# DrakeEquation vs Essential Sci

The clearest difference is price: Essential Sci at Free against DrakeEquation's $0.99. Essential Sci also leads on update cadence (every 6 weeks vs every 10 months) and device support (4 vs 2). DrakeEquation's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 2) and ads (none vs shown). On iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Essential Sci is free to download; DrakeEquation costs $0.99 up front. Essential Sci sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 per month. DrakeEquation asks for nothing beyond the download.

DrakeEquation ships an update every 10 months, Essential Sci every 6 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 20, 2026 and October 21, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | DrakeEquation | Essential Sci |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $0.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | — | **[4.5 (33 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/essential-sci-fi-channel/id1635437392/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | — | **33** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 10 months | **Every 6 weeks** |
| Monetization | — | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 5 MB | 8 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.6** | 16.6 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple TV** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [domesticusdevelop](https://appshunter.io/developer/373834594) | [MacMillan Interactive Communications, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/820481297) |

## What reviewers say

### DrakeEquation

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/drakeequation/id588682241)

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

**In-app purchases:** none


### Essential Sci

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/essential-sci-fi-channel/id1635437392)

Stream a vast library of science fiction movies and TV shows for free. Subscribe monthly to enjoy an ad-free viewing experience and access premium content.

**Highlights:** Hundreds of hours of sci-fi content, Free streaming, Monthly ad-free subscription, Watch on Apple TV, iPhone, iPad, iPod

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Essential Sci-Fi Subscription | $5.99 | per month |
| Essential Sci-Fi Yearly Sub | $69.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is DrakeEquation free?

DrakeEquation costs $0.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Essential Sci free?

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

### Do DrakeEquation or Essential Sci have ads?

Essential Sci shows ads; DrakeEquation does not.

### Which is updated more often, DrakeEquation or Essential Sci?

DrakeEquation ships an update every 10 months, and Essential Sci every 6 weeks. Most recently, DrakeEquation was updated on October 20, 2026 and Essential Sci on October 21, 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.*