# Kernel vs ScreenHitsTV

The clearest difference is rating: Kernel at 4.0 against ScreenHitsTV's 3.0. Kernel also leads on ratings volume (226 vs 8) and update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 2 months). ScreenHitsTV's advantage is monetization model (free with in-app purchases vs subscription). On price, ads, in-app purchases and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Kernel sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per 7 days and ScreenHitsTV sells 2 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 3.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Kernel has 226 ratings behind it against 8, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 65% of Kernel's written reviews are positive against 50% of ScreenHitsTV's.

Kernel ships an update every 2 weeks, ScreenHitsTV every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 26, 2026 and October 20, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Kernel | ScreenHitsTV |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.0 (226 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/kernel-movie-and-tv-tracker/id1452608085/reviews)** | [3.0 (8 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/screenhitstv/id1554895264/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **226** | 8 |
| Positive reviews | **64.6% of reviews** | 50.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 weeks** | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | Subscription | **Free with in-app purchases** |
| Size | 37 MB | 37 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **16.0** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, Apple Watch, Vision Pro** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 9+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Nikias Molina](https://appshunter.io/developer/1684791845) | [ScreenHits LTD](https://appshunter.io/developer/1043556790) |

## What reviewers say

### Kernel

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/kernel-movie-and-tv-tracker/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


### ScreenHitsTV

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/screenhitstv/id1554895264)

Consolidate all your streaming services into one app for unified search and discovery. Find trending content, access exclusive offers, and protect children with a PIN. Save money by avoiding duplicate rentals and purchases.

**Highlights:** Unified streaming search, Content discovery, Child PIN protection, Friend-based content recommendations, Discounts and cashback offers, Live TV access, Multi-screen viewing

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Basic Monthly | $0.99 | per month |
| Basic Yearly | $7.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Kernel free?

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

### Is ScreenHitsTV free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Kernel or ScreenHitsTV?

Kernel is rated higher. Kernel averages 4.0 out of 5 from 226 ratings, while ScreenHitsTV averages 3.0 from 8 ratings.

### Do Kernel or ScreenHitsTV have ads?

Neither Kernel nor ScreenHitsTV shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Kernel or ScreenHitsTV?

Kernel ships an update every 2 weeks, and ScreenHitsTV every 2 months. Most recently, Kernel was updated on October 26, 2026 and ScreenHitsTV on October 20, 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.*