Comparison

TheSurfNetwork vs BFI Player (US)

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

TheSurfNetwork

Stream the world's largest collection of surf videos, from classic films to the latest action. Explore documentaries, event coverage, and more, all professionally produced. Access content across devices with offline playback and resume functionality.

Highlights
  • Extensive surf video library
  • Cross-device watchlist
  • Resume playback
  • Offline playback
  • AirPlay and Chromecast support
Features
Read full description

Do you like watching surf videos? Then you're going to love TheSurfNetwork! TheSurfNetwork provides streaming access to the worlds largest surf video library, featuring surfing's biggest athletes, made by award-winning filmmakers. Everything from 70s surf classic films to the latest brand videos. With TheSurfnetwork you'll find only professionally produced films and videos covering all aspects of the surf lifestyle including longboarding, documentaries, big wave, shortboarding, event coverage, and more. Everything from heartfelt documentaries to thrilling surf action scenes set to hit soundtracks. To access all this great content you can subscribe to TheSurfNetwork on a monthly or yearly basis with an auto-renewing subscription right inside the app. Subscribe once and watch on your favorites devices. Features: • Video Library - access entire purchase history instantly using Watch Now streaming • Watchlist - add and remove items from your watchlist, works across all devices • Resume playback - pick up where you left off watching, works across all devices • AirPlay enabled - stream video to Apple TV • Chromecast enabled - supports casting with Chromecast • Offline playback - download video to device and watch offline when not connected to internet * All payments will be paid through your iTunes Account and may be managed under Account Settings after the initial payment. Subscription payments will automatically renew unless deactivated at least 24-hours before the end of the current billing period. Your account will be charged for renewal at least 24-hours prior to the end of the current billing period. Cancellations are incurred by disabling auto-renewal. Any unused portion of a free trial (if available) will be forfeited upon subscription purchase. Privacy Policy https://www.thesurfnetwork.com/content/privacy-policy Terms of Use https://www.thesurfnetwork.com/content/terms-of-use

About

BFI Player (US)

Stream a curated selection of acclaimed films, including classics and modern discoveries, on this US-only service. Subscribe for full access to a diverse library of cinematic content across multiple devices.

Highlights
  • Curated film selection
  • Landmark titles and rare classics
  • Modern discoveries
  • Multi-device support
  • Auto-renewing subscription
  • Free trial period
Features
Read full description

Watch acclaimed movies selected by the British Film Institute (BFI) on their US-only streaming service. Explore landmark titles, rare classics & modern discoveries on multiple devices today. To access all features and content you can subscribe to BFI Player Classics on a monthly basis with an auto-renewing subscription right inside the app.* Pricing can vary by region and will be confirmed before purchase in the app. In app subscriptions will automatically renew at the end of their cycle. * All payments will be paid through your iTunes Account and may be managed under Account Settings after the initial payment. Subscription payments will automatically renew unless deactivated at least 24-hours before the end of the current cycle. Your account will be charged for renewal at least 24-hours prior to the end of the current cycle. Any unused portion of your free trial will be forfeited upon payment. Cancellations are incurred by disabling auto-renewal. Terms of Service: https://www.bfiplayerclassics.com/tos Privacy Policy: https://www.bfiplayerclassics.com/privacy

Screenshots

TheSurfNetwork3 screens
BFI Player (US)4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: TheSurfNetwork at 75% against BFI Player (US)'s 8%. TheSurfNetwork also leads on rating (4.8 vs 2.3) and ratings volume (528 vs 24). BFI Player (US)'s advantage is monetization model (free with in-app purchases vs subscription). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. TheSurfNetwork sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 per month and BFI Player (US) sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

TheSurfNetwork holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 2.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: TheSurfNetwork has 528 ratings behind it against 24, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 75% of TheSurfNetwork's written reviews are positive against 8% of BFI Player (US)'s.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

TheSurfNetwork ships an update every 2 months, BFI Player (US) every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on October 17, 2026 and October 14, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
TheSurfNetwork versus BFI Player (US): the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterTheSurfNetworkBFI Player (US)
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.8 (528 ratings) — better2.3 (24 ratings)
Positive reviews75.0% of reviews — better8.3% of reviews
Number of ratings528 — better24
Update frequencyEvery 2 months — betterEvery 3 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationSubscriptionFree with in-app purchases — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple TV — betteriPhone, iPad, Apple TV
Requires iOS15.0 — better16.6
Further details — not scored
Size30 MB66 MB
Age rating12+4+
DeveloperOpper Sports, Inc.The British Film Institute

Customer experience

TheSurfNetwork

All ratings528 ratings
Positive96.8%
Neutral1.5%
Negative1.7%
Written reviews16 reviews
Positive75.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative25.0%

BFI Player (US)

All ratings24 ratings
Positive33.3%
Neutral0.0%
Negative66.7%
Written reviews12 reviews
Positive8.3%
Neutral0.0%
Negative91.7%

Bugs and requests

TheSurfNetwork

Reported bugs

6 issues
  • App crashes consistently
  • App is totally unstable and stops playing
  • Playback menu duplicates
  • App freezes up every time trying to log in
  • Cannot open app on iPhone 6s
Show 1 more
  • App does not work on iPhone 6 Plus

Requested features

2 requests
  • Add more popular surf movies (e.g., The September Sessions, Endless Summer 2)
  • Update the app for compatibility with newer iPhone models (e.g., iPhone 6s, iPhone 6 Plus)

BFI Player (US)

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

2 purchases

TheSurfNetwork

Subscriptions2
  • Monthly Membership7 Days trial$5.991 Month
  • Yearly Membership7 Days trial$59.991 Year
2 purchases

BFI Player (US)

Subscriptions2
  • BFI Player Classics Monthly14 Days trial$5.991 Month
  • BFI Player Classics$59.001 Year

Questions

Is TheSurfNetwork free?
TheSurfNetwork is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is BFI Player (US) free?
BFI Player (US) is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, TheSurfNetwork or BFI Player (US)?
TheSurfNetwork is rated higher. TheSurfNetwork averages 4.8 out of 5 from 528 ratings, while BFI Player (US) averages 2.3 from 24 ratings.
Do TheSurfNetwork or BFI Player (US) have ads?
Neither TheSurfNetwork nor BFI Player (US) shows ads.
Which is updated more often, TheSurfNetwork or BFI Player (US)?
TheSurfNetwork ships an update every 2 months, and BFI Player (US) every 3 months. Most recently, TheSurfNetwork was updated on October 17, 2026 and BFI Player (US) on October 14, 2026.

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