BFI Player (US) vs Stab Premium
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
BFI Player (US)
Stream a curated selection of acclaimed films, including classics and modern discoveries, on this US-only service. Subscribe for full access to a diverse library of cinematic content across multiple devices.
- Curated film selection
- Landmark titles and rare classics
- Modern discoveries
- Multi-device support
- Auto-renewing subscription
- Free trial period
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Watch acclaimed movies selected by the British Film Institute (BFI) on their US-only streaming service. Explore landmark titles, rare classics & modern discoveries on multiple devices today. To access all features and content you can subscribe to BFI Player Classics on a monthly 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 iTunes 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.bfiplayerclassics.com/tos Privacy Policy: https://www.bfiplayerclassics.com/privacy
Stab Premium
Stream a curated collection of surf films, including popular series and new weekly releases, on your smart TV and phone. Enjoy exclusive content and a premium viewing experience for dedicated surf enthusiasts.
- Watch on smart TV and phone
- New films weekly
- Catalogue of favorite series
- Exclusive content
- Superior viewing experience
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Watch Stab's greatest projects on your smart TV and phone. With new films dropping weekly and a catalogue of favorites like Stab In The Dark, Surf100, Stab Highway, Cheat Codes and more, the Stab Premium app is a must for anyone captivated by modern surfing. Download free today. Exclusive content and superior viewing experience for Stab Premium members. Become a Premium member at stabmag.com/pricing. Questions? Email support@stabmag.com Stab Premium Pricing: • Subscription 1 Month - USD 9.99 • Subscription 1 Year - USD 74.99 * For non-US app stores, the equivalent currency charges will apply. Please note: App subscriptions do not include access to subscription-only content on our website. Additional Subscription Information: • Payment will be charged to iTunes Account at confirmation of purchase. • Subscription automatically renews unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24-hours before the end of the current period. • Account will be charged for renewal within 24-hours prior to the end of the current period, and identify the cost of the renewal. • Subscriptions may be managed by the user and auto-renewal may be turned off by going to the user’s Account Settings after purchase. • No cancellation of the current subscription is allowed during active subscription period. Privacy Policy - https://bit.ly/2J5Ujfh Terms of Use - https://bit.ly/2J1YZqL • Any unused portion of a free trial period, if offered, will be forfeited when the user purchases a subscription to that publication, where applicable.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is review sentiment: Stab Premium at 56% against BFI Player (US)'s 8%. Stab Premium also leads on rating (4.8 vs 2.3) and ratings volume (783 vs 24). BFI Player (US)'s advantage is monetization model (free with in-app purchases vs subscription) and ads (none vs shown). On price, in-app purchases, 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. BFI Player (US) sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 per month and Stab Premium sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
Stab Premium holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 2.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Stab Premium has 783 ratings behind it against 24, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 8% of BFI Player (US)'s written reviews are positive against 56% of Stab Premium's.
BFI Player (US) ships an update every 3 months, Stab Premium every 8 months. Both last shipped on October 24, 2026.
| Parameter | BFI Player (US) | Stab Premium |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 2.3 (24 ratings) | 4.8 (783 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 8.3% of reviews | 55.8% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 24 | 783 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months — better | Every 8 months |
| Ads | No — better | Yes |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases — better | Subscription |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Apple TV | iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple TV — better |
| Requires iOS | 16.6 | 15.6 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 66 MB | 81 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | The British Film Institute | STAB, LLC |
Customer experience
BFI Player (US)
Stab Premium
Bugs and requests
BFI Player (US)
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
Stab Premium
Reported bugs
3 issues- Login problems
- Playback issues when casting
- Content not updating properly
Requested features
4 requests- Offline viewing mode
- Chromecast/AirPlay support
- Integration of articles with the app
- Improved subscription management
In-app purchases
BFI Player (US)
- BFI Player Classics Monthly14 Days trial$5.991 Month
- BFI Player Classics$59.001 Year
Stab Premium
- Monthly Subscription$9.991 Month
- Annual Subscription$74.991 Year









