# TiVo vs Sparklight TV

The clearest difference is monetization model: TiVo at free against Sparklight TV's subscription. TiVo also leads on ratings volume (3.3K vs 76). Sparklight TV's advantage is device support (4 vs 2) and iOS requirement (15.6 vs 18.0). On price, rating, review sentiment and update cadence there is nothing between them.

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

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 2.0 for TiVo against 2.1 for Sparklight TV. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: TiVo has 3.3K ratings behind it against 76, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 11% of TiVo's written reviews are positive against 4% of Sparklight TV's.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 4 months. The most recent releases landed on October 26, 2026 and October 25, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | TiVo | Sparklight TV |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [2.0 (3.3K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tivo/id401673976/reviews) | **[2.1 (76 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sparklight-tv/id1521234831/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **3.3K** | 76 |
| Positive reviews | **10.7% of reviews** | 3.6% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 4 months | Every 4 months |
| Monetization | **Free** | Subscription |
| Size | 164 MB | 39 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | **15.6** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple TV** |
| Age rating | 12+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [TiVo Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/401673979) | [TiVo Platform Technologies LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/324632173) |

## What reviewers say

### TiVo

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tivo/id401673976)

Control your TV experience from your mobile device. Discover new shows, schedule recordings, and stream live or recorded content anywhere. Search across multiple services to find exactly what you want to watch.

**Highlights:** Out-of-home & in-home streaming, Download recordings for offline viewing, Personalized 'What to Watch' dashboard, Remote recording scheduling, Mobile search across TV and streaming services, Integrated remote control functionality

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 💻 Works well
- 🚀 Streaming and downloading work well

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent login issues
- 🔍 Poor search and navigation
- 🔌 Streaming and downloading issues
- 🤖 App feels abandoned by developers

**Reported bugs**

- Constant need to re-login
- Streaming and downloading failures
- Incompatibility with newer iOS versions

**Requested features**

- Picture-in-picture support
- Improved remote control functionality
- Easier episode and recording management


### Sparklight TV

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sparklight-tv/id1521234831)

Transform your devices into a TV to stream live cable and local channels. Record your favorite shows with cloud DVR, manage recordings, and utilize parental controls. Available in select areas with a required subscription.

**Highlights:** Stream live cable and local channels, Record shows with Cloud DVR, Multiple stream options, Parental controls, Video on Demand

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is TiVo free?

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

### Is Sparklight TV free?

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

### Which has better reviews, TiVo or Sparklight TV?

Sparklight TV is rated higher. TiVo averages 2.0 out of 5 from 3.3K ratings, while Sparklight TV averages 2.1 from 76 ratings.

### Do TiVo or Sparklight TV have ads?

Neither TiVo nor Sparklight TV shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, TiVo or Sparklight TV?

TiVo ships an update every 4 months, and Sparklight TV every 4 months. Most recently, TiVo was updated on October 26, 2026 and Sparklight TV on October 25, 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.*