# NHL vs AHL

The clearest difference is rating: NHL at 4.7 against AHL's 2.5. NHL also leads on update cadence (fortnightly vs every 4 months) and ratings volume (135K vs 194). AHL's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 8) and ads (none vs shown). On price and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. NHL sells 8 one-off in-app purchases. AHL asks for nothing beyond the download.

NHL holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 2.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: NHL has 135K ratings behind it against 194, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 35% of NHL's written reviews are positive against 15% of AHL's.

NHL ships an update fortnightly, AHL every 4 months. The most recent releases landed on October 19, 2026 and October 15, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | NHL | AHL |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (135K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nhl/id465092669/reviews)** | [2.5 (194 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ahl/id487503891/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **135K** | 194 |
| Positive reviews | **34.9% of reviews** | 15.4% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Fortnightly** | Every 4 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Best chart rank | **#110** | — |
| Size | 158 MB | 57 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | **13.0** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, Apple Watch** | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [NHL Interactive Cyberenterprises, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/361327131) | [American Hockey League Inc](https://appshunter.io/developer/1446757681) |

## What reviewers say

### NHL

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nhl/id465092669)

**Currently charting:** #110 Top Free · Sports (US App Store)

Stay up-to-date with the latest hockey season. Access advanced stats, live game updates, and comprehensive viewing information. Enjoy personalized notifications, highlights, and team-specific alerts.

**Highlights:** Advanced EDGE Stats and Data Visualizations, Live Activities for real-time game tracking, Comprehensive 'How to Watch' guide, Team and Player Search functionality, Breaking news and up-to-the-minute scores, Game Stories & video highlights, Goal Horn game alerts

**Features:** Apple Wallet, Apple Watch app, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (8)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Rogers NHL Live | $54.99 | one-time |
| Rogers Stanley Cup Playoffs Pass | $69.99 | one-time |
| NHL LIVE™ Half season pass | $69.99 | one-time |
| Rogers NHL Live | $69.99 | one-time |
| Rogers NHL Live | $94.99 | one-time |
| Rogers 2017-18 Annual | $109.99 | one-time |
| Rogers NHL Live | $109.99 | one-time |
| Rogers 2018-19 Early Bird | $129.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Easy to use
- 👍 Customizable team icons
- 🚀 Provides great game and news updates
- 👍 Allows listening to home or away radio broadcasts

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Crashes frequently
- 🔋 Drains battery quickly
- 🐛 Buggy video playback
- 🔒 Inconsistent blackout policies
- 🐛 Glitchy interface and navigation

**Reported bugs**

- Scores not updating properly
- Inability to watch live games due to unknown errors
- Incorrect time zone adjustments
- Inability to edit or delete brackets
- Inconsistent performance across devices

**Requested features**

- Ability to download games for offline viewing
- More statistical and analytical features
- Improved video controls (e.g. period selection, better scrubbing)
- Ability to invite friends to leagues and brackets
- Better account management options


### AHL

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ahl/id487503891)

Follow the American Hockey League with real-time scores, game summaries, and player statistics. Stream live and on-demand games directly within the app. Access past scores, future schedules, and team standings.

**Highlights:** Real-time scoring data, Complete box scores, Up-to-the-minute player stats, AHLTV streaming, Past scores and future schedules, League standings, Player and goalie statistics

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Apple Wallet, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Comprehensive app for following AHL
- 🚀 Decent performance when it works
- 💡 Ability to watch games live and on-demand

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes and freezes
- 🔍 Outdated and clunky user interface
- 📢 Excessive ads and pop-ups
- 🔋 High battery consumption
- 🔍 Lack of optimization for newer devices

**Reported bugs**

- Blank screens and loading issues
- Incompatibility with certain devices/OS versions
- Inconsistent behavior when switching between tabs

**Requested features**

- Allow following multiple favorite teams
- Add option to hide scores for on-demand viewing
- Implement landscape mode support
- Improve navigation and back button functionality
- Provide better customization options (e.g., team logos)


## Frequently asked questions

### Is NHL free?

NHL is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is AHL free?

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

### Which has better reviews, NHL or AHL?

NHL is rated higher. NHL averages 4.7 out of 5 from 135K ratings, while AHL averages 2.5 from 194 ratings.

### Do NHL or AHL have ads?

NHL shows ads; AHL does not.

### Which is updated more often, NHL or AHL?

NHL ships an update fortnightly, and AHL every 4 months. Most recently, NHL was updated on October 19, 2026 and AHL on October 15, 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.*