# Kernel vs FILMBOX+ Stream

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Kernel at 63% against FILMBOX+ Stream's 20%. Kernel also leads on rating (4.0 vs 3.7) and ratings volume (223 vs 3). FILMBOX+ Stream's advantage is iOS requirement (14.0 vs 17.0). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Kernel sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per 7 days and FILMBOX+ Stream sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Kernel holds the better App Store score, 4.0 against 3.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Kernel has 223 ratings behind it against 3, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 63% of Kernel's written reviews are positive against 20% of FILMBOX+ Stream's.

Kernel ships an update every 2 weeks, FILMBOX+ Stream every 6 weeks. The most recent releases landed on August 26, 2026 and September 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Kernel | FILMBOX+ Stream |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.0 (223 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/kernel/id1452608085/reviews)** | [3.7 (3 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/filmbox-plus-stream/id1527246069/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **223** | 3 |
| Positive reviews | **62.9% of reviews** | 20.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 weeks** | Every 6 weeks |
| Monetization | Subscription | Subscription |
| Size | 34 MB | 47 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **14.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, Vision Pro | iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple TV |
| Age rating | 9+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Nikias Molina](https://appshunter.io/developer/1684791845) | [SPI TV Limited](https://appshunter.io/developer/518672073) |

## What reviewers say

### Kernel

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/kernel/id1452608085)

This AI-powered app helps you discover, organize, and share movies and TV shows. Describe a title to find it, get recommendations directly from friends, and track upcoming releases. It also shows you where to stream content across various services.

**Highlights:** AI-powered search by description, Direct friend recommendations, Create movie/TV show playlists, Automatic release tracking and notifications, Streaming service availability, Widgets and Apple Watch support

**Features:** Apple Watch app

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Weekly | $0.99 | per 7 days |
| Monthly | $1.99 | per month |
| Yearly | $15.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Gorgeous, minimalist design
- 🚀 Simple, clean, beautiful and intuitive design
- 💡 Great app to keep track of movies
- 💡 Fantastic UI, looks great and works smooth

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Missing key features like rating movies/shows
- 🐛 Notifications don't work, app is unresponsive
- 🐛 Inconsistent, buggy, and crashes often
- 🐛 Annoying notifications prompt on every app launch

**Reported bugs**

- Apple Watch app doesn't work, shows blank screen
- Release dates are sometimes inaccurate
- Can't remove movies from 'Upcoming' playlist after release

**Requested features**

- Add ability to rate movies and shows
- Implement a 'mark all as seen' feature for TV shows
- Allow sorting playlists manually
- Add support for more streaming services
- Integrate Rotten Tomatoes ratings


### FILMBOX+ Stream

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/filmbox-plus-stream/id1527246069)

Access a vast library of series, films, documentaries, and entertainment programs with simple navigation and thematic collections. Discover exclusive series, cult productions, and Hollywood hits to watch anytime, anywhere.

**Highlights:** Vast library of series and films, Exclusive series content, Documentaries and entertainment programs, Simple navigation, Thematic collections, Watch anytime, anywhere

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| FilmBox+ Monthly with Ads | $0.99 | per month |
| Filmbox+ Monthly | $4.49 | per month |
| Filmbox Yearly | $24.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Kernel free?

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

### Is FILMBOX+ Stream free?

FILMBOX+ Stream is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Kernel or FILMBOX+ Stream?

Kernel is rated higher. Kernel averages 4.0 out of 5 from 223 ratings, while FILMBOX+ Stream averages 3.7 from 3 ratings.

### Do Kernel or FILMBOX+ Stream have ads?

Neither Kernel nor FILMBOX+ Stream shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Kernel or FILMBOX+ Stream?

Kernel ships an update every 2 weeks, and FILMBOX+ Stream every 6 weeks. Most recently, Kernel was updated on August 26, 2026 and FILMBOX+ Stream on September 24, 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.*