Movieguide® App vs Common Sense Media
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Movieguide® App
Find family-friendly movies and TV shows aligned with faith and values. Get expert reviews, filter content, and build watchlists for wholesome entertainment. Trusted for decades, this free app helps parents make informed viewing choices.
- Expert-guided reviews with faith-focused insights
- Smart filters for age, genre, and themes
- Customizable content exclusion
- Curated collections of award-winning media
- Personal watchlists and family playlists
- Reviews flagging violence, profanity, and worldview issues
Read full descriptionHide full description
Discover wholesome entertainment that aligns with your faith and family values—trusted by millions for over 40 years. Movieguide® is the completely free app from the nonprofit leader in faith-based media reviews, empowering parents to choose uplifting movies, TV shows, and streaming content with confidence. Why Choose Movieguide®? - Expert-Guided Reviews: Dive into in-depth analyses written by PhD scholars, spotlighting redemptive themes, biblical principles, and positive role models while flagging concerns like violence, profanity, and worldview issues. - Faith-Focused Insights: Go beyond ratings with explorations of how media influences spiritual growth, character, and family discussions—rooted in timeless values. - Easy Navigation for Busy Families: Browse our vast library with smart filters for age, genre, themes, and streaming platforms to plan the perfect movie night. - Customized Safe Viewing: Effortlessly exclude content that doesn’t fit your standards, ensuring inspiring, age-appropriate entertainment every time. - Curated Collections: Explore handpicked selections of award-winning films and shows that promote hope, redemption, and moral integrity, drawn from decades of expertise. - Personal Watchlists: Save favorites, build family playlists, and rediscover hidden gems for meaningful viewing experiences. A Legacy of Trust and Impact As a nonprofit organization since 1985, Movieguide® has been on a mission to redeem Hollywood’s values and guide families toward media that enriches lives. Our unbiased reviews, crafted by advanced-degree experts, deliver the depth and reliability you deserve—no ads, no subscriptions, just free tools to protect and inspire your loved ones. Join the community of faith-driven families making smarter media choices today. Download now and elevate your entertainment!
Common Sense Media
This app provides parents with unbiased reviews and ratings for movies, TV shows, games, apps, and more. It helps families discover safe and age-appropriate content for children by detailing mature themes and positive messages. Users can filter content by age, interests, and streaming services, and create custom watchlists.
- Content ratings for movies, TV, games, apps, books, podcasts
- Details on mature and positive content elements
- Community reviews from parents and kids
- Filter content by age, interests, and streaming services
- Customizable watch and read lists
- Curated collections of media
Read full descriptionHide full description
We are the essential review guide for parents when it comes to what kids are into: movies, TV shows, games, apps, podcasts, and more. Designed for families seeking unbiased and trusted information to help guide them to find safe and smart content for their children. •See how much age-appropriate content and positive messages your kid will find across movies, TV shows, books, games, apps, and more. •Get firsthand insights and extra details from other parents and kids in our community reviews. •Browse our library and effortlessly find the perfect pick for family movie night, thanks to intuitive filters, such as the streaming services you have, your kid's age and interests, and your family's preferences. •Easily filter out movies and TV shows with content and messages that aren't appropriate for your kids or that isn't right for your family. •Explore hand-curated collections of the best movies, shows, and books based on category, genre, theme, topic, and more. •Create your own custom watch and read list and save movies, TV shows, and books for later. Independent and Nonprofit Common Sense is the nation's leading nonprofit organization working on behalf of kids and teens to make the digital world more safe, healthy, and equitable for them and for all families. Our unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners. Terms of service: https://www.commonsensemedia.org/about-us/our-mission/site-terms-use
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Movieguide® App at none against Common Sense Media's 3. Movieguide® App also leads on ads (none vs shown) and review sentiment (72% vs 59%). Common Sense Media's advantage is ratings volume (8.7K vs 25) and rating (4.8 vs 4.5). On price, update cadence and device support there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS
Both are free to download. Common Sense Media sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month. Movieguide® App asks for nothing beyond the download.
Common Sense Media holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Common Sense Media has 8.7K ratings behind it against 25, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 72% of Movieguide® App's written reviews are positive against 59% of Common Sense Media's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.
Movieguide® App ships an update monthly, Common Sense Media every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 21, 2026 and September 23, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Movieguide® App | Common Sense Media |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.5 (25 ratings) | 4.8 (8.7K ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 72.5% of reviews — better | 59.5% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 25 | 8.7K — better |
| Update frequency | Monthly | Every 3 weeks — better |
| Ads | No — better | Yes |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | Free — better | Free with in-app purchases |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 13.0 — better | 15.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 60 MB | 84 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | Movieguide | Common Sense Media |
Customer experience
Movieguide® App
Common Sense Media
User reviews
Movieguide® App
From 25 App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 👍 Easy to use
- 💡 Informative reviews
- 👨👩👧👦 Great for families
- ✅ Reliable and useful
- 🎯 Detailed content information
Room to improve
- 偏 Strong Christian fundamentalist bias
- 👎 Not a family guide, a Christian guide
- 🤔 Reviews taken from a religious point of view
- ⚠️ Reviews can be over the top
- 📉 Reviews are not independent
Common Sense Media
From 8.7K App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 👍 Helpful for finding appropriate content
- 🚀 Convenient app version of the website
- 💡 Detailed reviews on movies, books, and shows
- 🔒 Trustworthy source for parents
Room to improve
- 🔒 Paywall restricts access to basic features
- 🐛 Login issues and app crashes
- 💰 Subscription cost is too high
- 🤔 Inconsistent or inaccurate reviews
Bugs and requests
Movieguide® App
Reported bugs
11 issues- App crashes sometimes
- App crashes when searching
- Disappearing search bar
- Disappearing navigation bars
- Search button and menu buttons disappear
Show 6 moreShow fewer
- App crashes after splash screen
- App crashes when trying to read full review
- Crashes when selecting recommend
- App crashes after a splash screen
- Keeps crashing
- App crashes
Requested features
11 requests- Add TV shows
- Individually list profanities and obscenities
- More detail on language used and frequency
- Reviews on drama, thrilling, or sad scenes that affect children
- One version with all features and ads
Show 6 moreShow fewer
- Native iOS app development
- API for other movie apps to integrate/link ratings
- Dark mode option
- Advanced analytics dashboard
- More detail on sexual content
- Add TV show reviews
Common Sense Media
Reported bugs
3 issues- Constant log-out issues
- Unreliable login functionality
- Compatibility problems on older devices
Requested features
3 requests- Ability to mark content as already viewed
- More customization options for user preferences
- Improved search and recommendation algorithms
In-app purchases
Movieguide® App
No in-app purchases
Common Sense Media
- Monthly Plan$3.991 Month
- Weekly Plan$9.997 Days
- Yearly Plan$39.991 Year
Questions
Is Movieguide® App free?
Is Common Sense Media free?
Which has better reviews, Movieguide® App or Common Sense Media?
Do Movieguide® App or Common Sense Media have ads?
Which is updated more often, Movieguide® App or Common Sense Media?
Other comparisons















