# YouTube vs Cloud Stream IPTV Player

The clearest difference is ads: Cloud Stream IPTV Player at none against YouTube's shown. Cloud Stream IPTV Player also leads on iOS requirement (11.0 vs 17.0). YouTube's advantage is ratings volume (49M vs 3.1K) and chart position (#1 vs unranked). On price, rating, review sentiment and update cadence there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. YouTube sells 12 in-app purchases, starting at $11.99 per month and Cloud Stream IPTV Player sells 6 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.7 for YouTube against 4.7 for Cloud Stream IPTV Player. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: YouTube has 49M ratings behind it against 3.1K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 48% of YouTube's written reviews are positive against 55% of Cloud Stream IPTV Player's.

YouTube ships an update weekly, Cloud Stream IPTV Player every 9 days. The most recent releases landed on September 30, 2026 and September 28, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | YouTube | Cloud Stream IPTV Player |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.7 (49M ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/youtube/id544007664/reviews) | [4.7 (3.1K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cloud-stream-iptv-player/id1138002135/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **49M** | 3.1K |
| Positive reviews | 48.2% of reviews | **54.5% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Weekly** | Every 9 days |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | **#1** | — |
| Size | 374 MB | 114 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **11.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Apple TV | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple TV** |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Google](https://appshunter.io/developer/281956209) | [Giovanny Aranda](https://appshunter.io/developer/1138002134) |

## What reviewers say

### YouTube

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/youtube/id544007664)

**Currently charting:** #1 Top Grossing · Photo & Video, #2 Top Grossing, #4 Top Free · Photo & Video, #32 Top Free (US App Store)

Watch and subscribe to a vast array of videos, from music and gaming to news and learning. Discover trending content, connect with creators, and even upload your own videos. Offers options for ad-free viewing and exclusive perks.

**Highlights:** Personalized video recommendations, Subscribe to favorite channels, Explore trending and popular content, Connect with creators via comments and posts, Create and upload videos, Ad-free viewing with Premium, Save videos for offline playback

**Features:** Siri integration, SharePlay

**In-app purchases (12)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Premium Lite | $11.99 | per month |
| Premium Lite | $11.99 | per month |
| FOX One | $19.99 | per month |
| YouTube Premium | $20.99 | per month |
| YouTube Premium | $20.99 | per month |
| Youtube Premium Family | $34.99 | per month |
| YouTube Premium Family | $34.99 | per month |
| Super Chat | $1.99 | one-time |
| Movies & Shows | $2.99 | one-time |
| Movies & Shows | $3.99 | one-time |
| Super Chat | $4.99 | one-time |
| Movies & Shows | $5.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- ⭐ Great app
- 🎨 Diverse content
- 🎓 Educational videos
- 🎶 Excellent music selection
- 🌐 Vast library of videos

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Too many ads
- 🤖 Biased algorithm recommendations
- 🔇 Inability to listen with screen off
- 🔍 Difficult to find relevant content
- 🔒 Censorship concerns

**Reported bugs**

- Video playback issues
- Subscription tab bugs
- Inconsistent UI changes
- Syncing problems across devices
- Unreliable video recommendations

**Requested features**

- Bring back dislike button
- Improve playlist management
- Add option to customize video quality
- Enhance background playback
- Improve comment section functionality


### Cloud Stream IPTV Player

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cloud-stream-iptv-player/id1138002135)

Stream live TV channels from your ISP or internet sources on your iPhone or iPad. Supports M3U and M3U8 playlists, with advanced features like Chromecast and background playback available in the PRO version.

**Highlights:** IPTV playback, Internet channel streaming, M3U/M3U8 playlist support, UDP proxy streaming, Chromecast (PRO), Background playback (PRO), Parental control (PRO)

**In-app purchases (6)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Tip for one coffee | $0.99 | one-time |
| Tip for two coffees | $1.99 | one-time |
| Pro Version | $2.99 | one-time |
| Tip for three coffees | $2.99 | one-time |
| Tip for four coffees | $3.99 | one-time |
| Tip for five coffees | $4.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Simple and easy to use
- 🚀 Fast and smooth playback
- 💡 Allows importing M3U playlists
- 🔒 No annoying ads
- 👍 Intuitive and clean interface

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent freezing and crashing issues
- 🔋 Drains battery quickly
- 🐛 Chromecast functionality not working as expected
- 🐛 Playlist sync issues between devices
- 🐛 Playback stops when exiting the app

**Reported bugs**

- Channels not loading properly
- Inability to restore purchases
- Search function not working on Apple TV
- Playback issues when switching between apps
- Compatibility problems with iOS 14 and newer

**Requested features**

- Add support for Xtream codes
- Implement picture-in-picture mode
- Improve EPG (Electronic Program Guide) support
- Allow organizing channels into categories
- Add background playback option


## Frequently asked questions

### Is YouTube free?

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

### Is Cloud Stream IPTV Player free?

Cloud Stream IPTV Player is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, YouTube or Cloud Stream IPTV Player?

YouTube and Cloud Stream IPTV Player are both rated 4.7 out of 5 on the App Store, from 49M and 3.1K ratings respectively.

### Do YouTube or Cloud Stream IPTV Player have ads?

YouTube shows ads; Cloud Stream IPTV Player does not.

### Which is updated more often, YouTube or Cloud Stream IPTV Player?

YouTube ships an update weekly, and Cloud Stream IPTV Player every 9 days. Most recently, YouTube was updated on September 30, 2026 and Cloud Stream IPTV Player on September 28, 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.*