Comparison

MagellanTV Documentaries vs The Network TV

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

Head to head
About

MagellanTV Documentaries

Explore a vast library of documentaries covering history, science, true crime, and more. Enjoy unlimited streaming on multiple devices with new content added weekly. This service offers an ad-free, immersive learning experience for the curious mind.

Highlights
  • Unlimited streaming
  • Extensive genre collections
  • Exclusive curated playlists
  • New content added weekly
  • Ad-free viewing experience
  • Cross-device compatibility
  • Casting to smart TVs
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

The Network TV

Discover exclusive original series with this streaming platform. Enjoy new dramas and comedies released regularly, all without any subscription fees or ads. Stream your favorite shows anytime, anywhere, on any device.

Highlights
  • Exclusive original series
  • Drama Tuesdays
  • Comedy Thursdays
  • No subscription required
  • Stream on any device
  • Ad-supported content
Features
Read full description

If you know about The Network… You know about The Network. We release only original series - With Drama Tuesdays and Comedy Thursdays, there’s a premium show for everyone. We believe premium content doesn’t have to cost our subscribers a penny. And we also believe that you shouldn’t have to waste your time searching for content - That’s why we release two shows at a time, and nothing else! What you'll love about The Network: Free Premium Content that you literally can’t find anywhere else. We only release Network originals. No Subscription Required: Say goodbye to monthly bills! The Network is completely free to use. No trials, no credit cards - just immersive stories. Stream Anytime, Anywhere: Whether you're at home or on the go, The Network is ready to entertain you. Stream your favorite series seamlessly on your smartphone, tablet, or smart TV. Get ready to embark on an unforgettable streaming journey with The Network. Download now and start binge-watching your new favorite series - all for free! Privacy Policy: thenetwork.stream/privacy Terms of Use: thenetwork.stream/terms

Screenshots

MagellanTV Documentaries4 screens
The Network TV3 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: MagellanTV Documentaries at 4.6 against The Network TV's 2.7. MagellanTV Documentaries also leads on ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 5 months). The Network TV's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 4) and iOS requirement (15.0 vs 18.6). On price 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. The Network TV asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

MagellanTV Documentaries holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 2.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: MagellanTV Documentaries has 3.9K ratings behind it against 66, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 37% of MagellanTV Documentaries's written reviews are positive against 25% of The Network TV's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

MagellanTV Documentaries ships an update every 3 weeks, The Network TV every 5 months. The most recent releases landed on November 3, 2026 and October 30, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard8 real differences · 2 level
MagellanTV Documentaries versus The Network TV: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterMagellanTV DocumentariesThe Network TV
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.6 (3.9K ratings) — better2.7 (66 ratings)
Positive reviews36.9% of reviews — better25.0% of reviews
Number of ratings3.9K — better66
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeks — betterEvery 5 months
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesAd-supported — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, Apple TViPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple TV — better
Requires iOS18.615.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size67 MB45 MB
Age rating12+12+
DeveloperMagellanTV LLCBH Media Holdings LLC

Customer experience

MagellanTV Documentaries

All ratings3,883 ratings
Positive91.1%
Neutral4.4%
Negative4.5%
Written reviews195 reviews
Positive36.9%
Neutral16.9%
Negative46.2%

The Network TV

All ratings46 ratings
Positive37.0%
Neutral13.0%
Negative50.0%
Written reviews52 reviews
Positive25.0%
Neutral11.5%
Negative63.5%

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)

The Network TV

From 66 App Store ratings

What we love

  • ✨ Brilliant content quality
  • 👍 Nicely curated programming
  • 🌟 Original and quality shows
  • 💰 Upgrade well worth the cost
  • 💯 Incredible and original television

Room to improve

  • 😠 Frustrating app experience
  • 💸 Not truly free
  • 😩 Ads are excessive and repetitive
  • ❌ Poor streaming quality
  • 🚫 Registration issues

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

The Network TV

Reported bugs

57 issues
  • Sound cuts out after commercials
  • App freezes after commercials
  • Won't advance past ads
  • Shows stop after commercials, frozen screen
  • Fast forward goes backward, back jumps ahead
Show 52 more
  • Paid subscription still has ads
  • App doesn't remember watched content
  • Doesn't play well on Apple TV
  • Cannot stream through Chromecast
  • Ads are too long and too many
  • CC option won't stick
  • Paid upgrade shows no additional content
  • No way to contact for refund
  • App is terrible, should be removed
  • Only 30 titles available
  • Watching for 90 minutes involves 45 minutes of ads
  • Constant freezes force app restart
  • Ads are seen umpteen times
  • Full screen option returns to start
  • No way to view closed captions
  • Reporting a problem is not available
  • App freezes, doesn't save place, forces ads on restart
  • Episodes freeze, restart from beginning, watch ads again
  • Cannot cancel subscription
  • Ads every 10 minutes, same ads over and over
  • Paid ad-free service requires antenna
  • Same four commercials every seven minutes
  • Show doesn't stay where left off
  • Cannot FF to where you were
  • Status bar doesn't fade away
  • Full screen arrow closes video
  • App doesn't save time in content
  • Cannot make content play, only trailers
  • App crashes in middle of episode
  • App constantly disconnects when casting
  • Constant buffering
  • Subtitles show top half only
  • Cannot find app on TV
  • Registration fails, proceed button doesn't work
  • Error message: 'Oops something went wrong'
  • Cannot rewind properly
  • Backing out of show starts over
  • Cannot login on Apple TV
  • Casting forgets where it's at, restarts show
  • Abrupt episode conclusions
  • App doesn't work on Roku TV and iPad
  • Only trailers and 2 commercials shown
  • Error message when trying to watch trailers
  • Unable to reset password
  • Error message when trying to log back in
  • Email recognized as already in use
  • Password reset email not received
  • Shows look great but app not found on Apple TV
  • App has only 2 trailers
  • No subtitle options on next episode
  • Cannot set subtitles to always be on
  • Trailer never starts to stream, only commercials

Requested features

8 requests
  • Allow users to reset password
  • Add more titles/content
  • Improve subtitle options
  • Fix CC not sticking
  • Implement a way to report problems
Show 3 more
  • Add a streaming icon to the home page
  • Improve UI
  • Make the app available on TV app stores

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

The Network TV

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is MagellanTV Documentaries free?
MagellanTV Documentaries is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is The Network TV free?
The Network TV is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, MagellanTV Documentaries or The Network TV?
MagellanTV Documentaries is rated higher. MagellanTV Documentaries averages 4.6 out of 5 from 3.9K ratings, while The Network TV averages 2.7 from 66 ratings.
Do MagellanTV Documentaries or The Network TV have ads?
The Network TV shows ads; MagellanTV Documentaries does not.
Which is updated more often, MagellanTV Documentaries or The Network TV?
MagellanTV Documentaries ships an update every 3 weeks, and The Network TV every 5 months. Most recently, MagellanTV Documentaries was updated on November 3, 2026 and The Network TV on October 30, 2026.

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