# What Hi vs Channelbox

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Channelbox at 78% against What Hi's 11%. Channelbox also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 21) and rating (5.0 vs 4.6). What Hi's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and ratings volume (98 vs 3). On price and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. What Hi sells 21 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Channelbox asks for nothing beyond the download.

Channelbox holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: What Hi has 98 ratings behind it against 3, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 11% of What Hi's written reviews are positive against 78% of Channelbox's.

What Hi ships an update every 8 months, Channelbox every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on September 20, 2026 and September 10, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | What Hi | Channelbox |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.6 (98 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/what-hi-fi/id496516601/reviews) | **[5.0 (3 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/channelbox/id1596904340/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **98** | 3 |
| Positive reviews | 10.5% of reviews | **77.8% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 8 months | **Every 2 months** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Ad-supported** |
| Size | 25 MB | 26 MB |
| Requires iOS | 13.0 | **11.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Future plc](https://appshunter.io/developer/378460265) | [Synapse TV Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/1596904342) |

## What reviewers say

### What Hi

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/what-hi-fi/id496516601)

This app provides expert reviews, buying advice, and independent comparisons for audio and home cinema equipment. Discover top tech, learn how to build the perfect system, and elevate your sound and picture quality with trusted insights.

**Highlights:** Expert reviews of audio and home cinema gear, In-depth buying advice, Independent product comparisons, Guides to improve TV and projector performance, Tips for building audio systems, Coverage of headphones, amps, receivers, and more

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

**In-app purchases (21)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 1 Month Subscription | $4.99 | per month |
| 3 Month Subscription | $14.99 | per 3 months |
| 6 Month Subscription | $23.99 | per 6 months |
| 1 Year Subscription | $39.99 | per year |
| Issue 500 | $4.99 | one-time |
| Issue 495 | $4.99 | one-time |
| Issue 494 | $4.99 | one-time |
| Issue 493 | $4.99 | one-time |
| Issue 492 | $4.99 | one-time |
| Issue 491 | $4.99 | one-time |
| Issue 488 | $4.99 | one-time |
| What Hi-Fi? Sound and Vision: Awards 2012 | $5.99 | one-time |
| What Hi-Fi? Sound and Vision: August 2012 | $5.99 | one-time |
| What Hi-Fi? Sound and Vision: Awards 2013 | $5.99 | one-time |
| Awards 2014 of What Hi-Fi? Sound and Vision | $5.99 | one-time |
| March 2016 of What Hi-Fi? Sound and Vision | $5.99 | one-time |
| Awards 2016 of What Hi-Fi? Sound and Vision | $5.99 | one-time |
| Issue 481 | $5.99 | one-time |
| Issue 516 | $5.99 | one-time |
| Issue 515 | $5.99 | one-time |
| All What Hi-Fi Back Issues | $29.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Magazine content is good
- 👍 App works fine now (for some)
- 👍 Electronic version cheaper than print

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 App frequently crashes
- 🐛 Unable to download editions
- 🐛 Cannot log in to account
- 🐛 Paid for issues disappear
- 🐛 Subscription not recognized

**Reported bugs**

- Unable to download editions
- Cannot log in to account
- Paid for issues disappear
- Subscription not recognized
- App crashes frequently

**Requested features**

- Make older issues free
- Offer free trial section
- Add video content or app-only exclusives
- Improve text readability and zoom functionality
- Make app interactive, not just PDF


### Channelbox

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/channelbox/id1596904340)

Stream dozens of live TV channels across sports, movies, music, entertainment, and news directly to your device. Access a wide variety of content over your internet or data connection.

**Highlights:** Dozens of live TV channels, Sports, Movies, Music, Entertainment, News, Stream via internet or data, Direct to your device

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is What Hi free?

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

### Is Channelbox free?

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

### Which has better reviews, What Hi or Channelbox?

Channelbox is rated higher. What Hi averages 4.6 out of 5 from 98 ratings, while Channelbox averages 5.0 from 3 ratings.

### Do What Hi or Channelbox have ads?

Channelbox shows ads; What Hi does not.

### Which is updated more often, What Hi or Channelbox?

What Hi ships an update every 8 months, and Channelbox every 2 months. Most recently, What Hi was updated on September 20, 2026 and Channelbox on September 10, 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.*