# Smart STB vs RIDEVU

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: RIDEVU at none against Smart STB's 3. RIDEVU also leads on rating (3.0 vs 2.7). Smart STB's advantage is ratings volume (50 vs 6). On price, update cadence, ads and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Smart STB sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. RIDEVU asks for nothing beyond the download.

RIDEVU holds the better App Store score, 3.0 against 2.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Smart STB has 50 ratings behind it against 6, so its average is the more settled of the two.

Smart STB ships an update monthly, RIDEVU every 6 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 30, 2026 and October 27, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Smart STB | RIDEVU |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [2.7 (50 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/smart-stb/id1639328687/reviews) | **[3.0 (6 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ridevu/id6444536466/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **50** | 6 |
| Positive reviews | 17.1% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Monthly** | Every 6 weeks |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 62 MB | 51 MB |
| Requires iOS | 14.0 | 14.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple TV** | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [SMARTIPTVSOLUTIONS LIMITED](https://appshunter.io/developer/1639328689) | [Sony Pictures Home Entertainment](https://appshunter.io/developer/423054598) |

## What reviewers say

### Smart STB

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/smart-stb/id1639328687)

Stream your favorite content directly on your mobile device. This app supports live TV, video clubs, and M3U playlists, offering advanced features like multi-audio, subtitles, and timeshift. It requires a valid subscription from a streaming service provider.

**Highlights:** Live TV streaming, Video club support, M3U Playlist support, Multi-audio and subtitles, Timeshift & TV Archive, Up to 8 portal positions

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

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Smart STB App License (Monthly) | $2.99 | per month |
| Smart STB App License (Yearly) | $22.99 | per year |
| Smart STB App License (Lifetime) | $59.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Works well on TV
- 👍 Smooth performance
- 👍 Cheaper than alternatives
- 👍 Supports multiple portals
- 👍 Works on WiFi (sometimes)

**What reviewers complain about**

- 😞 Does not work on mobile data
- 😞 Poor customer service
- 😞 Broken promises
- 😞 Conflicting explanations
- 😞 No meaningful assistance

**Reported bugs**

- App does not work
- Errors not fixed in months
- Keep getting error
- Unable to access virtual touch control
- Portal disappeared

**Requested features**

- Improve aspect ratio adjustment
- Improve navigation
- Add virtual touch control
- Add more portals
- Add subtitle option


### RIDEVU

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ridevu/id6444536466)

This app allows you to access your existing RIDEVU account to stream and download movies on brought-in devices. It enables multi-screen playback for up to six devices, with central control for managing content for passengers.

**Highlights:** Access RIDEVU account, Download content for offline playback, Cast to TV, Multi-screen playback (up to 6 screens), Screen Manager for playback control, Access bonus content

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Smart STB free?

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

### Is RIDEVU free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Smart STB or RIDEVU?

RIDEVU is rated higher. Smart STB averages 2.7 out of 5 from 50 ratings, while RIDEVU averages 3.0 from 6 ratings.

### Do Smart STB or RIDEVU have ads?

Neither Smart STB nor RIDEVU shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Smart STB or RIDEVU?

Smart STB ships an update monthly, and RIDEVU every 6 weeks. Most recently, Smart STB was updated on October 30, 2026 and RIDEVU on October 27, 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.*