# truTV vs The CW

The clearest difference is rating: truTV at 4.5 against The CW's 3.3. truTV also leads on monetization model (ad-supported vs free with in-app purchases). The CW's advantage is update cadence (every 4 weeks vs every 3 months) and chart position (#93 vs unranked). On price, review sentiment, ratings volume and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

truTV holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 3.3. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 14K and 22K respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 16% of truTV's written reviews are positive against 11% of The CW's.

truTV ships an update every 3 months, The CW every 4 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 29, 2026 and September 30, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | truTV | The CW |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.5 (14K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/trutv/id396972659/reviews)** | [3.3 (22K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-cw/id491730359/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 14K | **22K** |
| Positive reviews | **16.2% of reviews** | 11.2% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | **Every 4 weeks** |
| Monetization | **Ad-supported** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | — | **#93** |
| Size | 109 MB | 40 MB |
| Requires iOS | **14.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple TV | iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple TV |
| Age rating | 17+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Turner Broadcasting System, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/405623540) | [The CW Network](https://appshunter.io/developer/490222213) |

## What reviewers say

### truTV

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/trutv/id396972659)

Stream live sports, full episodes of popular TV shows, and movies on demand. Sign in with your TV provider to access content from truTV and enjoy entertainment anytime, anywhere.

**Highlights:** Watch live sports, Stream full TV episodes, Enjoy blockbuster movies, Sign in with TV provider, Access truTV originals, Watch anytime, anywhere

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 💡 Great content like Impractical Jokers and Adam Ruins Everything
- 👍 Decent user interface

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Constant crashes and bugs
- 🔁 Endless ad loops and poor ad integration
- 📺 Inability to continue watching from where you left off
- 🔍 Difficult to navigate and find content
- 🔒 Frequent sign-out issues and login problems

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes when trying to watch episodes
- Freezes and becomes unresponsive
- Login screen issues and inability to sign in
- Video playback problems and constant buffering

**Requested features**

- Add ability to turn off closed captions
- Implement Chromecast/AirPlay support
- Add a 'continue watching' feature
- Improve overall app stability and performance


### The CW

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-cw/id491730359)

**Currently charting:** #93 Top Free · Entertainment (US App Store)

Stream the latest episodes of popular TV shows, full series, movies, and live sports. Enjoy content the day after broadcast, binge-watch favorites, and discover new films. Access 24/7 programming and manage your viewing with a personal profile.

**Highlights:** Latest episodes next-day streaming, Binge full series, Growing movie collection, Live and on-demand sports, 24/7 channel programming, Personalized profiles and watchlists

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Free streaming service
- 🔍 Wide variety of shows
- 📺 Convenient way to watch missed episodes

**What reviewers complain about**

- ⏱️ Too many repetitive ads
- 🔀 Inconsistent episode tracking and resume functionality
- 🤯 Buggy playback and app crashes
- 🔍 Limited episode availability per show

**Reported bugs**

- Playback stalling and freezing issues
- Incorrect episode resume points
- Orientation and layout problems on tablets

**Requested features**

- Ability to watch full seasons of shows
- Improved episode resume and tracking
- Reduced ad frequency and more variety


## Frequently asked questions

### Is truTV free?

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

### Is The CW free?

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

### Which has better reviews, truTV or The CW?

truTV is rated higher. truTV averages 4.5 out of 5 from 14K ratings, while The CW averages 3.3 from 22K ratings.

### Do truTV or The CW have ads?

Both truTV and The CW show ads.

### Which is updated more often, truTV or The CW?

truTV ships an update every 3 months, and The CW every 4 weeks. Most recently, truTV was updated on September 29, 2026 and The CW on September 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.*