# Kernel vs GameBox

Kernel and GameBox both sit at 4.0 stars, but that hides the real split: 63% of Kernel's written reviews are positive against 11% of GameBox's. Kernel also leads on ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 2 months). GameBox's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 3) and iOS requirement (14.0 vs 17.0). On price, rating and ratings volume there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Kernel sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per 7 days. GameBox asks for nothing beyond the download.

Kernel holds the better App Store score, 4.0 against 3.8. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 223 and 546 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 63% of Kernel's written reviews are positive against 11% of GameBox's.

Kernel ships an update every 3 weeks, GameBox every 2 months. Both last shipped on October 9, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Kernel | GameBox |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.0 (223 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/kernel/id1452608085/reviews)** | [3.8 (546 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/gameboxscrew-cine-buzz/id6746836668/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 223 | **546** |
| Positive reviews | **62.9% of reviews** | 11.4% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 weeks** | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | Subscription | **Ad-supported** |
| Size | 35 MB | 52 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **14.0** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, Apple Watch, Vision Pro** | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 9+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Nikias Molina](https://appshunter.io/developer/1684791845) | [Hidayanto Darimin](https://appshunter.io/developer/1818748844) |

## 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


### GameBox

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/gameboxscrew-cine-buzz/id6746836668)

Explore movies through a cosmic interface, curating personalized playlists to build your own planet. Discover movie genres, view details, watch trailers, and play space-themed mini-games. This app uses TMDb API for movie data.

**Highlights:** Cosmic interface, Personalized movie playlists, Browse movie genres, View movie details and trailers, Space-themed mini-games, Create movie planets

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Kernel free?

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

### Is GameBox free?

GameBox is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

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

Kernel is rated higher. Kernel averages 4.0 out of 5 from 223 ratings, while GameBox averages 3.8 from 546 ratings.

### Do Kernel or GameBox have ads?

GameBox shows ads; Kernel does not.

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

Kernel ships an update every 3 weeks, and GameBox every 2 months. Most recently, Kernel was updated on October 9, 2026 and GameBox on October 9, 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.*