Comparison

Swiftfin vs Aldebaran

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

Head to head
About

Swiftfin

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
Read full description

Swiftfin is a fast, native video player that works with Jellyfin, the open source free software media server. To use the app, you must have a Jellyfin server set up and running. Find out more at https://jellyfin.org With a Jellyfin server, you can: - Watch Live TV and recorded shows from your Jellyfin server (additional hardware/services required) - Stream your video to your iOS/iPadOS device - View your collection in an easy to use interface This is an official Jellyfin companion app. Thank you for using Jellyfin!

About

Aldebaran

Features
Read full description

Aldebaran* – The Follower. It is an app to discover, organize, and track your series and movies in the simplest way possible and in your language. • Discover series and movies by streaming platform, with the latest content in each catalog and filters by genre and release year. • Check complete info sheets: synopsis, cast with individual profiles, trailer, and where to watch each title in your country. • Quickly compare ratings from TMDB, Trakt, IMDb, Rotten Tomatoes, Metacritic, and Letterboxd, including the number of votes backing each score. • “Where to watch” now separates subscription, free, with ads, rental, and purchase, so you know if the title is covered by what you already pay. • Organize your Library with lists: Following, To Watch, and Watched, with custom lists, reordering, and swipe actions. • Track the progress of each series by seasons and episodes, and distinguish completed series from those you’re up to date with. • Calendar and Upcoming Releases with dates for your country and time zone. • Receive optional alerts for new episodes of the series you follow and for premieres you’re waiting for. • Sync your Library across devices with iCloud, without creating any account. • Optionally connect Trakt.tv to import and keep your history and lists updated, choosing what to sync. • Read details and synopses of any movie or series in your language. • On-device translation of synopses, titles, and genres with Apple’s translation technology, without external services. • Share any info sheet as a card with your personal rating, and add titles from Safari with “Open in Aldebaran.” • In the “Following” list, tap the cover to see the info sheet. Tap the row to see the season. • New themes, accent color, and alternative icon. Interface in Spanish and English, with clearer list names: Following and To Watch. Aldebaran is free, without ads and without social functions. * Aldebarán is the brightest star in the Taurus constellation. The name Aldebarán comes from the Arabic الدبران, al-dabarān, whose meaning is "the one that follows", in reference to the fact that this star follows the cluster of the Pleiads on their nocturnal journey through the sky. Terms of use (EULA): https://juliocuesta.github.io/Series/terms-of-service.html Privacy policy: https://juliocuesta.github.io/Series/privacy-policy.html

Screenshots

Swiftfin4 screens
Aldebaran4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: Aldebaran at every 2 days against Swiftfin's every 3 months. Swiftfin's advantage is iOS requirement (18.6 vs 26.0). On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support 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.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Swiftfin ships an update every 3 months, Aldebaran every 2 days. The most recent releases landed on November 3, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
Swiftfin versus Aldebaran: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSwiftfinAldebaran
PriceFreeFree
Rating3.8 (277 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews53.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings277 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 3 monthsEvery 2 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFree—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, Apple TV — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS18.6 — better26.0
Further details — not scored
Size186 MB112 MB
Age rating4+12+
DeveloperAnthony LavadoJulio Cuesta

Bugs and requests

Swiftfin

Reported bugs

5 issues
  • 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

5 requests
  • 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

Aldebaran

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

None

Swiftfin

No in-app purchases

None

Aldebaran

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Swiftfin free?
Swiftfin is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Aldebaran free?
Aldebaran is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Swiftfin or Aldebaran have ads?
Neither Swiftfin nor Aldebaran shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Swiftfin or Aldebaran?
Swiftfin ships an update every 3 months, and Aldebaran every 2 days. Most recently, Swiftfin was updated on November 3, 2026 and Aldebaran on October 31, 2026.

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