# Smart STB vs CAST4K

The clearest difference is review sentiment: CAST4K at 100% against Smart STB's 17%. CAST4K also leads on rating (4.0 vs 2.7) and in-app purchases (none vs 3). Smart STB's advantage is ratings volume (49 vs 11) and device support (4 vs 2). On price, 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. CAST4K asks for nothing beyond the download.

CAST4K holds the better App Store score, 4.0 against 2.7. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 49 and 11 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 17% of Smart STB's written reviews are positive against 100% of CAST4K's.

Smart STB ships an update monthly, CAST4K every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on September 19, 2026 and September 7, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Smart STB | CAST4K |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [2.7 (49 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/smart-stb/id1639328687/reviews) | **[4.0 (11 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cast4k/id6754335326/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **49** | 11 |
| Positive reviews | 17.1% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Monthly | **Every 5 days** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 62 MB | 46 MB |
| Requires iOS | **14.0** | 16.6 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple TV** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [SMARTIPTVSOLUTIONS LIMITED](https://appshunter.io/developer/1639328689) | [Hassan Raza](https://appshunter.io/developer/1853280090) |

## 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


### CAST4K

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cast4k/id6754335326)

This media player allows you to access your own streaming content by adding valid profile credentials. Browse your movies, series, and live TV with subtitle support and easily resume watching where you left off. It features a clean interface and profile management options.

**Highlights:** Profile login for content access, Browse movies, series, and live TV, Subtitle support, Continue watching functionality, Profile management and sharing, Clean and fast interface

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Smart STB free?

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

### Is CAST4K free?

CAST4K is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Smart STB or CAST4K?

CAST4K is rated higher. Smart STB averages 2.7 out of 5 from 49 ratings, while CAST4K averages 4.0 from 11 ratings.

### Do Smart STB or CAST4K have ads?

Neither Smart STB nor CAST4K shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Smart STB or CAST4K?

Smart STB ships an update monthly, and CAST4K every 5 days. Most recently, Smart STB was updated on September 19, 2026 and CAST4K on September 7, 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.*