RTÉ Player vs Castiva Player
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
RTÉ Player
Access a vast library of Irish television content, both live and on-demand. Stream popular dramas, sports, entertainment, and children's programs from RTÉ channels. Features include personalized recommendations, watchlists, and accessibility options.
- Live and on-demand TV streaming
- Thousands of favorite RTÉ shows
- Full series of dramas and soaps
- Live sporting action
- RTÉ Player Kids section
- In-vision ISL and Audio Description
- Personalized recommendations and watchlists
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RTÉ Player is the home of must-see TV in Ireland, live and on-demand. Watch 1000s of your favourite RTÉ shows. Full series of gripping drama from home and abroad, soaps, live sporting action and entertainment shows everyone’s talking about. Browse and switch between RTÉ channels - RTÉ One, RTÉ 2, RTÉ News and RTÉ Kids on the go. Entertain little ones with RTÉ Player Kids. A world of fun, learning and entertainment with the best RTÉJr programmes live and on demand. KEY FEATURES - Don’t miss a minute of the action, breaking news or live sport. -Discover the most-talked about shows like Room to Improve, Kin and Smother. -Access shows with in-vision Irish Sign Language (ISL) and Audio Description (AD) -Sign in to RTÉ Player to continue watching shows and pick up where you left off on any device. -Sign in and get recommendations tailored to you, making picking what to watch easier than ever. -Watch later. ‘Favourite’ a program to create a watchlist of programmes to go back to, so you don’t miss RTÉ’s most talked about shows. -Share your favourites with friends through social sharing. The RTÉ Player App uses streaming technology which means that you must be connected to the Internet in order to watch programmes. The app will automatically adjust video quality based on the speed of your WiFi connection.
Castiva Player
Stream videos and IPTV playlists to your TV with a simple, one-tap interface. Load M3U playlists via link, QR code, or upload. Enjoy smooth playback and multi-device access for a seamless viewing experience on the big screen.
- Cast videos to Smart TV, Chromecast, AirPlay
- Load IPTV playlists (M3U)
- Add playlists via link, QR code, or upload
- Smooth and stable playback
- Multi-device access
- Quick sync with QR code
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Cast your videos to TV and play IPTV playlists in seconds. Enjoy your content on the big screen with a fast, simple, and seamless experience. No setup. Just tap and play. Cast to TV Instantly - Stream videos to your Smart TV, Chromecast, or AirPlay devices with just one tap. - Watch your content on the big screen anytime. IPTV Playlist Support Load and play IPTV playlists (M3U) easily: - Add playlist via link - Scan QR code to import - Upload from your device Smooth Playback Enjoy a fast and stable viewing experience with minimal buffering. Multi-Device Access Watch on your phone, tablet, or cast directly to your TV anytime. Quick Sync with QR Code Instantly sync playlists or connect to your TV using QR code. How It Works 1. Connect to the same Wi-Fi network 2. Add your playlist or select your content 3. Tap to cast and start watching Why Castiva? - Simple, powerful, and easy to use. - Designed for seamless casting and IPTV playback without complicated setup. Important Disclaimer - Castiva does not provide or include any media or content. - Users must provide their own playlists or media. - We are not responsible for the content streamed by users. Privacy & Terms - Privacy Policy: https://castiva.app/privacy - Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is review sentiment: Castiva Player at 100% against RTÉ Player's 46%. Castiva Player also leads on update cadence (weekly vs every 3 weeks). RTÉ Player's advantage is rating (4.7 vs 2.3) and in-app purchases (none vs 5). On price, ads, monetization model and iOS requirement 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. Castiva Player sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per 7 days. RTÉ Player asks for nothing beyond the download.
RTÉ Player holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 2.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: RTÉ Player has 6.3K ratings behind it against 6, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 46% of RTÉ Player's written reviews are positive against 100% of Castiva Player's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.
RTÉ Player ships an update every 3 weeks, Castiva Player weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 19, 2026 and October 9, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | RTÉ Player | Castiva Player |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.7 (6.3K ratings) — better | 2.3 (6 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 46.1% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 6.3K — better | 6 |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | Weekly — better |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple TV — better | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 — better | 16.4 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 50 MB | 126 MB |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | RTÉ | Seryan Lootback |
Customer experience
RTÉ Player
Castiva Player
In-app purchases
RTÉ Player
No in-app purchases
Castiva Player
- Weekly7 Days trial$4.997 Days
- Weekly$5.997 Days
- Special Deals7 Days trial$5.997 Days
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- Monthly$19.991 Month
- Yearly$79.991 Year
Questions
Is RTÉ Player free?
Is Castiva Player free?
Which has better reviews, RTÉ Player or Castiva Player?
Do RTÉ Player or Castiva Player have ads?
Which is updated more often, RTÉ Player or Castiva Player?
Other comparisons
