# iMovie vs YouTube

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: iMovie at none against YouTube's 15. iMovie also leads on ads (none vs shown) and review sentiment (59% vs 48%). YouTube's advantage is update cadence (weekly vs every 7 months) and ratings volume (50M vs 320K). On price and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. YouTube sells 12 in-app purchases, starting at $11.99 per month. iMovie asks for nothing beyond the download.

YouTube holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: YouTube has 50M ratings behind it against 320K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 59% of iMovie's written reviews are positive against 48% of YouTube's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

iMovie ships an update every 7 months, YouTube weekly. Both last shipped on October 30, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | iMovie | YouTube |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.4 (320K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/imovie/id377298193/reviews) | **[4.7 (50M ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/youtube/id544007664/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 320K | **50M** |
| Positive reviews | **59.0% of reviews** | 48.1% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 7 months | **Weekly** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | — | **#1** |
| Size | 670 MB | 374 MB |
| Requires iOS | 27.0 | **17.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, Apple TV** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Apple Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/284417353) | [Google](https://appshunter.io/developer/281956209) |

## What reviewers say

### iMovie

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/imovie/id377298193)

Easily create stunning Hollywood-style trailers and beautiful movies with intuitive gestures and streamlined design. Features like Magic Movies and Storyboards simplify video creation, while advanced tools allow for detailed editing and effects.

**Highlights:** Create Magic Movies with a few taps, Use Storyboards for guided video creation, Design Hollywood-style trailers with templates, Edit movies with themes, filters, and titles, Add picture-in-picture, green screen, and split screen effects, Utilize soundtracks that adjust to video length, Transfer projects between Apple devices

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to use
- 🎥 Great for making movies and trailers
- 💻 Works well on both mobile and desktop
- 🎨 Lots of creative features and effects

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Crashes and glitches
- 🗂️ Takes up a lot of storage space
- 🔇 Limited music/audio options
- 🔍 Difficult to find and delete old projects

**Reported bugs**

- Videos and audio getting out of sync after exporting
- Inability to move or edit green screen clips
- Freezing and crashing when working on longer projects
- Deleted videos/photos still affecting existing projects

**Requested features**

- Add more customization options for text, transitions, and backgrounds
- Improve video/audio syncing and editing tools
- Allow portrait mode and better support for vertical videos
- Integrate with more music/audio sources like Spotify


### YouTube

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/youtube/id544007664)

**Currently charting:** #1 Top Grossing · Photo & Video, #2 Top Grossing, #3 Top Free · Photo & Video, #21 Top Free (US App Store)

Watch and subscribe to a vast array of videos, from music and gaming to news and learning. Discover trending content, connect with creators, and even upload your own videos. Offers options for ad-free viewing and exclusive perks.

**Highlights:** Personalized video recommendations, Subscribe to favorite channels, Explore trending and popular content, Connect with creators via comments and posts, Create and upload videos, Ad-free viewing with Premium, Save videos for offline playback

**Features:** Siri integration, SharePlay

**In-app purchases (12)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Premium Lite | $11.99 | per month |
| Premium Lite | $11.99 | per month |
| FOX One | $19.99 | per month |
| YouTube Premium | $20.99 | per month |
| YouTube Premium | $20.99 | per month |
| Youtube Premium Family | $34.99 | per month |
| YouTube Premium Family | $34.99 | per month |
| Super Chat | $1.99 | one-time |
| Movies & Shows | $2.99 | one-time |
| Movies & Shows | $3.99 | one-time |
| Super Chat | $4.99 | one-time |
| Movies & Shows | $5.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- ⭐ Great app
- 🎨 Diverse content
- 🎓 Educational videos
- 🎶 Excellent music selection
- 🌐 Vast library of videos

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Too many ads
- 🤖 Biased algorithm recommendations
- 🔇 Inability to listen with screen off
- 🔍 Difficult to find relevant content
- 🔒 Censorship concerns

**Reported bugs**

- Video playback issues
- Subscription tab bugs
- Inconsistent UI changes
- Syncing problems across devices
- Unreliable video recommendations

**Requested features**

- Bring back dislike button
- Improve playlist management
- Add option to customize video quality
- Enhance background playback
- Improve comment section functionality


## Frequently asked questions

### Is iMovie free?

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

### Is YouTube free?

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

### Which has better reviews, iMovie or YouTube?

YouTube is rated higher. iMovie averages 4.4 out of 5 from 320K ratings, while YouTube averages 4.7 from 50M ratings.

### Do iMovie or YouTube have ads?

YouTube shows ads; iMovie does not.

### Which is updated more often, iMovie or YouTube?

iMovie ships an update every 7 months, and YouTube weekly. Most recently, iMovie was updated on October 30, 2026 and YouTube on October 30, 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.*