# 8player vs Smart IPTV Player

The clearest difference is rating: Smart IPTV Player at 4.8 against 8player's 2.8. Smart IPTV Player also leads on review sentiment (82% vs 43%) and update cadence (weekly vs fortnightly). 8player's advantage is ads (none vs shown). On price, ratings volume, 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 Smart IPTV Player sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Smart IPTV Player holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 2.8. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 173 and 68 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 43% of 8player's written reviews are positive against 82% of Smart IPTV Player's.

8player ships an update fortnightly, Smart IPTV Player weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 27, 2026 and October 23, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | 8player | Smart IPTV Player |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [2.8 (173 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/8player/id375860275/reviews) | **[4.8 (68 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/smart-iptv-player-bigplay/id1492738910/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **173** | 68 |
| Positive reviews | 43.3% of reviews | **82.4% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Fortnightly | **Weekly** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 96 MB | 157 MB |
| Requires iOS | **16.6** | 17.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Apple TV | iPhone, iPad, Apple TV |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [8soft Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/425721905) | [Irfan Shah](https://appshunter.io/developer/1481598324) |

## 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


### Smart IPTV Player

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/smart-iptv-player-bigplay/id1492738910)

This app allows you to stream live TV, movies, and series from your IPTV provider. It offers a cinema-grade experience with features like EPG, VOD details, and cross-device syncing. Manage multiple playlists and enjoy a privacy-focused, ad-free interface.

**Highlights:** Live TV channel browsing with EPG, Movies and series VOD library with details, Continue watching across devices via iCloud, Favorites and multi-playlist management, Native Apple TV interface, Multiple audio and subtitle support

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

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| BigPlay Pro Monthly | $2.99 | per month |
| BigPlay Pro Yearly | $19.99 | per year |
| BigPlay Pro Lifetime | $39.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is 8player free?

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

### Is Smart IPTV Player free?

Smart IPTV Player is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, 8player or Smart IPTV Player?

Smart IPTV Player is rated higher. 8player averages 2.8 out of 5 from 173 ratings, while Smart IPTV Player averages 4.8 from 68 ratings.

### Do 8player or Smart IPTV Player have ads?

Smart IPTV Player shows ads; 8player does not.

### Which is updated more often, 8player or Smart IPTV Player?

8player ships an update fortnightly, and Smart IPTV Player weekly. Most recently, 8player was updated on October 27, 2026 and Smart IPTV Player on October 23, 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.*