# Swiftfin vs Ruddarr

The clearest difference is rating: Ruddarr at 4.9 against Swiftfin's 3.8. Ruddarr also leads on review sentiment (90% vs 53%) and update cadence (monthly vs every 3 months). Swiftfin's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1) and iOS requirement (18.6 vs 26.0). On price, ratings volume, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Ruddarr sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $5.99 per year. Swiftfin asks for nothing beyond the download.

Ruddarr holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 3.8. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 267 and 696 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 53% of Swiftfin's written reviews are positive against 90% of Ruddarr's.

Swiftfin ships an update every 3 months, Ruddarr monthly. The most recent releases landed on September 22, 2026 and September 23, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Swiftfin | Ruddarr |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.8 (267 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/swiftfin/id1604098728/reviews) | **[4.9 (696 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ruddarr/id6476240130/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 267 | **696** |
| Positive reviews | 53.3% of reviews | **89.9% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | **Monthly** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Freemium |
| Size | 186 MB | 42 MB |
| Requires iOS | **18.6** | 26.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, Apple TV** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Anthony Lavado](https://appshunter.io/developer/1480192617) | [Ruddarr](https://appshunter.io/developer/1726271152) |

## What reviewers say

### Swiftfin

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/swiftfin/id1604098728)

Stream your video collection from a Jellyfin media server to your iOS device. Enjoy an easy-to-use interface for your media library and watch live TV if you have the necessary hardware.

**Highlights:** Native iOS/iPadOS video player, Connects to Jellyfin media servers, Stream video collection, Easy-to-use interface, Watch Live TV (with hardware)

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Smooth and responsive UI
- 🚀 Fast and efficient media playback
- 🔒 Secure user profiles and pin protection
- 💡 Seamless switching between multiple user accounts
- 👍 Clean and modern app design

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional crashes or freezes
- 🔋 Inconsistent battery performance
- 🔒 Difficulty changing server IP/domain
- 🐛 Issues with subtitle and audio track selection
- 🐛 Unreliable live TV and DVR functionality

**Reported bugs**

- Unable to connect to Jellyfin server after recent updates
- Sorting and filtering not working as expected
- Playback issues with certain video codecs and formats
- Home bar not disappearing during video playback
- Sync issues between iOS and tvOS versions

**Requested features**

- Add offline media download capability
- Implement Picture-in-Picture mode
- Introduce a shuffle option for episodes
- Integrate e-book and audiobook support
- Allow customization of media library views


### Ruddarr

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ruddarr/id6476240130)

Control your movie, documentary, and TV series collections remotely. Browse upcoming releases, manage your media library, and receive notifications. Customize the app's appearance and sync settings across devices.

**Highlights:** Manage movies and TV series, Browse upcoming releases calendar, Receive fine-grained notifications, View activity queue and history, Switch between multiple instances, Customize app appearance, Synchronize settings via iCloud

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Family Sharing, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Ruddarr+ | $5.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Nice app
- 👍 Good all
- 👍 Love it
- 👍 Looking good!
- 👍 Great for managing your media library on the go!

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Import functionality
- 🐛 Doesn't work on iOS 18.4
- 🐛 If it didn't crash all the time it be awesome.
- 🐛 Good app, but constantly freezes

**Reported bugs**

- Fails with error when trying to add any service
- Crashes and freezes all the time

**Requested features**

- Support one time purchase
- List view not just posters
- Latest releases or trending lists that could be pulled from trakt or IMDb


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Swiftfin free?

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

### Is Ruddarr free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Swiftfin or Ruddarr?

Ruddarr is rated higher. Swiftfin averages 3.8 out of 5 from 267 ratings, while Ruddarr averages 4.9 from 696 ratings.

### Do Swiftfin or Ruddarr have ads?

Neither Swiftfin nor Ruddarr shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Swiftfin or Ruddarr?

Swiftfin ships an update every 3 months, and Ruddarr monthly. Most recently, Swiftfin was updated on September 22, 2026 and Ruddarr on September 23, 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.*