# Watch TBS vs The CW

The clearest difference is update cadence: The CW at monthly against Watch TBS's every 3 months. The CW also leads on monetization model (ad-supported vs free with in-app purchases). Watch TBS's advantage is iOS requirement (14.0 vs 18.0). On price, rating, review sentiment and ratings volume 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 — 3.3 for Watch TBS against 3.2 for The CW. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 12K and 22K respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 4% of Watch TBS's written reviews are positive against 11% of The CW's.

Watch TBS ships an update every 3 months, The CW monthly. The most recent releases landed on November 3, 2026 and November 4, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Watch TBS | The CW |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[3.3 (12K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/watch-tbs/id462780547/reviews)** | [3.2 (22K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-cw/id491730359/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 12K | **22K** |
| Positive reviews | 3.6% of reviews | **10.7% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | **Monthly** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Ad-supported** |
| Size | 115 MB | 39 MB |
| Requires iOS | **14.0** | 18.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple TV** | iPhone, iPad, Apple TV |
| Age rating | 17+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Turner Broadcasting System, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/289550996) | [The CW Network](https://appshunter.io/developer/490222213) |

## What reviewers say

### Watch TBS

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/watch-tbs/id462780547)

Stream full episodes of popular TV shows and movies from your favorite network. Access a wide variety of originals and comedy hits, plus live sports and blockbuster films. Watch on any screen, anytime, anywhere, by signing in with your TV provider.

**Highlights:** Watch full episodes of TV shows, Stream movies, Access TBS originals, Watch live sports, Sign in with TV provider, Watch on any screen

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to find and watch shows
- 🚀 Smooth streaming quality

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes and freezes
- 💢 Excessive and repetitive ads
- 🔍 Difficult to navigate and find content
- 🔒 Issues with signing in and account access

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes when switching between apps or locking screen
- Video playback randomly rewinds or skips ahead
- Sign-in process often gets stuck in a loop

**Requested features**

- Add option to turn off closed captions
- Improve video playback controls
- Implement picture-in-picture mode
- Provide better resume/continue watching functionality


### The CW

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-cw/id491730359)

Stream the latest TV episodes, movies, and live sports content. Catch up on full series, discover new films, and follow live events from NASCAR, PAC-12 football, and WWE. Create a profile to save your watch list and continue viewing across devices.

**Highlights:** Latest episode streaming, Full series binge-watching, Movie collection, Live sports broadcasts, 24/7 channel programming, User profiles and watch lists

**Features:** Vision Pro support, iPhone Duo support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Free streaming service
- 🔍 Wide variety of shows
- 📺 Convenient way to watch missed episodes

**What reviewers complain about**

- ⏱️ Too many repetitive ads
- 🔀 Inconsistent episode tracking and resume functionality
- 🤯 Buggy playback and app crashes
- 🔍 Limited episode availability per show

**Reported bugs**

- Playback stalling and freezing issues
- Incorrect episode resume points
- Orientation and layout problems on tablets

**Requested features**

- Ability to watch full seasons of shows
- Improved episode resume and tracking
- Reduced ad frequency and more variety


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Watch TBS free?

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

### Is The CW free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Watch TBS or The CW?

Watch TBS is rated higher. Watch TBS averages 3.3 out of 5 from 12K ratings, while The CW averages 3.2 from 22K ratings.

### Do Watch TBS or The CW have ads?

Both Watch TBS and The CW show ads.

### Which is updated more often, Watch TBS or The CW?

Watch TBS ships an update every 3 months, and The CW monthly. Most recently, Watch TBS was updated on November 3, 2026 and The CW on November 4, 2026.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*