# TVGuide.co.uk TV Guide vs BFBS Player

The clearest difference is rating: BFBS Player at 5.0 against TVGuide.co.uk TV Guide's 4.3. BFBS Player also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 2) and ads (none vs shown). TVGuide.co.uk TV Guide's advantage is update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 6 months) and ratings volume (69 vs 3). On price, review sentiment, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. TVGuide.co.uk TV Guide sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. BFBS Player asks for nothing beyond the download.

BFBS Player holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: TVGuide.co.uk TV Guide has 69 ratings behind it against 3, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 20% and 19% positive.

TVGuide.co.uk TV Guide ships an update every 2 weeks, BFBS Player every 6 months. The most recent releases landed on October 31, 2026 and November 1, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | TVGuide.co.uk TV Guide | BFBS Player |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.3 (69 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tvguidecouk-tv-guide/id317212648/reviews) | **[5.0 (3 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bfbs-player/id1017649305/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **69** | 3 |
| Positive reviews | **20.2% of reviews** | 19.4% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 weeks** | Every 6 months |
| Monetization | Ad-supported | **Free** |
| Size | 3 MB | 66 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Apple TV | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple TV** |
| Age rating | 17+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [DIGITALBOX PUBLISHING LIMITED](https://appshunter.io/developer/1773311513) | [BFBS Radio](https://appshunter.io/developer/463475235) |

## What reviewers say

### TVGuide.co.uk TV Guide

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tvguidecouk-tv-guide/id317212648)

Access comprehensive TV listings for UK channels. Stay updated with the latest programming, connect with a community, and utilize helpful tools. Designed for ease of use and continuous improvement based on user feedback.

**Highlights:** UK TV listings, Latest news, Community connection, User-friendly design, Tools for users

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

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| TV Guide Monthly Subscription | $2.99 | per month |
| TV Guide Annual Subscription | $25.49 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Easy to use
- 🔍 Helpful TV listings
- 📺 Useful features like reminders and watchlists

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🤖 Intrusive and excessive ads
- 🙈 Inability to see TV listings due to ads
- 🐌 Slow performance and freezing issues
- 🔄 Constant need to update and redownload app

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes on launch
- Listings not matching actual TV schedules
- Channels not showing up in listings

**Requested features**

- Ability to customize channel order
- Offline TV listings access
- Option to pay for ad-free experience


### BFBS Player

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bfbs-player/id1017649305)

Access a variety of UK TV channels and exclusive Forces content while serving overseas. Requires authentication with a Defence Gateway account for serving British Forces members and entitled users. Not intended for unsupervised use by minors.

**Highlights:** UK TV channels, Exclusive Forces channels, Overseas access, Defence Gateway authentication, Forces TV channel access in UK

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Good for overseas access
- 👍 Catch up service appreciated
- 👍 Improved login process (recent)
- 👍 Works well for some users
- 👍 Free service appreciated

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Location detection issues
- 🐛 Constant buffering
- 🐛 Login problems
- 🐛 App crashes/freezes
- 🐛 Limited channels available

**Reported bugs**

- App thinks users are in the UK when abroad
- App buffers constantly
- Unable to play stream
- Cannot log in
- App returns to login screen after submitting info

**Requested features**

- Show all channels
- Improve location detection for overseas users
- Add Apple TV app
- Enable screen mirroring/casting
- Make app backwards compatible for older iPads


## Frequently asked questions

### Is TVGuide.co.uk TV Guide free?

TVGuide.co.uk TV Guide is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is BFBS Player free?

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

### Which has better reviews, TVGuide.co.uk TV Guide or BFBS Player?

BFBS Player is rated higher. TVGuide.co.uk TV Guide averages 4.3 out of 5 from 69 ratings, while BFBS Player averages 5.0 from 3 ratings.

### Do TVGuide.co.uk TV Guide or BFBS Player have ads?

TVGuide.co.uk TV Guide shows ads; BFBS Player does not.

### Which is updated more often, TVGuide.co.uk TV Guide or BFBS Player?

TVGuide.co.uk TV Guide ships an update every 2 weeks, and BFBS Player every 6 months. Most recently, TVGuide.co.uk TV Guide was updated on October 31, 2026 and BFBS Player on November 1, 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.*