# The Fireplace App vs iSTB Lite

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: iSTB Lite at none against The Fireplace App's 3. iSTB Lite also leads on update cadence (every 8 days vs every 11 months) and ratings volume (74 vs 1). The Fireplace App's advantage is rating (3.0 vs 2.6) and review sentiment (50% vs 31%). On price and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. The Fireplace App sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $7.99 per month. iSTB Lite asks for nothing beyond the download.

The Fireplace App holds the better App Store score, 3.0 against 2.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: iSTB Lite has 74 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 50% of The Fireplace App's written reviews are positive against 31% of iSTB Lite's.

The Fireplace App ships an update every 11 months, iSTB Lite every 8 days. The most recent releases landed on October 10, 2026 and October 27, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | The Fireplace App | iSTB Lite |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[3.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-fireplace-app/id1487727741/reviews)** | [2.6 (74 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/istb-lite/id1498390886/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 1 | **74** |
| Positive reviews | **50.0% of reviews** | 31.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 11 months | **Every 8 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 195 MB | 117 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | **13.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Apple TV | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac, Apple TV** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 9+ |
| Developer | [NWIC Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1542104258) | [Nihal Ahmed](https://appshunter.io/developer/1497473330) |

## What reviewers say

### The Fireplace App

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-fireplace-app/id1487727741)

Create a cozy holiday atmosphere with a virtual fireplace and festive music. Perfect for family gatherings and enjoying the Christmas spirit indoors.

**Highlights:** Virtual roaring fireplace, Stream holiday music, Cozy atmosphere creation, Family-friendly entertainment, Indoor holiday spirit

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Family Sharing

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly Subscription | $7.99 | per month |
| 1 Month | $7.99 | per month |
| Annual Subscription | $89.99 | per year |


### iSTB Lite

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/istb-lite/id1498390886)

Watch IPTV content from various providers using MAC address, Xtream Codes API, or M3U playlists. Features include channel search, favorites, EPG, and VOD playback. This app requires a valid IPTV subscription.

**Highlights:** Add/remove portals, Search channels by name, Add channels to favorites, Electronic programming guide (EPG), View VOD content, Watch with subtitles

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Good quality stream
- 👍 Great for testing
- 👍 Amazing player
- 👍 Nice player
- 👍 Intuitive and stable app

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💸 Expensive pro version
- 💸 Overpriced
- 💸 Too expensive
- 💸 Price too high
- 💸 Not affordable

**Reported bugs**

- PiP not working properly
- App stops working after iOS updates
- Pop-up message stops movies
- App closes when loading channels on MacBook
- App not working on iOS devices

**Requested features**

- Playback speed controls
- Support for WebVideoCast
- Picture-in-picture support
- Parental control
- Record video functionality


## Frequently asked questions

### Is The Fireplace App free?

The Fireplace App is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is iSTB Lite free?

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

### Which has better reviews, The Fireplace App or iSTB Lite?

The Fireplace App is rated higher. The Fireplace App averages 3.0 out of 5 from 1 ratings, while iSTB Lite averages 2.6 from 74 ratings.

### Do The Fireplace App or iSTB Lite have ads?

Neither The Fireplace App nor iSTB Lite shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, The Fireplace App or iSTB Lite?

The Fireplace App ships an update every 11 months, and iSTB Lite every 8 days. Most recently, The Fireplace App was updated on October 10, 2026 and iSTB Lite on October 27, 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.*