# PBS vs USEA AEC

The clearest difference is update cadence: USEA AEC at every 3 days against PBS's every 5 weeks. On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

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

PBS ships an update every 5 weeks, USEA AEC every 3 days. The most recent releases landed on November 8, 2026 and November 4, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | PBS | USEA AEC |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.9 (357K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pbs-watch-tv-and-documentaries/id398349296/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **357K** | — |
| Positive reviews | 80.5% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 5 weeks | **Every 3 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Size | 52 MB | 49 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.4 | **15.1** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple TV** | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 17+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [PBS](https://appshunter.io/developer/329374179) | [Etix](https://appshunter.io/developer/349698995) |

## What reviewers say

### PBS

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pbs-watch-tv-and-documentaries/id398349296)

Stream a vast library of award-winning documentaries, iconic series, and live local TV from your PBS station. Discover new shows and catch up on favorites across drama, news, history, science, and arts anytime, anywhere.

**Highlights:** Stream live local PBS station, Watch thousands of full-length episodes on demand, Access award-winning documentaries, Explore iconic series across multiple genres, Save episodes to a custom watchlist, Daily additions of new videos and episodes

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🎥 Excellent programming, especially documentaries
- 🎨 High-quality, diverse content
- 📺 Ability to watch shows on-demand
- 🎬 Exclusive access to shows through Passport
- 🌍 Variety of international and British shows

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🤖 Buggy app with frequent crashes
- 🔍 Difficulty finding and resuming shows
- 💰 Paywall for most content, even for donors
- 🇨🇦 Limited availability for Canadian users
- 📢 Intrusive ads even for Passport members

**Reported bugs**

- App freezes and crashes frequently
- Unable to cast or stream content reliably
- Watch history and progress not saved properly
- Incompatibility issues with certain devices
- Inconsistent behavior when navigating the app

**Requested features**

- Add option to skip ads for Passport members
- Improve resume functionality to remember progress
- Enhance discoverability of shows and categories
- Provide more free content for non-Passport users
- Optimize app performance and stability


### USEA AEC

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/usea-aec/id6781009290)

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is PBS free?

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

### Is USEA AEC free?

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

### Do PBS or USEA AEC have ads?

Neither PBS nor USEA AEC shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, PBS or USEA AEC?

PBS ships an update every 5 weeks, and USEA AEC every 3 days. Most recently, PBS was updated on November 8, 2026 and USEA AEC on November 4, 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.*