The Criterion Channel vs CrowdWork
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
The Criterion Channel
Stream a curated collection of classic and contemporary films from around the world. Discover Hollywood, international, art-house, and independent movies with special features and exclusive series. Enjoy daily refreshed selections and in-depth film analysis.
- Criterion Collection streaming library
- Thematic film programming
- Director and star retrospectives
- Guest-curated film series
- Supplemental film features
- Original Criterion Channel series
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A movie lover’s dream, Criterion features exclusive new releases, classic films, and global discoveries, along with bonus features, all ad-free. Start watching today. WHAT YOU GET: - Access to thousands of films: major Hollywood hits alongside classic, foreign, art-house, and independent films from around the world - Special features no other streamer can match: audio commentaries, behind-the-scenes footage, new and archival interviews, introductions, and scholarly analysis - Original series: Adventures in Moviegoing, The Craft of Acting, and more - Guest picks from filmmakers like Spike Lee, Guillermo del Toro, Sofia Coppola, and more FEATURES: - Stream on TV, web browser, mobile, and gaming consoles, at home or on the go - Unlimited ad-free streaming on every device - Download movies and extras you love for offline viewing - Save everything you want to watch in one place with “My List” - Search and sort “All Films” by decade, genre, director, and country - Drop into a steady stream of must-see movies with “Criterion 24/7” - Stream high-quality video and 5.1 surround sound To access all features and content you can subscribe to the Criterion Channel 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 Apple 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. Any unused portion of your free trial will be forfeited upon payment. Cancellations are incurred by disabling auto-renewal. Terms of Service: https://www.criterion.com/terms Privacy Policy: https://www.criterion.com/privacy
CrowdWork
This point-of-sale companion app allows users to easily view and sell tickets for their events, shows, and classes in person. It requires an account on the associated website to function.
- View event tickets
- Sell tickets in person
- Manage shows and classes
- Companion POS functionality
- Requires website account
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The companion point-of-sale app for CrowdWork. Easily view and sell tickets to your shows, classes, and other events in person. Requires an account on https://www.crowdwork.com to use.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is in-app purchases: CrowdWork at none against The Criterion Channel's 2. CrowdWork also leads on rating (5.0 vs 4.8) and review sentiment (100% vs 89%). The Criterion Channel's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and ratings volume (14K vs 4). On price, device support and iOS requirement 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
Both are free to download. The Criterion Channel sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $10.99 per month. CrowdWork asks for nothing beyond the download.
CrowdWork holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: The Criterion Channel has 14K ratings behind it against 4, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 89% of The Criterion Channel's written reviews are positive against 100% of CrowdWork's.
The Criterion Channel ships an update every 5 weeks, CrowdWork every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on October 19, 2026 and October 3, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | The Criterion Channel | CrowdWork |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.8 (14K ratings) | 5.0 (4 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 89.1% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 14K — better | 4 |
| Update frequency | Every 5 weeks — better | Every 3 months |
| Ads | No — better | Yes |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | Subscription | Ad-supported — better |
| Best chart rank | #76 — better | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Apple TV — better | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 17.4 — better | 18.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 58 MB | 150 MB |
| Age rating | 12+ | 12+ |
| Developer | The Criterion Collection, Inc. | Matthew Hoelter |
Customer experience
The Criterion Channel
CrowdWork
Bugs and requests
The Criterion Channel
Reported bugs
3 issues- Frequent playback interruptions and freezing
- Unreliable offline viewing and download issues
- Inconsistent app performance across devices
Requested features
5 requests- Ability to view full catalog of available titles
- More advanced search and filtering tools
- Improved playback stability and offline functionality
- Personalized recommendations based on viewing history
- Ratings and user reviews system
CrowdWork
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
The Criterion Channel
- Criterion Channel Subscription7 Days trial$10.991 Month
- Criterion Channel Subscription7 Days trial$99.991 Year
CrowdWork
No in-app purchases
