# The CW vs Third Wave Play

The clearest difference is ads: Third Wave Play at none against The CW's shown. Third Wave Play also leads on update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 4 weeks). On price, in-app purchases, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

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

The CW ships an update every 4 weeks, Third Wave Play every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 16, 2026 and October 11, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | The CW | Third Wave Play |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[3.3 (22K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-cw/id491730359/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **22K** | — |
| Positive reviews | 10.9% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 4 weeks | **Every 2 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Size | 40 MB | 50 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 15.1 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple TV** | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 12+ | 9+ |
| Developer | [The CW Network](https://appshunter.io/developer/490222213) | [Your Free Call Will End Soon Co](https://appshunter.io/developer/6779786529) |

## What reviewers say

### The CW

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

Stream the latest episodes of popular TV shows, full series, movies, and live sports. Enjoy content the day after broadcast, binge-watch favorites, and discover new films. Access 24/7 programming and manage your viewing with a personal profile.

**Highlights:** Latest episodes next-day streaming, Binge full series, Growing movie collection, Live and on-demand sports, 24/7 channel programming, Personalized profiles and watchlists

**Features:** Vision Pro 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


### Third Wave Play

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/third-wave-play/id6779786527)

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is The CW free?

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

### Is Third Wave Play free?

Third Wave Play is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Do The CW or Third Wave Play have ads?

The CW shows ads; Third Wave Play does not.

### Which is updated more often, The CW or Third Wave Play?

The CW ships an update every 4 weeks, and Third Wave Play every 2 weeks. Most recently, The CW was updated on October 16, 2026 and Third Wave Play on October 11, 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.*