# Pocket Beacon vs BeaconTV

The clearest difference is rating: BeaconTV at 3.9 against Pocket Beacon's 3.3. BeaconTV also leads on review sentiment (50% vs 27%). Pocket Beacon's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 4) and update cadence (fortnightly vs every 3 months). On price, ads, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. BeaconTV sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Pocket Beacon asks for nothing beyond the download.

BeaconTV holds the better App Store score, 3.9 against 3.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Pocket Beacon has 365 ratings behind it against 26, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 27% of Pocket Beacon's written reviews are positive against 50% of BeaconTV's.

Pocket Beacon ships an update fortnightly, BeaconTV every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on October 20, 2026 and October 14, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Pocket Beacon | BeaconTV |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.3 (365 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pocket-beacon/id6477957665/reviews) | **[3.9 (26 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/beacontv/id6560114461/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **365** | 26 |
| Positive reviews | 27.2% of reviews | **50.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Fortnightly** | Every 3 months |
| Monetization | Subscription | **Free with in-app purchases** |
| Size | 52 MB | 60 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 | **14.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple TV** |
| Age rating | 12+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Critical Role Productions, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1731211696) | [Joshua Purvis](https://appshunter.io/developer/1834354624) |

## What reviewers say

### Pocket Beacon

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pocket-beacon/id6477957665)

Unlock exclusive content and benefits for fans of a popular web series. Enjoy ad-free viewing, early access to events, merchandise discounts, and bonus episodes. Support independent creator-owned media.

**Highlights:** Ad-free access to video and podcast library, Exclusive pre-sales for live events, Invitation to a private Discord server, Persistent merchandise discount, Bonus content (Cooldown, Fireside Chats), Same-day podcast releases

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Smooth streaming
- 🎥 Great content organization
- 💰 Good value for subscription
- 👍 Easy to navigate

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes and bugs
- 🔍 Inconsistent progress tracking
- 🔇 No background audio playback
- 🔒 Repeated login issues

**Reported bugs**

- Videos starting from the beginning
- Freezing when switching to audio mode
- Inconsistent behavior when locking screen

**Requested features**

- Picture-in-picture mode
- Offline video downloads
- Customizable playback controls
- Apple TV app support


### BeaconTV

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/beacontv/id6560114461)

Discover a vast library of premium paranormal content. Stream exclusive shows and documentaries covering mysteries, hauntings, and unexplained phenomena. Your ultimate destination for all things spooky and supernatural.

**Highlights:** Premium paranormal content, Exclusive shows, Documentaries, Mysteries and hauntings, Unexplained phenomena

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

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Basic Monthly Plan | $4.99 | per month |
| Premium + Monthly Plan | $6.99 | per month |
| Basic Annual Plan | $49.99 | per year |
| Legacy+ Annual | $79.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 High-quality content based on viewer recommendations
- 👂 Developer listens to fan feedback
- 🔍 Variety of new paranormal content
- 🎥 High-quality audio and video
- 🤩 Ability to watch favorite paranormal shows in one place


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Pocket Beacon free?

Pocket Beacon is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is BeaconTV free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Pocket Beacon or BeaconTV?

BeaconTV is rated higher. Pocket Beacon averages 3.3 out of 5 from 365 ratings, while BeaconTV averages 3.9 from 26 ratings.

### Do Pocket Beacon or BeaconTV have ads?

Neither Pocket Beacon nor BeaconTV shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Pocket Beacon or BeaconTV?

Pocket Beacon ships an update fortnightly, and BeaconTV every 3 months. Most recently, Pocket Beacon was updated on October 20, 2026 and BeaconTV on October 14, 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.*