# Horror Sci vs Essential Sci

The clearest difference is rating: Horror Sci at 5.0 against Essential Sci's 4.5. Horror Sci also leads on iOS requirement (13.0 vs 16.6). Essential Sci's advantage is update cadence (every 6 weeks vs every 18 months) and ratings volume (33 vs 1). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Horror Sci sells 8 in-app purchases, starting at $7.99 per month and Essential Sci sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Horror Sci holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Essential Sci has 33 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

Horror Sci ships an update every 18 months, Essential Sci every 6 weeks. Both last shipped on November 3, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Horror Sci | Essential Sci |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/horror-sci-fi-fantasy/id1525418793/reviews)** | [4.5 (33 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/essential-sci-fi-channel/id1635437392/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 1 | **33** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 18 months | **Every 6 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 17 MB | 8 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 16.6 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple TV | iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple TV |
| Age rating | 12+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Thunder Road Inc](https://appshunter.io/developer/1298777687) | [MacMillan Interactive Communications, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/820481297) |

## What reviewers say

### Horror Sci

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/horror-sci-fi-fantasy/id1525418793)

Stream a curated selection of horror, science fiction, and fantasy films. Enjoy hand-picked quality movies across these genres in a single entertainment channel. Access a diverse library of cinematic experiences.

**Highlights:** Horror movie collection, Science fiction movie collection, Fantasy movie collection, Curated quality films, Single entertainment channel

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (8)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Horror Sci-Fi Fantasy Monthly | $7.99 | per month |
| Horror Sci-Fi Fantasy Yearly | $59.99 | per year |
| Purchase video on rent | $1.99 | one-time |
| Purchase video on rent | $5.99 | one-time |
| Purchase video on rent | $6.99 | one-time |
| Purchase video on rent | $7.99 | one-time |
| Purchase video on rent | $8.99 | one-time |
| Purchase video on rent | $9.99 | one-time |


### Essential Sci

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/essential-sci-fi-channel/id1635437392)

Stream a vast library of science fiction movies and TV shows for free. Subscribe monthly to enjoy an ad-free viewing experience and access premium content.

**Highlights:** Hundreds of hours of sci-fi content, Free streaming, Monthly ad-free subscription, Watch on Apple TV, iPhone, iPad, iPod

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Essential Sci-Fi Subscription | $5.99 | per month |
| Essential Sci-Fi Yearly Sub | $69.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Horror Sci free?

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

### Is Essential Sci free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Horror Sci or Essential Sci?

Horror Sci is rated higher. Horror Sci averages 5.0 out of 5 from 1 ratings, while Essential Sci averages 4.5 from 33 ratings.

### Do Horror Sci or Essential Sci have ads?

Both Horror Sci and Essential Sci show ads.

### Which is updated more often, Horror Sci or Essential Sci?

Horror Sci ships an update every 18 months, and Essential Sci every 6 weeks. Most recently, Horror Sci was updated on November 3, 2026 and Essential Sci on November 3, 2026.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*