Comparison

CastFlow vs Hawk Player

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

CastFlow

Stream media from various platforms to your device using DLNA protocol. Supports a wide range of media formats for seamless playback.

Highlights
  • DLNA streaming
  • Cross-device casting
  • Wide media format support
  • Seamless playback
Features
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CastFlow is a family-friendly home media hub that spans iPhone, iPad, Mac and Apple TV. Cast from your phone, stream IPTV, browse Jellyfin, or open files on your NAS — all on your own network, no account needed. Cast anything to the living room Turn CastFlow into a DLNA / UPnP receiver. Push a video, a song, or a photo from any phone, tablet, PC or NAS with one tap and it lands on the big screen. IPTV that feels like TV Import M3U playlists or Xtream Codes accounts. Browse categories, follow the EPG, and enjoy time‑shifted playback in a clean, native player. Jellyfin & Emby, feel‑native Sign in once and get Continue Watching, Recently Added, seasons, episodes, and multi‑audio / multi‑subtitle tracks. It behaves like a first‑party client, not a browser wrapper. SMB & WebDAV Connect directly to your NAS, home server, or WebDAV drive. Browse folders, preview posters, and play files without preloading or transcoding. Danmaku overlay Turn on scrolling live‑comment overlays for supported casting sources — perfect for anime nights and shared watch parties. MPV‑powered playback Hardware decoding for H.264, HEVC and AV1. Full support for SRT, ASS/SSA and PGS subtitles, external audio tracks, per‑track speed and pitch control. Continue Watching, everywhere Resume points sync across sources and devices, so you can jump from the couch to the bedroom without losing your spot. Local‑first, private by default No account. No cloud database. No tracking. CastFlow does not upload your library metadata anywhere. Your media stays on your local network. One app across the family iPhone, iPad, Mac and Apple TV — add a source once and it's ready on every device. CastFlow adapts to each screen: a receiver on the TV, a browser on your Mac, a remote in your pocket. Made for – NAS owners who want their library on every screen – IPTV fans who want a clean native player instead of a browser tab – Cord‑cutters running Jellyfin or Emby at home – Anyone who wants phone, computer and NAS content to just appear on the Apple TV Add a source, hit play, and let the media flow. Support: https://tinuv.me/castflow/ Privacy: https://tinuv.me/castflow/privacy.html

About

Hawk Player

Experience high-performance video playback with crystal-clear visuals and fast seeking. This media player offers precise control and a lightweight experience, perfect for users who value speed and accuracy. It also supports custom plugins and VOD protocols.

Highlights
  • High-performance video playback
  • Crystal-clear visuals
  • Lightning-fast seeking
  • Precise control
  • Lightweight experience
  • Pluggable architecture for custom plugins
  • VOD protocol support
Features
Read full description

Hawks are known for their sharp vision, speed, and precision—qualities that define the Hawk video player. Just like a hawk soars through the sky with unmatched clarity and focus, Hawk delivers a smooth, high-performance video experience with crystal-clear playback and lightning-fast seeking. With its keen eye for detail, Hawk ensures precise control, seamless navigation, and a powerful yet lightweight playback experience, making it the perfect choice for users who demand both speed and accuracy in their media player. Everything is pluggable, you can build your plugins. It also support VOD protocol. So sit back and enjoy—Hawk sees everything, so you don’t miss a thing. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

CastFlow4 screens
Hawk Player3 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: CastFlow at $0.99 against Hawk Player's $17.99. CastFlow also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 5). Hawk Player's advantage is rating (4.6 vs 3.0) and update cadence (every 4 weeks vs every 26 months). On ratings volume, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

CastFlow costs $0.99 and Hawk Player $17.99 up front. Hawk Player sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month. CastFlow asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Hawk Player holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 3.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 8 and 22 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 83% of CastFlow's written reviews are positive against 100% of Hawk Player's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

CastFlow ships an update every 26 months, Hawk Player every 4 weeks. Both last shipped on October 9, 2026.

Scorecard7 real differences · 3 level
CastFlow versus Hawk Player: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterCastFlowHawk Player
Price$0.99 — better$17.99
Rating3.0 (8 ratings)4.6 (22 ratings) — better
Positive reviews83.3% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings822 — better
Update frequencyEvery 26 monthsEvery 4 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationPaidFree with in-app purchases — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple TV — betteriPhone, iPad, Apple TV
Requires iOS26.018.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size75 MB119 MB
Age rating4+4+
Developer辉 邓JinShan Qu

Customer experience

CastFlow

All ratings8 ratings
Positive50.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative50.0%
Written reviews6 reviews
Positive83.3%
Neutral0.0%
Negative16.7%

Hawk Player

All ratings22 ratings
Positive90.9%
Neutral0.0%
Negative9.1%
Written reviews12 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

None

CastFlow

No in-app purchases

5 purchases

Hawk Player

Subscriptions2
  • Monthly Premium$0.991 Month
  • Annual Premium$4.991 Year
One-time3
  • Lifetime Access$12.99
  • Lifetime Access$14.99
  • Lifetime Access$17.99

Questions

Is CastFlow free?
CastFlow costs $0.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is Hawk Player free?
Hawk Player costs $17.99, and also offers in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, CastFlow or Hawk Player?
Hawk Player is rated higher. CastFlow averages 3.0 out of 5 from 8 ratings, while Hawk Player averages 4.6 from 22 ratings.
Do CastFlow or Hawk Player have ads?
Neither CastFlow nor Hawk Player shows ads.
Which is updated more often, CastFlow or Hawk Player?
CastFlow ships an update every 26 months, and Hawk Player every 4 weeks. Most recently, CastFlow was updated on October 9, 2026 and Hawk Player on October 9, 2026.

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