Comparison

WATCH TCM vs The Criterion Channel

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

Head to head
About

WATCH TCM

Access a vast library of classic movies on demand, presented uncut and commercial-free. Enjoy live streams of two TCM feeds, in-depth movie information, and curated bonus content. Requires a TV subscription to Turner Classic Movies.

Highlights
  • Hundreds of movies on demand
  • Uncut and commercial-free viewing
  • In-depth movie information
  • Customizable watchlists
  • Two live TCM streams
  • Classic short films
  • Bonus content and clips
Features
Read full description

Turner Classic Movies presents WATCH TCM, a service that lets you enjoy the best of TCM, at no additional cost with your TV subscription*. Experience the richly textured world of classic movies that only Turner Classic Movies can bring you. HUNDREDS OF MOVIES ON DEMAND: Our extensive library is updated each month with new titles, featuring introductions by special guests and our TCM Hosts, including Ben Mankiewicz. Movies are presented UNCUT and COMMERCIAL FREE. IN-DEPTH MOVIE INFORMATION: Learn more about every title with feature-length articles, cast & crew details, incredible image galleries, background information, complete synopsis and more. CUSTOM WATCHLIST: Add new and favorite movies to your queue to watch later. TWO LIVE STREAMS: Enjoy both an East and West Coast feed of Turner Classic Movies. Watch 2 different movies LIVE at any time, always UNCUT and COMMERCIAL FREE. SHORT FILMS: See some of the best classic film short subjects, many specially programmed for WATCH TCM. EXPLORE BONUS CONTENT: Featuring thousands of short-form clips and trailers. Browse stunning, never-before-seen photos from the titles playing on TCM this month. *In order to access WATCH TCM, you must get TCM at home through either a cable or satellite TV package.

About

The Criterion Channel

Stream a curated collection of classic and contemporary films from around the world. Discover Hollywood, international, art-house, and independent movies with special features and exclusive series. Enjoy daily refreshed selections and in-depth film analysis.

Highlights
  • Criterion Collection streaming library
  • Thematic film programming
  • Director and star retrospectives
  • Guest-curated film series
  • Supplemental film features
  • Original Criterion Channel series
Features
Read full description

A movie lover’s dream, the Criterion Channel offers classics and discoveries from around the world, thematically programmed with special features, on a streaming service brought to you by the Criterion Collection. With constantly refreshed selections of Hollywood, international, art-house, and independent movies, plus access to Criterion’s entire streaming library of more than 1,000 important classic and contemporary films, there’s something new to choose from every day of the week on the Criterion Channel. Start with Sunday Spotlights on directors, stars, genres, and themes; Tuesday’s Short + Feature; or the Friday double bill. Try out our 15-minute-a-month film school, Observations on Film Art, or choose from suggestions by friends like Barry Jenkins, Guillermo del Toro, or Mira Nair. Go deep with the Criterion Collection’s archive of special features for context that no other service can match. FEATURES - The Criterion Collection’s streaming library, including many complete editions released on Blu-ray and DVD, as well as unreleased titles - Ongoing programs of Hollywood, international, art-house, independent, documentary, and short films, including thematic programming, director and star retrospectives, and guest-curated series - Original Criterion Channel series such as Observations on Film Art, Adventures in Moviegoing, and Art-House America - Supplemental features to deepen your appreciation of the art of film, including audio commentaries, behind-the-scenes footage, scholarly analyses, introductions, new and archival interviews, and trailers To access all features and content you can subscribe to The Criterion Channel on a monthly or yearly basis with an auto-renewing subscription right inside the app.* Pricing can vary by region and will be confirmed before purchase in the app. In app subscriptions will automatically renew at the end of their cycle. * All payments will be paid through your iTunes Account and may be managed under Account Settings after the initial payment. Subscription payments will automatically renew unless deactivated at least 24-hours before the end of the current cycle. Your account will be charged for renewal at least 24-hours prior to the end of the current cycle. Any unused portion of your free trial will be forfeited upon payment. Cancellations are incurred by disabling auto-renewal. Terms of Service: https://www.criterionchannel.com/tos Privacy Policy: https://www.criterionchannel.com/privacy

Screenshots

WATCH TCM4 screens
The Criterion Channel3 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: The Criterion Channel at 91% against WATCH TCM's 14%. The Criterion Channel also leads on rating (4.8 vs 3.7) and chart position (#80 vs unranked). WATCH TCM's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 2). On price, update cadence, ads 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. The Criterion Channel sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $10.99 per month. WATCH TCM asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

The Criterion Channel holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 3.7. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 4.4K and 13K respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 14% of WATCH TCM's written reviews are positive against 91% of The Criterion Channel's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

WATCH TCM ships an update every 2 months, The Criterion Channel every 6 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 22, 2026 and September 23, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 5 level
WATCH TCM versus The Criterion Channel: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterWATCH TCMThe Criterion Channel
PriceFreeFree
Rating3.7 (4.4K ratings)4.8 (13K ratings) — better
Positive reviews13.8% of reviews91.1% of reviews — better
Number of ratings4.4K13K — better
Update frequencyEvery 2 monthsEvery 6 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree — betterSubscription
Best chart rank#80 — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, Apple TViPhone, iPad, Apple TV
Requires iOS16.0 — better16.6
Further details — not scored
Size60 MB71 MB
Age rating17+12+
DeveloperTCMThe Criterion Collection, Inc.

Customer experience

WATCH TCM

All ratings4,408 ratings
Positive63.6%
Neutral7.0%
Negative29.4%
Written reviews217 reviews
Positive13.8%
Neutral11.5%
Negative74.7%

The Criterion Channel

All ratings13,348 ratings
Positive94.9%
Neutral1.4%
Negative3.8%
Written reviews1,285 reviews
Positive91.1%
Neutral2.3%
Negative6.6%

Bugs and requests

WATCH TCM

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

The Criterion Channel

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Frequent playback interruptions and freezing
  • Unreliable offline viewing and download issues
  • Inconsistent app performance across devices

Requested features

5 requests
  • Ability to view full catalog of available titles
  • More advanced search and filtering tools
  • Improved playback stability and offline functionality
  • Personalized recommendations based on viewing history
  • Ratings and user reviews system

In-app purchases

None

WATCH TCM

No in-app purchases

2 purchases

The Criterion Channel

Subscriptions2
  • Criterion Channel Subscription7 Days trial$10.991 Month
  • Criterion Channel Subscription7 Days trial$99.991 Year

Questions

Is WATCH TCM free?
WATCH TCM is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is The Criterion Channel free?
The Criterion Channel is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, WATCH TCM or The Criterion Channel?
The Criterion Channel is rated higher. WATCH TCM averages 3.7 out of 5 from 4.4K ratings, while The Criterion Channel averages 4.8 from 13K ratings.
Do WATCH TCM or The Criterion Channel have ads?
Neither WATCH TCM nor The Criterion Channel shows ads.
Which is updated more often, WATCH TCM or The Criterion Channel?
WATCH TCM ships an update every 2 months, and The Criterion Channel every 6 weeks. Most recently, WATCH TCM was updated on September 22, 2026 and The Criterion Channel on September 23, 2026.

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