# HISTORY vs CBS

The clearest difference is ratings volume: CBS at 72K against HISTORY's 1.8K. CBS also leads on chart position (#178 vs unranked). HISTORY's advantage is review sentiment (49% vs 36%). On price, rating, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

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

CBS holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: CBS has 72K ratings behind it against 1.8K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 49% of HISTORY's written reviews are positive against 36% of CBS's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

HISTORY ships an update every 4 weeks, CBS every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 6, 2026 and November 8, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | HISTORY | CBS |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.6 (1.8K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/history-shows-and-documentaries/id576009463/reviews) | **[4.8 (72K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cbs/id1540866664/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 1.8K | **72K** |
| Positive reviews | **49.1% of reviews** | 35.9% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 4 weeks | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | — | **#178** |
| Size | 113 MB | 241 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.6 | **17.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Apple TV | iPhone, iPad, Apple TV |
| Age rating | 12+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [A+E Global Media](https://appshunter.io/developer/366448555) | [CBS Interactive](https://appshunter.io/developer/295669712) |

## What reviewers say

### HISTORY

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/history-shows-and-documentaries/id576009463)

Stream a vast library of popular HISTORY TV series and documentaries. Watch full episodes, catch up on seasons, and access exclusive clips. Create a profile to continue watching across devices.

**Highlights:** Watch full episodes and clips, Catch up on entire seasons, Exclusive clips and deleted scenes, Create a user profile, Continue watching on any device, Discover new documentary events

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🤩 Fascinating mystery
- 👍 Diligent and dedicated team
- 🎉 Exciting new discoveries
- 🙌 Integrity and care for the work
- 📺 Enjoyable to watch

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔍 Slow progress
- 🚨 Frequent commercial breaks
- 🐛 Streaming issues and glitches
- 🤯 Too many ads
- 🔒 Limited access without cable subscription

**Reported bugs**

- Video and audio desynchronization
- Unexpected playback interruptions
- Inability to resume from last watched position
- Freezing and crashing during commercials

**Requested features**

- Faster release of new episodes
- Offline viewing option
- Ability to cast to TV
- Subscription-based access without cable
- Improved streaming reliability


### CBS

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cbs/id1540866664)

**Currently charting:** #178 Top Free · Entertainment (US App Store)

Stream the latest episodes of popular shows for free without a login. Access full seasons and live TV by signing in with your cable provider. Enjoy news, sports, and major live events on demand.

**Highlights:** Stream new episodes for free, No login required for new episodes, Watch on any device, Next-day episode streaming, Live TV with cable provider login, Access full seasons

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 High-quality content
- 👍 Convenient app experience
- 💡 Useful features like live TV and on-demand shows
- 🙌 Consistent and reliable performance

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🚫 Region restrictions preventing access in certain countries
- 📺 Too many commercials interrupting viewing experience
- 🐛 Frequent crashes and technical issues
- 🔍 Difficult to navigate and find desired content

**Reported bugs**

- Fatal errors when trying to watch shows
- Playback issues like freezing, restarting, and losing progress
- Compatibility problems on certain devices and platforms

**Requested features**

- Resume playback from where user left off
- Expand content availability globally
- Reduce number of commercials or provide ad-free option
- Improve search functionality and content organization


## Frequently asked questions

### Is HISTORY free?

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

### Is CBS free?

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

### Which has better reviews, HISTORY or CBS?

CBS is rated higher. HISTORY averages 4.6 out of 5 from 1.8K ratings, while CBS averages 4.8 from 72K ratings.

### Do HISTORY or CBS have ads?

Both HISTORY and CBS show ads.

### Which is updated more often, HISTORY or CBS?

HISTORY ships an update every 4 weeks, and CBS every 3 weeks. Most recently, HISTORY was updated on November 6, 2026 and CBS on November 8, 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.*