# 8player vs zFuse

The clearest difference is rating: zFuse at 4.7 against 8player's 2.8. zFuse also leads on review sentiment (80% vs 43%) and ratings volume (1.2K vs 177). 8player's advantage is ads (none vs shown). On price, update cadence, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. 8player sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $9.99 per year and zFuse sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

zFuse holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 2.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: zFuse has 1.2K ratings behind it against 177, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 43% of 8player's written reviews are positive against 80% of zFuse's.

8player ships an update fortnightly, zFuse every 4 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 10, 2026 and November 11, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | 8player | zFuse |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [2.8 (177 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/8player/id375860275/reviews) | **[4.7 (1.2K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/zfuse-media-player/id1054505347/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 177 | **1.2K** |
| Positive reviews | 43.2% of reviews | **80.1% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Fortnightly** | Every 4 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 96 MB | 156 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.6 | **16.1** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, Apple TV** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [8soft Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/425721905) | [s-joys Co., Ltd.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1252722512) |

## What reviewers say

### 8player

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/8player/id375860275)

This versatile media player allows you to stream, download, and enjoy videos, music, and photos from various sources. It offers a clean interface, offline playback, and supports a wide range of file formats across iOS and Apple TV devices.

**Highlights:** Stream from cloud and network services, Download for offline playback, Supports DLNA/UPnP, SMB, FTP, Wide range of video, audio, and image format support, Create and manage music playlists, Cast to DLNA and Chromecast devices

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Pro Annual | $9.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Intuitive and easy to use
- 🚀 Fast and responsive
- 💡 Supports wide range of file formats
- 🎨 Elegant and visually appealing interface
- 🔌 Seamless DLNA/UPnP connectivity

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional crashes and stability issues
- 🚫 Lack of support for certain video codecs
- 🔍 Limited search and browsing functionality
- 🔇 Unreliable Bluetooth speaker connectivity
- 🔋 Drains battery quickly during use

**Reported bugs**

- SMB connectivity issues after recent updates
- Subtitles not displaying correctly for some video files
- Playback freezes or stops when minimizing the app
- Inconsistent behavior when playing next/previous tracks

**Requested features**

- Add gapless playback for music
- Implement a more robust file sorting/browsing system
- Integrate Chromecast support
- Introduce an equalizer for audio customization
- Add password/security protection options


### zFuse

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/zfuse-media-player/id1054505347)

Play any video format and encoding directly from your device or network storage without conversion. Enjoy advanced subtitle effects, gesture controls, and file management features. Supports media servers, TV casting, and privacy protection.

**Highlights:** Plays all video formats and encodings, Supports ASS/SSA/SUP effect subtitles, Network playback from PC/NAS, Gesture controls for playback and settings, Folder encryption for privacy, File download and decompression, TV casting and media server support

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Remove ads | $9.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Fast and smooth playback
- 👍 Intuitive and user-friendly interface
- 🔒 No ads or in-app purchases
- 💡 Supports a wide range of video formats
- 🚀 Excellent video decoding and hardware acceleration

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional crashes or freezes
- 🔍 Lacking advanced video settings (color, contrast, etc.)
- 🔍 Limited subtitle support
- 🔍 Inconsistent network file sharing performance
- 🔍 Cluttered UI with too many ads in some versions

**Reported bugs**

- Playback issues with certain video codecs
- Inconsistent behavior when switching between files
- Inability to remember last playback position
- Compatibility problems on older devices

**Requested features**

- Add picture-in-picture mode
- Implement a more robust subtitle management system
- Provide more video customization options
- Improve network file sharing stability and speed
- Optimize UI for better user experience


## Frequently asked questions

### Is 8player free?

8player is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is zFuse free?

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

### Which has better reviews, 8player or zFuse?

zFuse is rated higher. 8player averages 2.8 out of 5 from 177 ratings, while zFuse averages 4.7 from 1.2K ratings.

### Do 8player or zFuse have ads?

zFuse shows ads; 8player does not.

### Which is updated more often, 8player or zFuse?

8player ships an update fortnightly, and zFuse every 4 weeks. Most recently, 8player was updated on November 10, 2026 and zFuse on November 11, 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.*