# CHANNEL8® vs VAR Media

The clearest difference is ratings volume: CHANNEL8® at 23 against VAR Media's 1. VAR Media's advantage is rating (5.0 vs 4.8) and monetization model (free vs ad-supported). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

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

VAR Media holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: CHANNEL8® has 23 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on November 4, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | CHANNEL8® | VAR Media |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.8 (23 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/channel8/id6468403826/reviews) | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/var-media/id6760005769/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **23** | 1 |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Fortnightly | Fortnightly |
| Monetization | Ad-supported | **Free** |
| Size | 51 MB | 50 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Channel8](https://appshunter.io/developer/1709856598) | [VAR Media Group](https://appshunter.io/developer/1882265124) |

## What reviewers say

### CHANNEL8®

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/channel8/id6468403826)

Access verified, unbiased global news and stories in multiple languages. Stream the television channel, read articles, watch multimedia content, and receive real-time notifications for breaking news.

**Highlights:** Multi-language news access, Live television channel streaming, Interactive articles and multimedia, Real-time breaking news notifications, Trending story analytics, User-friendly interface, Robust security protocols

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


### VAR Media

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/var-media/id6760005769)

Access accurate reporting and timely updates on local and international events. This news app provides breaking news, interviews, and in-depth coverage through a simple, modern interface.

**Highlights:** Accurate reporting, Timely updates, In-depth coverage, Breaking news, Interviews and reports, Modern mobile app interface

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is CHANNEL8® free?

CHANNEL8® is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is VAR Media free?

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

### Which has better reviews, CHANNEL8® or VAR Media?

VAR Media is rated higher. CHANNEL8® averages 4.8 out of 5 from 23 ratings, while VAR Media averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.

### Do CHANNEL8® or VAR Media have ads?

Neither CHANNEL8® nor VAR Media shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, CHANNEL8® or VAR Media?

CHANNEL8® ships an update fortnightly, and VAR Media fortnightly. Most recently, CHANNEL8® was updated on November 4, 2026 and VAR Media on October 31, 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.*