# HiShort vs BitePlay

The clearest difference is rating: HiShort at 4.4 against BitePlay's 1.7. HiShort also leads on update cadence (every 2 weeks vs monthly) and ratings volume (895 vs 154). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. HiShort sells 12 in-app purchases, starting at $18.99 per 7 days and BitePlay sells 14 in-app purchases, starting at $14.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

HiShort holds the better App Store score, 4.4 against 1.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: HiShort has 895 ratings behind it against 154, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 12% of HiShort's written reviews are positive against 3% of BitePlay's.

HiShort ships an update every 2 weeks, BitePlay monthly. The most recent releases landed on September 28, 2026 and September 30, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | HiShort | BitePlay |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.4 (895 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hishort/id6473901467/reviews)** | [1.7 (154 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/biteplay/id6479693943/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **895** | 154 |
| Positive reviews | **11.9% of reviews** | 3.4% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 weeks** | Monthly |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 138 MB | 72 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.0** | 13.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 17+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [HONG KONG ELEPHANT NETWORK TECHNOLOGY CO., LIMITED](https://appshunter.io/developer/1601600836) | [HONGKONG CRUSHE TECHNOLOGY COMPANY LIMITED](https://appshunter.io/developer/1736919453) |

## What reviewers say

### HiShort

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hishort/id6473901467)

Discover a vast library of dramas, from romance and adventure to historical and urban tales. Enjoy exclusive releases and seamless HD streaming on your mobile device. Elevate your entertainment with captivating storylines and a smooth viewing experience.

**Highlights:** Unlimited drama library, Multiple genres available, Exclusive releases, Continuous updates, HD streaming, Smooth viewing experience

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

**In-app purchases (12)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Weekly Auto-Renewal | $18.99 | per 7 days |
| Weekly Auto-Renewal- Benefits | $18.99 | per 7 days |
| Monthly Auto-Renewal- Benefits | $29.99 | per month |
| Monthly Auto-Renewal | $29.99 | per month |
| Annual Auto-Renewal | $99.99 | per year |
| Coins Pack | $6.99 | one-time |
| Coins Pack | $9.99 | one-time |
| Coins Pack | $14.99 | one-time |
| Coins Pack | $29.99 | one-time |
| Coins Pack | $49.99 | one-time |
| 5200 coins + bonus coins | $79.99 | one-time |
| Coins Pack | $99.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Excellent variety and price
- 👍 Great stories

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Costly subscription
- 🔒 No free access to content
- 🐛 Unstable app with frequent logout issues
- 🔍 Poor search and discovery
- 🔤 Unreliable subtitles and translations

**Reported bugs**

- Subscription issues - charged but no access
- Videos not working even with paid subscription
- Constant log-outs during viewing

**Requested features**

- Bring back old subscription model
- Add option to earn bonus points/watch ads
- Improve content discovery and search
- Fix subtitle and translation issues


### BitePlay

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/biteplay/id6479693943)

Discover a vast library of short dramas across diverse genres like romance, fantasy, and suspense. Enjoy high-definition streaming anytime, anywhere, with personalized recommendations tailored to your viewing habits.

**Highlights:** Extensive short drama library, Diverse genres available, HD quality streaming, Stream anywhere, anytime, Personalized recommendations, Unlimited access with subscription

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

**In-app purchases (14)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| CoinPack-Weekly | $14.99 | per 7 days |
| Weekly Membership | $19.99 | per 7 days |
| CoinPack-Monthly | $24.99 | per month |
| Yearly Membership | $199.99 | per year |
| One-time Purchase | $4.99 | one-time |
| One-time Purchase | $6.99 | one-time |
| One-time Purchase | $9.99 | one-time |
| One-time Purchase | $14.99 | one-time |
| One-time Purchase | $19.99 | one-time |
| One-time Purchase | $29.99 | one-time |
| One-time Purchase | $34.99 | one-time |
| One-time Purchase | $39.99 | one-time |
| One-time Purchase | $49.99 | one-time |
| One-time Purchase | $99.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 💗 Nice drama
- 👍 Touching and pretty female character

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Unnecessarily expensive
- 💰 Excessive pricing that increases as you go
- 💰 Ridiculous coin costs per episode
- 💰 Rip-off, money-grabbing app
- 💰 No affordable subscription options

**Reported bugs**

- Incomplete content, missing episodes
- Inconsistent coin costs per episode

**Requested features**

- Allow users to decide how to use their purchased coins
- Provide a weekly or monthly subscription option


## Frequently asked questions

### Is HiShort free?

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

### Is BitePlay free?

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

### Which has better reviews, HiShort or BitePlay?

HiShort is rated higher. HiShort averages 4.4 out of 5 from 895 ratings, while BitePlay averages 1.7 from 154 ratings.

### Do HiShort or BitePlay have ads?

Both HiShort and BitePlay show ads.

### Which is updated more often, HiShort or BitePlay?

HiShort ships an update every 2 weeks, and BitePlay monthly. Most recently, HiShort was updated on September 28, 2026 and BitePlay on September 30, 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.*