# ZDF vs DerElefant

The clearest difference is review sentiment: DerElefant at 93% against ZDF's 66%. DerElefant also leads on iOS requirement (12.0 vs 17.0). ZDF's advantage is ratings volume (9.8K vs 13) and update cadence (monthly vs every 3 months). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

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

ZDF holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: ZDF has 9.8K ratings behind it against 13, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 66% of ZDF's written reviews are positive against 93% of DerElefant's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

ZDF ships an update monthly, DerElefant every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on October 19, 2026 and October 1, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | ZDF | DerElefant |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (9.8K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/zdf/id437025413/reviews)** | [4.5 (13 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/derelefant/id1023688500/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **9.8K** | 13 |
| Positive reviews | 66.2% of reviews | **92.6% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Monthly** | Every 3 months |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 101 MB | 319 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **12.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Apple TV | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [ZDF](https://appshunter.io/developer/437025416) | [WDR](https://appshunter.io/developer/728414655) |

## What reviewers say

### ZDF

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/zdf/id437025413)

Access a vast library of on-demand series, documentaries, and films. Stream live TV, download content for offline viewing, and discover exclusive pre-broadcast programs. Personalize your experience with a watchlist and notifications.

**Highlights:** On-demand streaming of series and documentaries, Offline viewing by downloading content, Access to content before TV broadcast, Live TV and livestreams of events, Curated content from public broadcasters, Personalized watchlist and notifications

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🌍 Access to German TV content abroad
- 🎥 Wide variety of programs (movies, series, news, documentaries)
- 👍 Easy to use and navigate
- 🇩🇪 Allows keeping up with German language and culture

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🚫 Many programs geo-blocked and not available outside Germany/Austria/Switzerland
- 🐛 Occasional crashes, bugs, and playback issues
- 🔇 Lack of subtitles/closed captions
- 🔄 Difficulty resuming previously watched content

**Reported bugs**

- Frequent crashes or failure to open videos
- Playback issues like audio-video desync, videos freezing or going black
- Sync issues between devices, inability to resume watching

**Requested features**

- Offline viewing/download options
- Personalized recommendations and watchlists
- Improved Chromecast/AirPlay support
- Compatibility with older devices/iOS versions


### DerElefant

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/derelefant/id1023688500)

Discover a world of videos, games, and educational content designed for young children. This ad-free app offers full episodes, fun stories, and interactive games that teach basic programming concepts and develop fine motor skills.

**Highlights:** Full episodes of "Sendung mit dem Elefanten", Interactive games for learning and creativity, Introduction to programming concepts, Educational content for 3-6 year olds, Ad-free and free to use, Weekly content updates

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is ZDF free?

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

### Is DerElefant free?

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

### Which has better reviews, ZDF or DerElefant?

ZDF is rated higher. ZDF averages 4.7 out of 5 from 9.8K ratings, while DerElefant averages 4.5 from 13 ratings.

### Do ZDF or DerElefant have ads?

Neither ZDF nor DerElefant shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, ZDF or DerElefant?

ZDF ships an update monthly, and DerElefant every 3 months. Most recently, ZDF was updated on October 19, 2026 and DerElefant on October 1, 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.*