Phyn vs Pinepods
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Phyn
This app provides an enhanced media streaming experience for Jellyfin users. It offers direct playback of various video codecs, seamless server plugin integration, and download support for offline viewing. Enjoy personalized recommendations, a rich music player, and support for audiobooks and eBooks.
- Direct video codec playback
- Server plugin support
- Offline download support
- Personalized recommendations
- Rich music player
- Audiobook and eBook support
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Phyn is a media player for your Jellyfin library. Stream films and series, browse Live TV, enjoy music and audiobooks, and keep your eBooks together in one polished app. DISCOVER MORE TO WATCH Explore new movies and TV shows, see what is popular, and use personalized recommendations based on your viewing preferences. STAY ON TOP OF RELEASES Link your Trakt account to view a live release calendar for upcoming episodes from the shows you follow. Calendar availability depends on your plan and connected account. WATCH WITH CONTROL Play your library with rich playback controls, subtitles, picture-in-picture, and casting to compatible devices. Browse your collection and Live TV guide with an interface made for finding what you want to watch. READ MORE COMFORTABLY Open EPUB, PDF, Mobi, AZW3, CBR, and CBZ books. Use the improved reader and read-aloud voices, then send highlights and notes to Readwise. LISTEN ANYWHERE Pick up music and audiobooks where you left off, with lyrics where available. TAKE YOUR LIBRARY OFFLINE Download supported films, episodes, music, and books for travel and times without a connection. Phyn connects to a Jellyfin server you control. It is an independent client and is not affiliated with Jellyfin. Terms Of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/
Pinepods
This app offers a beautiful and intuitive mobile interface for managing your podcasts. It synchronizes your listening experience across devices and allows for offline playback, chapter support, and playlist management. Requires a self-hosted Pinepods server.
- Self-hosted server synchronization
- Intuitive mobile interface with themes
- CarPlay and audio support
- Offline episode downloads
- Chapter support
- Playlist management
- Multi-device synchronization
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PinePods is a complete podcast management solution that allows you to host your own podcast server and enjoy a beautiful mobile experience. This is the official companion app for Pinepods servers, designed for iOS Features of Pinepods: • Self-hosted podcast server synchronization that syncs everything between your devices • Beautiful, intuitive mobile interface with loads of themes that sync between devices and platforms • Full Carplay App and Audio Support • Download episodes for offline listening or archiving on your server • Chapter support with navigation • Playlist management • User statistics and listening history • Multi-device synchronization • Search and discovery • Background audio playback • Sleep timer and playback speed controls PinePods gives you complete control over your podcast experience while providing the convenience of modern podcast apps. Perfect for users who want privacy, control, and a great listening experience. Note: This app requires a PinePods server to be set up. Visit the PinePods GitHub repository for server installation instructions. Thanks for using Pinepods!
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: Pinepods at 4.3 against Phyn's 3.3. Pinepods also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 10) and review sentiment (67% vs 43%). Phyn's advantage is update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 7 months) and device support (5 vs 3). On price, ads and iOS requirement 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
Both are free to download. Phyn sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month. Pinepods asks for nothing beyond the download.
Pinepods holds the better App Store score, 4.3 against 3.3. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 26 and 7 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 43% of Phyn's written reviews are positive against 67% of Pinepods's.
Phyn ships an update every 3 weeks, Pinepods every 7 months. The most recent releases landed on November 3, 2026 and November 8, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Phyn | Pinepods |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 3.3 (26 ratings) | 4.3 (7 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 42.9% of reviews | 66.7% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 26 — better | 7 |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks — better | Every 7 months |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac, Apple TV — better | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | 15.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 144 MB | 27 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | APPSYNERGY TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS | Collin Pendleton |
Customer experience
Phyn
Pinepods
In-app purchases
Phyn
- Monthly$0.991 Month
- Monthly$1.991 Month
- Monthly$2.991 Month
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- Annual$9.991 Year
- Semi-Annual$14.996 Months
- Yearly$19.991 Year
- Annual$24.991 Year
- Lifetime$39.99
- Lifetime access$49.99
- Lifetime Access$79.99
Pinepods
No in-app purchases
