Comparison

Astound TV+ vs Empo

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Astound TV+

Stream live TV, cloud DVR recordings, and on-demand content from your home network or on the go. Access thousands of shows and movies, restart programs aired up to three days ago, and record multiple shows simultaneously. Integrated search helps you find content across all your sources.

Highlights
  • Watch live TV and recordings anywhere
  • Restart shows from the past 3 days
  • Cloud DVR with 125 hours storage
  • Integrated search across content sources
  • Simultaneous viewing on up to 5 devices
Read full description

With Astound TV, customers can download the Astound TV+ app* to a supported device and watch anywhere on your home network, or outside of the home via WiFi, instantly. Choose from thousands of shows and movies available – live TV, streaming, cloud DVR recordings* or On Demand – all together in one place. Miss a show or want to finish that hilarious episode? Restart a show that aired up to 3 days ago from the beginning without having to record it. Or with cloud DVR, you can record as many shows as you want at the same time. *Astound TV+ app only available to customers who have at least one Astound TV set-top box (IPTV) rental. Access to cloud DVR only available for residential customers. Subscription to video service from Astound Broadband is required. Top Features: • Need to take your kids to soccer and don’t want to miss a show? Access your channel lineup, from anywhere. Watch live TV & recordings on your supported device at home or on the go. • Start Over & Catch Up— Go back in time & start a show that aired up to 3 days ago. • Cloud DVR— Record as many shows as you want at once with 125 hours of storage included. Start the show on one device and finish on another. • Forgot to schedule a recording? No sweat. Click “record” in the Astound TV+ app on your mobile device, while on the go. • Integrated Search— Search across live TV, On Demand, streaming apps, and your recorded shows so you can find exactly what you want to watch, when you want to watch it. • Have multiple devices? Watch content on up to 5 devices at the same time and don’t miss a beat with your favorite show. You can register up to 12 devices. Get Started: 1. The Astound TV+ app is available to customers with Astound TV. Features and availability may vary depending on your TV service subscription and equipment (Astound TV set-top box (IPTV) rental required). 2. Subscription to Internet service, plus compatible Astound TV set-top box (IPTV) rental, is required to access the Astound TV+ app. 3. Create a username and password. • RCN – https://my.rcn.com • Grande – https://account.mygrande.com • Wave – https://my.wavebroadband.com/login 4. Download the app to your preferred device and login with your account username and password. 5. Start watching! Requires compatible device, internet service, at least one Astound TV set-top box (IPTV) rental and TV subscription for in-home use. Content restrictions may apply. Maximum combined 5 simultaneous Live TV and/or DVR streams per account. Astound TV customers visit www.astound.com for a complete list of compatible devices, support and more information. Start over feature only available up to 3 days. The ability to “start over” or “catch up” may vary by network, is dictated by the content provider and is subject to change at any time without notice. Fast forwarding may be disabled on some shows and is controlled by the content provider. Consider setting a OnePass to record a series to allow for fast forwarding in the future. Other restrictions may apply.

About

Empo

Discover local events and places tailored to your interests. Find hidden gems, happy hours, live shows, and festivals. Experience your city with a personalized feed and curated recommendations.

Highlights
  • Personalized 'For You' feed
  • Curated event playlists
  • Explore city with endless scroll
  • Save favorite places
  • Filter by neighborhood or vibe
Features
Read full description

Discover your city like never before Empo learns what you love and shows you exactly what is happening. The places, specials, and moments that match your vibe. From hidden happy hours to rooftop parties, live shows, food festivals, and everything in between, Empo lets you see your city in full color. No confusing algorithms. No endless searching. Just what is actually happening right now. Experience the best of your city and cities around the world through curated lists, trending spots, and personalized recommendations that keep you in the know and in the moment. Because life is better when you do not miss what is right around you. Everything happening, every single day, with a feed that’s unique to you. Features • Personalized “For You” feed • Curated playlists such as Date Night and Sunday Specials • Endless scroll to explore your city • Save favorite places • Filter by neighborhood or vibe

Screenshots

Astound TV+2 screens
Empo4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Empo at 71% against Astound TV+'s 13%. Empo also leads on rating (4.7 vs 2.6) and update cadence (every 10 days vs every 12 months). On price, ratings volume, ads and in-app purchases 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Empo holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 2.6. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 78 and 137 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 13% of Astound TV+'s written reviews are positive against 71% of Empo's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Astound TV+ ships an update every 12 months, Empo every 10 days. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 30, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
Astound TV+ versus Empo: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterAstound TV+Empo
PriceFreeFree
Rating2.6 (78 ratings)4.7 (137 ratings) — better
Positive reviews13.3% of reviews70.6% of reviews — better
Number of ratings78137 — better
Update frequencyEvery 12 monthsEvery 10 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFreeFree
DevicesiPhone, iPad, Apple TViPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS18.015.1 — better
Further details — not scored
Size343 MB97 MB
Age rating12+17+
DeveloperRCN Telecom Services, LLCEMPO App Inc

Customer experience

Astound TV+

All ratings75 ratings
Positive34.7%
Neutral6.7%
Negative58.7%
Written reviews45 reviews
Positive13.3%
Neutral6.7%
Negative80.0%

Empo

All ratings128 ratings
Positive93.0%
Neutral1.6%
Negative5.5%
Written reviews17 reviews
Positive70.6%
Neutral0.0%
Negative29.4%

Bugs and requests

Astound TV+

Reported bugs

12 issues
  • Stopped signing in and working on iPad
  • App never logs you in on older devices
  • Error signing into 5th generation iPad
  • App sits on loading screen forever
  • Cannot stream when connected to TV via HDMI
Show 7 more
  • App disconnects frequently
  • Cannot log out on Apple TV/Firesticks (Error C636)
  • App no longer works with recent iOS firmware
  • App doesn't show recorded programs
  • Cannot connect to DVR after update
  • Channels keep breaking up and freezing
  • App doesn't work for former WOW customers

Requested features

15 requests
  • Picture-in-picture option
  • Casting ability
  • Stream on laptop/PC
  • Remote function
  • Download option for offline viewing
Show 10 more
  • Auto-commercial skip
  • Quick mode functionality
  • Turn off autoplay videos
  • Easier channel lineup view
  • Support for older devices
  • Pop out picture support
  • Casting options
  • Picture in Picture support
  • Streaming on laptop
  • Keychain/FaceID support

Empo

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

None

Astound TV+

No in-app purchases

None

Empo

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Astound TV+ free?
Astound TV+ is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Empo free?
Empo is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Astound TV+ or Empo?
Empo is rated higher. Astound TV+ averages 2.6 out of 5 from 78 ratings, while Empo averages 4.7 from 137 ratings.
Do Astound TV+ or Empo have ads?
Neither Astound TV+ nor Empo shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Astound TV+ or Empo?
Astound TV+ ships an update every 12 months, and Empo every 10 days. Most recently, Astound TV+ was updated on October 24, 2026 and Empo on October 30, 2026.

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