Comparison

DISH Anywhere vs SYFY

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

Head to head
About

DISH Anywhere

Stream live and recorded TV channels from your home receiver to your iPhone or iPad. Manage your DVR, access thousands of On Demand titles, and follow your favorite sports teams with live scores. Download content for offline viewing.

Highlights
  • Stream live TV channels
  • Watch recorded DVR shows
  • Manage DVR recordings
  • Access On Demand content
  • Download shows for offline viewing
  • Sports scores and game info
Features
Read full description

With DISH Anywhere, you can watch the TV you love on your favorite devices. Enjoy your live and recorded programs anytime, anywhere, at home or on the go. Access your full DVR library and browse your favorite live shows with an intuitive, searchable program guide. This is a must-have app for DISH subscribers. Watch all your favorite sports, news, TV shows, and movies from your Hopper. Schedule recordings from anywhere, manage your DVR library, and set recording priorities to ensure you never miss your favorite content. Search the program guide to find shows by title, genre, network, keyword, or actor. A high-speed Internet connection is required for streaming from a Hopper. Regardless of your receiver, all DISH Network customers can watch a selection of streaming and on-demand content. This app features Nielsen’s proprietary measurement software, which will allow you to contribute to market research, like Nielsen’s TV Ratings. Please see 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

DISH Anywhere4 screens
SYFY4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: DISH Anywhere at every 2 weeks against SYFY's every 5 weeks. DISH Anywhere also leads on ratings volume (265K vs 17K). On price, rating, review sentiment and ads 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 — 4.6 for DISH Anywhere against 4.6 for SYFY. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: DISH Anywhere has 265K ratings behind it against 17K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 36% of DISH Anywhere's written reviews are positive against 35% of SYFY's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

DISH Anywhere ships an update every 2 weeks, SYFY every 5 weeks. Both last shipped on October 30, 2026.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
DISH Anywhere versus SYFY: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterDISH AnywhereSYFY
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.6 (265K ratings) — better4.6 (17K ratings)
Positive reviews36.1% of reviews — better34.9% of reviews
Number of ratings265K — better17K
Update frequencyEvery 2 weeks — betterEvery 5 weeks
AdsYesYes
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, Apple TViPhone, iPad, Apple TV
Requires iOS16.116.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size117 MB240 MB
Age rating12+12+
DeveloperDISH Network LLCVersant Media LLC

Customer experience

DISH Anywhere

All ratings264,336 ratings
Positive91.1%
Neutral3.0%
Negative5.9%
Written reviews587 reviews
Positive36.1%
Neutral6.0%
Negative57.9%

SYFY

All ratings16,753 ratings
Positive89.2%
Neutral3.8%
Negative7.0%
Written reviews149 reviews
Positive34.9%
Neutral13.4%
Negative51.7%

User reviews

DISH Anywhere

From 265K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 👍 Great app for watching shows on the go
  • 🚀 Ability to transfer recordings for offline viewing
  • 💡 Useful for travelers

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Frequent crashes and bugs
  • 🔍 Poor user interface and navigation
  • ⏱️ Slow performance, especially with fast forward/rewind
  • 🔌 Connectivity issues and unreliable streaming

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

DISH Anywhere

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Transferred shows not playing
  • Guide/channel information not updating
  • Inconsistent behavior when device is locked or goes to sleep

Requested features

4 requests
  • Bring back old app features
  • Improve stability and reliability
  • Add more customization options
  • Optimize for larger screens

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

DISH Anywhere

No in-app purchases

None

SYFY

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is DISH Anywhere free?
DISH Anywhere 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, DISH Anywhere or SYFY?
DISH Anywhere is rated higher. DISH Anywhere averages 4.6 out of 5 from 265K ratings, while SYFY averages 4.6 from 17K ratings.
Do DISH Anywhere or SYFY have ads?
Both DISH Anywhere and SYFY show ads.
Which is updated more often, DISH Anywhere or SYFY?
DISH Anywhere ships an update every 2 weeks, and SYFY every 5 weeks. Most recently, DISH Anywhere was updated on October 30, 2026 and SYFY on October 30, 2026.

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