# Sword And Scale vs A&E Crime Central

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Sword And Scale at 70% against A&E Crime Central's 14%. Sword And Scale also leads on rating (4.9 vs 3.4) and monetization model (free with in-app purchases vs subscription). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Sword And Scale sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month and A&E Crime Central sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Sword And Scale holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 3.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Sword And Scale has 6.7K ratings behind it against 187, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 70% of Sword And Scale's written reviews are positive against 14% of A&E Crime Central's.

Sword And Scale ships an update every 2 weeks, A&E Crime Central monthly. Both last shipped on November 7, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Sword And Scale | A&E Crime Central |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.9 (6.7K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sword-and-scale/id1505946105/reviews)** | [3.4 (187 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/a-and-e-crime-central/id1534755973/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **6.7K** | 187 |
| Positive reviews | **70.1% of reviews** | 14.3% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 weeks** | Monthly |
| Monetization | **Free with in-app purchases** | Subscription |
| Best chart rank | **#103** | — |
| Size | 135 MB | 106 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.6 | 17.6 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, Apple TV** |
| Age rating | +17 | 17+ |
| Developer | [Incongruity, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1505946104) | [A+E Global Media](https://appshunter.io/developer/366448555) |

## What reviewers say

### Sword And Scale

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sword-and-scale/id1505946105)

**Currently charting:** #103 Top Grossing · Entertainment (US App Store)

Explore real criminal cases and the justice system's response through in-depth podcast episodes. Features 911 calls, court testimonies, and interviews for a comprehensive look at each story. Receive notifications for new episode releases.

**Highlights:** Real criminal case explorations, Justice system analysis, 911 call recordings, Court testimonies, Interviews, New episode notifications

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Apple Wallet, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| +BASE LEVEL SUPPORTER | $9.99 | per month |
| +BONUS LEVEL SUPPORTER | $9.99 | per month |
| BASE LEVEL SUPPORTER | $9.99 | per month |
| BONUS LEVEL SUPPORTER | $9.99 | per month |
| Bonus Supporter | $9.99 | per month |
| +ADVANCED LEVEL SUPPORTER | $14.99 | per month |
| Super Supporter | $19.99 | per month |
| +HARDCORE LEVEL SUPPORTER | $24.99 | per month |
| VIP Supporter | $29.99 | per month |
| +BASE LEVEL SUPPORTER (Yearly) | $99.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Excellent app
- 👍 Convenient and easy to use
- 🔒 Robust security features
- 💎 High-quality content
- 🎨 Great graphics and layout

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Bugs and glitches
- 🔋 High data usage
- 🔒 Login and account issues
- 📥 Offline listening problems
- 🔀 Lack of episode progress tracking

**Reported bugs**

- Frequent app crashes
- Subscription validation issues
- Inconsistent episode downloads
- Playback menu navigation problems

**Requested features**

- Variable playback speed
- Ability to filter played episodes
- Automatic pause during GPS directions
- Improved search functionality


### A&E Crime Central

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/a-and-e-crime-central/id1534755973)

Stream a vast library of A&E's true crime documentaries and series, including popular titles like 60 Days In and After the First 48. Download episodes for offline viewing and enjoy new content added weekly, all without commercial interruptions. A 7-day free trial is available for new subscribers.

**Highlights:** 1,500+ true crime titles, Offline viewing, New content added weekly, Commercial-free streaming, Personal watchlist, Curated content browsing, No TV provider needed

**Features:** Vision Pro support, SharePlay

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| A&E Crime Central | $5.99 | per month |
| A&E Crime Central | $59.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Good content for true crime fans
- 👍 Some users enjoy the shows
- 👍 App has some bingeable shows

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 App frequently crashes
- 🐛 Login issues and errors
- 🐛 Subscription not recognized
- 🐛 Content is outdated and limited
- 🐛 Missing many episodes/seasons

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes constantly
- App freezes and won't open
- Subscription status not recognized
- Login/sign-in issues
- Videos reset or skip in the middle of playback

**Requested features**

- Add fast forward/rewind options
- Implement picture-in-picture (PIP)
- Improve background playback functionality
- Update app content with current episodes
- Make search more robust (keywords, episode names)


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Sword And Scale free?

Sword And Scale is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is A&E Crime Central free?

A&E Crime Central is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Sword And Scale or A&E Crime Central?

Sword And Scale is rated higher. Sword And Scale averages 4.9 out of 5 from 6.7K ratings, while A&E Crime Central averages 3.4 from 187 ratings.

### Do Sword And Scale or A&E Crime Central have ads?

Neither Sword And Scale nor A&E Crime Central shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Sword And Scale or A&E Crime Central?

Sword And Scale ships an update every 2 weeks, and A&E Crime Central monthly. Most recently, Sword And Scale was updated on November 7, 2026 and A&E Crime Central on November 7, 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.*