Comparison

Kernel vs Movies Plus

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

Head to head
About

Kernel

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
Read full description

Kernel is the movie and TV show tracker that counts down to every release and tells you where to watch it. Add what you want to see to your watchlist, get a countdown and a reminder on release day, find out where it's streaming in your country, and rate it once you've seen it. Can't remember the title? Describe it and Kernel AI finds it. RELEASE COUNTDOWNS Add upcoming movies and shows and Kernel counts down the days on your Home Screen, Lock Screen and Apple Watch, then reminds you when they're out. WHERE TO WATCH See whether a movie or show is streaming, for rent or to buy on Netflix, Apple TV, Prime Video, Disney+, HBO Max and more, for the country you're in. TOP 10 ON EVERY SERVICE What's most popular right now on Netflix, Apple TV, Disney+, Prime Video and HBO Max. KERNEL AI MOVIE FINDER Forgot the name? Describe the plot, a scene or an actor and Kernel AI finds the movie or show. RATE IT Half-star ratings for movies, shows and every episode, plus the Kernel Rating from everyone else. WATCHLIST AND PLAYLISTS Seen, Upcoming and a playlist for every mood, synced with iCloud. SHARE WITH FRIENDS Send a movie, show or episode. The link opens straight in Kernel and shows a rich preview in Messages. WIDGETS AND APPLE WATCH Countdown, Up Next and Kernel AI widgets, a Control Center button, and an Apple Watch app with complications. ON EVERY SCREEN iPhone, Apple Watch, Apple TV and Apple Vision Pro, and made for iPhone Duo. Kernel is a tracker and a guide. It doesn't play movies itself; it shows you where you can watch them. Available in English and Spanish. KERNEL PREMIUM Kernel AI includes free searches every month. Kernel Premium unlocks unlimited Kernel AI searches and opens any title in its streaming app with one tap. Kernel Premium is a weekly, monthly or yearly auto-renewing subscription. Payment is charged to your Apple Account when you confirm the purchase. It renews automatically unless you cancel at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. Manage or cancel it any time in your Apple Account settings. Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy: https://kernelmovieapp.com/privacy-policy.html Movie and show information, posters and artwork belong to their respective owners. Studio logos and other trademarks belong to their respective owners.

About

Movies Plus

Access a diverse streaming library featuring big studio hits, independent films, and original content. This platform champions freedom of expression and diverse viewpoints. Subscribe monthly or yearly for full access.

Highlights
  • Independent film library
  • Original content
  • Big studio films
  • Freedom of expression
  • Monthly subscription
  • Yearly subscription
Features
Read full description

Movies Plus is a streaming platform providing exceptional entertainment from big studio films, to small independent movies, and original content, while simultaneously granting freedom to all points of view and protecting each individual’s right to their own voice. To access all features and content you can subscribe to Movies Plus on a monthly or yearly 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://www.mymoviesplus.com/tos Privacy Policy: https://www.mymoviesplus.com/privacy

Screenshots

Kernel4 screens
Movies Plus4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Movies Plus at 4.3 against Kernel's 4.0. Movies Plus also leads on review sentiment (78% vs 65%). Kernel's advantage is update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 3 months) and ratings volume (224 vs 36). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model 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. Kernel sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per 7 days and Movies Plus sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Movies Plus holds the better App Store score, 4.3 against 4.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Kernel has 224 ratings behind it against 36, 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 78% of Movies Plus's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Kernel ships an update every 3 weeks, Movies Plus every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on October 15, 2026 and October 7, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
Kernel versus Movies Plus: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterKernelMovies Plus
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.0 (224 ratings)4.3 (36 ratings) — better
Positive reviews64.6% of reviews77.8% of reviews — better
Number of ratings224 — better36
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeks — betterEvery 3 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationSubscriptionSubscription
DevicesiPhone, iPad, Apple TV, Apple Watch, Vision Pro — betteriPhone, iPad, Apple TV
Requires iOS17.016.6 — better
Further details — not scored
Size36 MB67 MB
Age rating9+12+
DeveloperNikias MolinaTurn Key Film Fest, LLC

Customer experience

Kernel

All ratings224 ratings
Positive72.8%
Neutral8.0%
Negative19.2%
Written reviews164 reviews
Positive64.6%
Neutral13.4%
Negative22.0%

Movies Plus

All ratings36 ratings
Positive80.6%
Neutral5.6%
Negative13.9%
Written reviews18 reviews
Positive77.8%
Neutral11.1%
Negative11.1%

Bugs and requests

Kernel

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • 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

6 requests
  • 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
Show 1 more
  • Develop an iPad version of the app

Movies Plus

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

3 purchases

Kernel

Subscriptions3
  • Weekly$0.997 Days
  • Monthly$1.991 Month
  • Yearly$15.991 Year
2 purchases

Movies Plus

Subscriptions2
  • Movies Plus Monthly1 Month trial$5.991 Month
  • Movies Plus Yearly1 Month trial$29.991 Year

Questions

Is Kernel free?
Kernel is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Movies Plus free?
Movies Plus is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Kernel or Movies Plus?
Movies Plus is rated higher. Kernel averages 4.0 out of 5 from 224 ratings, while Movies Plus averages 4.3 from 36 ratings.
Do Kernel or Movies Plus have ads?
Neither Kernel nor Movies Plus shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Kernel or Movies Plus?
Kernel ships an update every 3 weeks, and Movies Plus every 3 months. Most recently, Kernel was updated on October 15, 2026 and Movies Plus on October 7, 2026.

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