization | Subscription | Subscription |
| Size | 66 MB | 71 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.6 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Apple TV | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple TV** |
| Age rating | 12+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [MagellanTV LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1449628140) | [TruBlu Factual Streaming Network, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1649176085) |

## 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


### TruBlu

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/trublu/id6443777497)

Stream gripping crime programs and documentaries featuring prominent personalities in investigation. Explore scams, catch predators, and enjoy a fresh supply of factual content. Access all features and content through a subscription.

**Highlights:** Crime programs and documentaries, Scam examination, Predator catching, Factual streaming, Documentaries

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

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| TruBlu Monthly | $4.99 | per month |
| TruBlu Yearly | $49.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

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

**What reviewers complain about**

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

**Reported bugs**

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

**Requested features**

- 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


## Frequently asked 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 in-app purchases available.

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

MagellanTV Documentaries and TruBlu are both rated 4.6 out of 5 on the App Store, from 3.9K and 838 ratings respectively.

### 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 3 months. Most recently, MagellanTV Documentaries was updated on September 27, 2026 and TruBlu on September 26, 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.*