Reel Player vs Octopus Explorer
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Reel Player
This app is a powerful video player that supports a vast array of formats and audio codecs. It allows streaming from various network devices and offers enhanced subtitle capabilities. Premium membership removes ads and unlocks exclusive features.
- Extensive format support (MP4, MKV, MOV, etc.)
- Dolby® and DTS audio support
- Stream from Mac, PC, NAS, and Wi-Fi drives
- OpenSubtitles integration for on-the-fly downloads
- Automatic artwork and metadata fetching
- Picture-in-Picture and Split View support
- Download videos from networked devices
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A robust Emby video player that effortlessly handles various formats, including MP4, MKV, M4V, and MOV – among others. EXTENSIVE FORMAT SUPPORT A powerful video player that seamlessly handles a wide range of formats, such as MP4, MKV, M4V, MOV, and many others. It comes with Dolby® and DTS audio support. STREAM FROM OTHER DEVICES (Emby Service) Easily browse and play videos stored on your Mac, PC, NAS, Wi-Fi hard drive, and apps like Emby. ENHANCED SUBTITLES POWERED BY OPENSUBTITLES Use your own subtitles or download them on the fly in virtually any language. Note: Metadata and artwork are sourced from TMDB, a community-maintained movie and TV show database. ==== MORE THAN JUST A PRETTY FACE KEY FEATURES: - Smooth video playback (supports full 4K with HDR & Dolby Vision) - Stream from Mac, PC, NAS, or Wi-Fi-enabled hard drive - Connects with Emby, and other media servers - Beautiful layout with quick access to video info - Automatic addition of artwork and metadata - Split View & PIP (Picture-in-Picture) - Spatial audio support SUPPORTED FORMATS: - Video: 3GP, AVI, AV1, ASF, BDMV, DIVX, DVDMEDIA, DVR-MS, FLV, H.264 (AVC), H.265 (HEVC), ISO/IMG, M4V, MKV, MOV, MP4, MPEG, MTS/M2TS, MXF, OGM, OGV, RMVB, TS, VC1, VIDEO_TS, VOB, VP9, WEBM, WMV, WTV - Audio: AAC, AC3/E-AC3, DOLBY TRUEHD, DTS, DTS-HD MA, FLAC, MP3, OGG, PCM, WMA - Subtitles: DVB, DVDSUB, MICRODVD, MPL2, PGS, SMI, SSA/ASS, SRT, SUB, TIMED TEXT, TMP, TXT, VOBSUB, VTT, XSUB PLAYER FEATURES: - Multiple audio tracks - Chapters - Gesture controls - 8 video zoom options - Continuous playback - TV out via HDMI or VGA adapter - Deinterlacing EXTRAS: - Folders - One-click subtitle downloads from OpenSubtitles - Scrobble plays to Trakt - Download videos from networked devices - Drag and drop uploads via web browser - Additional onboard storage with SanDisk iXpand and other USB drives ==== ReelPlayer Premium Membership: - Enjoy unlimited Player without Ads and other exclusive membership functions with a Monthly Plan or Yearly Plan. - Once you purchase, the fee is credited to your iTunes account. - Automatic renewal occurs 24 hours before the expiration date, and your iTunes account is charged accordingly. - You can cancel the auto-renewal feature at least 24 hours before the subscription period ends. Follow the steps: [Settings] > [Your Name] > [iTunes and App Store] and tap the Apple ID at the top of the screen to manage your subscriptions. Privacy Policy: https://web.reelme.top/privacy Terms of Service: https://web.reelme.top/service
Octopus Explorer
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Octopus Explorer is a free, open-source native iOS app for managing your self-hosted media server. If you run Jellyseerr, Overseerr, or Seerr, Octopus Explorer gives you a fast, native way to browse, search, and request movies and TV shows — no browser tab required. IMPORTANT: Octopus Explorer is an independent, unofficial client. It connects to your own Jellyseerr, Overseerr, or Seerr server and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by those projects. It is not a media streaming service and does not include any content — you'll need an existing server to use the app. WHAT YOU CAN DO • Browse curated Discover sliders configured on your server • Search movies, TV shows, and people with instant type-ahead results • View rich detail pages: overview, cast, seasons, episodes, recommendations, and similar titles • Request movies and full or partial TV seasons, with Radarr/Sonarr quality profile selection • Request individual titles from a collection, or the whole collection at once • Track request status: pending, approved, processing, and available • Approve, decline, or delete requests as an admin — right from your phone • Browse and request from your Jellyfin watchlist (Jellyseerr/Seerr) • Add and switch between multiple servers • Sign in with local credentials, Plex OAuth, or Jellyfin/Emby login • Stay signed in with secure Keychain-backed session persistence • Choose system, light, or dark appearance SUPPORTED BACKENDS Octopus Explorer works with Jellyseerr, Overseerr, and Seerr. The app automatically detects which one you're running and adjusts the interface accordingly. PRIVACY AND OPENNESS Octopus Explorer has no ads and no in-app purchases. It's built and maintained by Frost Forge Labs Inc. under the Apache License 2.0 — the source code is public on GitHub. Optional sponsorship links are available from the Support Development page on our website; supporting the project never unlocks features, and every user gets the same app. REQUIREMENTS • iOS 17 or later, iPhone or iPad • An existing Jellyseerr, Overseerr, or Seerr server (self-hosted or remote) Learn more, get setup help, and see supported platforms at seerrclient.dev.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Octopus Explorer at none against Reel Player's 3. Octopus Explorer also leads on ads (none vs shown). Reel Player's advantage is device support (4 vs 2) and iOS requirement (12.0 vs 18.0). On price 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. Reel Player sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 per month. Octopus Explorer asks for nothing beyond the download.
| Parameter | Reel Player | Octopus Explorer |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.5 (32 ratings) — better | — |
| Number of ratings | 32 — better | — |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | — |
| Ads | Yes | No — better |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac — better | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 12.0 — better | 18.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 96 MB | 6 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | 二虎 刘 | Frost Forge Labs Inc. |
In-app purchases
Reel Player
- Pro plan billed monthly1 Month trial$5.991 Month
- Pro plan billed annually$29.991 Year
- Pro plan lifetime cost$99.99
Octopus Explorer
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Reel Player free?
Is Octopus Explorer free?
Do Reel Player or Octopus Explorer have ads?
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