Comparison

U vs SYFY

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

Head to head
About

U

Stream live TV and on-demand content from your home network or on the go. Manage your DVR, personalize your viewing experience, and use your device as a remote control. Discover new shows and manage your recordings with ease.

Highlights
  • Watch Live TV
  • On Demand library
  • Personalized homepage
  • TV programming guide
  • Remote control functionality
  • DVR management
Read full description

Take the U-verse experience with you with the U-verse App. Watch Live TV and On Demand shows, manage your DVR, and use the app as a remote control. Live TV Watch Live TV in the palm of your hand! Watch even more channels live when connected to your home network. On Demand Watch on your schedule! Choose from thousands of On Demand movies and shows from top networks. My U-verse Homepage Personalize your U-verse experience by adding your favorite shows, channels, and people to My U-verse Favorites. The new Homepage highlights the shows that you care about most and recommends new shows for you to discover. Guide Browse or search your personal TV programming guide to find your favorite shows. Schedule one-time or series recordings on your DVR at home. Remote Control Control your home TV receivers with the remote control feature.† Recordings Easily manage your scheduled and recorded shows on your U-verse DVR at home. Settings Set Parental Controls and Notifications, manage your receivers, find support tools and more. Requires qualifying device, U-family or higher TV plan and Wi-Fi or data connection. Content may vary by device, TV plan, and viewing location. Data charges may apply. †U-verse Internet service and qualifying device required. This app features Nielsen’s proprietary measurement software which will allow you to contribute to market research, like Nielsen’s TV Ratings. Please see http://www.nielsen.com/digitalprivacy for more information.

About

SYFY

Stream your favorite TV shows and movies from a variety of networks. Watch the latest episodes the day after they air, catch live TV, and access on-demand content. Requires a TV provider subscription for full access.

Highlights
  • Watch latest episodes day after air
  • Live stream TV 24/7
  • Stream on-demand content from multiple networks
  • Access Premier League, WNBA, PGA, and NASCAR
  • Filter shows by network and genre
  • Sign in with TV provider subscription
Features
Read full description

Overview • The SYFY app is the best place to catch up on the most recent season of your favorite shows, watch live TV, and stream movies and past season content, including Revival, Face Off, Paranormal Witness, AND MANY MORE! • Get started by signing in with your TV subscription (cable, satellite, or digital). The SYFY app supports most TV providers, including DirecTV, Spectrum, Xfinity, Dish, and AT&T. App Features Watch Your Way • Watch the latest episodes of new SYFY shows the day after they air on TV. • Live stream and schedule available 24/7 when signed in with your TV provider. Explore Versant Content • Access to on-demand content from across the Versant family of networks (including USA, SYFY, E!, Oxygen, MSNOW, CNBC, and Golf Channel). • Don't miss a second of the Premier League, the WNBA, A10 hoops, the PGA and LPGA Tours, and NASCAR! • Live stream your favorite Versant networks within the app. • Dedicated page for each network showcasing the hottest series. • Stream recent and throwback favorites, like Law & Order: SVU, Chicago Fire, Chicago P.D., and Chicago Med. • Filter shows by network and genre while browsing. TV Provider Access • Sign in with your TV subscription to gain access to the entire catalog of VOD and Live content. Availability Notice • Versant's family of networks are only available to stream in the US and US territories. • Those outside the US will be unable to watch full episodes or live TV. • If you're traveling, you'll regain full access as soon as you return to the US. Comments or Questions • Please fill out our contact support form at https://help.versantmedia.com/s/contactsupport for assistance. • Please note: Use of the app is limited to the United States and its territories. Video is accessible via 3G, 4G, LTE, and Wi-Fi networks. Data charges may apply. • Privacy Policy: https://www.versantprivacy.com/privacy • Your Privacy Choices: https://www.versantprivacy.com/privacy/cookies • CA Notice: https://www.versantprivacy.com/privacy/california-consumer-privacy-act

Screenshots

SYFY4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is ads: U at none against SYFY's shown. U also leads on monetization model (free vs free with in-app purchases) and ratings volume (390K vs 17K). SYFY's advantage is review sentiment (34% vs 14%) and update cadence (every 5 weeks vs every 3 months). On price, rating, 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.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.7 for U against 4.6 for SYFY. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: U has 390K ratings behind it against 17K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 14% of U's written reviews are positive against 34% of SYFY's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

U ships an update every 3 months, SYFY every 5 weeks. Both last shipped on October 25, 2026.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
U versus SYFY: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterUSYFY
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.7 (390K ratings) — better4.6 (17K ratings)
Positive reviews14.1% of reviews34.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings390K — better17K
Update frequencyEvery 3 monthsEvery 5 weeks — better
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFree — betterFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, Apple TV
Requires iOS16.616.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size132 MB240 MB
Age rating17+12+
DeveloperAT&T Services, Inc.Versant Media LLC

Customer experience

U

All ratings390,061 ratings
Positive93.7%
Neutral4.0%
Negative2.3%
Written reviews241 reviews
Positive14.1%
Neutral5.8%
Negative80.1%

SYFY

All ratings16,753 ratings
Positive89.2%
Neutral3.8%
Negative7.0%
Written reviews147 reviews
Positive34.0%
Neutral13.6%
Negative52.4%

User reviews

U

From 390K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Convenient remote control
  • 🚀 Easy to schedule recordings
  • 🚀 Good on-demand functionality
  • 👍 Reliable service when working

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Frequent app crashes and freezes
  • 🐛 Unreliable channel access and streaming
  • 🐛 Guide data not kept up-to-date
  • 🐛 Inconsistent functionality across devices
  • 🔒 Security and login issues

SYFY

From 17K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Great app for watching shows
  • 🔥 Awesome content selection
  • 👍 User-friendly interface

Room to improve

  • 🔍 Frequent technical issues
  • 💸 Excessive commercials
  • 🔌 Casting problems
  • 🐛 Buggy video player

Bugs and requests

U

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • App frequently logs users out
  • Remote control feature not working consistently
  • Certain channels not available through the app
  • Sync issues between app and TV experience

Requested features

4 requests
  • Ability to access and manage recordings remotely
  • Improved guide with more future programming data
  • Seamless integration with home receivers
  • Support for casting to TV from mobile devices

SYFY

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • Crashes and freezes
  • Video playback errors
  • Inconsistent episode listings
  • Linking cable provider issues

Requested features

4 requests
  • Ability to skip commercials
  • Resume playback from where you left off
  • Improved Chromecast/AirPlay support
  • Offline viewing option

In-app purchases

None

U

No in-app purchases

None

SYFY

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is U free?
U is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is SYFY free?
SYFY is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, U or SYFY?
U is rated higher. U averages 4.7 out of 5 from 390K ratings, while SYFY averages 4.6 from 17K ratings.
Do U or SYFY have ads?
SYFY shows ads; U does not.
Which is updated more often, U or SYFY?
U ships an update every 3 months, and SYFY every 5 weeks. Most recently, U was updated on October 25, 2026 and SYFY on October 25, 2026.

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