# VLC media player vs Cloud Stream IPTV Player

The clearest difference is rating: Cloud Stream IPTV Player at 4.7 against VLC media player's 3.7. VLC media player's advantage is monetization model (free vs free with in-app purchases) and chart position (#38 vs unranked). On price, review sentiment, ratings volume and update cadence there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. VLC media player sells 5 one-off in-app purchases and Cloud Stream IPTV Player sells 6 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Cloud Stream IPTV Player holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 3.7. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 5.8K and 3.1K respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 52% of VLC media player's written reviews are positive against 55% of Cloud Stream IPTV Player's.

VLC media player ships an update fortnightly, Cloud Stream IPTV Player every 9 days. The most recent releases landed on September 24, 2026 and September 16, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | VLC media player | Cloud Stream IPTV Player |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.7 (5.8K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/vlc-media-player/id650377962/reviews) | **[4.7 (3.1K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cloud-stream-iptv-player/id1138002135/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **5.8K** | 3.1K |
| Positive reviews | 52.1% of reviews | **54.5% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Fortnightly | **Every 9 days** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | **#38** | — |
| Size | 186 MB | 114 MB |
| Requires iOS | **9.0** | 11.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple TV | iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple TV |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [VideoLAN](https://appshunter.io/developer/599606329) | [Giovanny Aranda](https://appshunter.io/developer/1138002134) |

## What reviewers say

### VLC media player

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/vlc-media-player/id650377962)

**Currently charting:** #38 Top Free · Photo & Video (US App Store)

Play virtually any video or audio file directly without conversion. Stream media from cloud services, network servers, or the web. Offers advanced subtitle support and playback controls.

**Highlights:** Plays all video and audio formats, No file conversion needed, Cloud and network streaming, Advanced subtitle support, Playback speed control, Chromecast rendering

**Features:** Siri integration, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (5)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Micro Tip | $0.99 | one-time |
| Small Tip | $2.99 | one-time |
| Medium Tip | $4.99 | one-time |
| Large Tip | $9.99 | one-time |
| Huge Tip | $14.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Plays everything
- 👍 Great for offline media
- 🔒 No ads or subscriptions
- 🚀 Convenient file transfer
- 👍 Customizable playback

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Buggy after updates
- 🔋 Drains battery
- 👎 Confusing UI/UX
- 🐛 Unreliable network streaming
- 👎 Lacks basic features

**Reported bugs**

- Playback issues with certain codecs
- Crashes when accessing network shares
- Inconsistent shuffle/repeat behavior
- Subtitle sync problems
- Deleted files not freeing up storage

**Requested features**

- Picture-in-Picture mode
- Improved playlist management
- Folder-based organization
- Lyrics support
- Chromecast integration


### Cloud Stream IPTV Player

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cloud-stream-iptv-player/id1138002135)

Stream live TV channels from your ISP or internet sources on your iPhone or iPad. Supports M3U and M3U8 playlists, with advanced features like Chromecast and background playback available in the PRO version.

**Highlights:** IPTV playback, Internet channel streaming, M3U/M3U8 playlist support, UDP proxy streaming, Chromecast (PRO), Background playback (PRO), Parental control (PRO)

**In-app purchases (6)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Tip for one coffee | $0.99 | one-time |
| Tip for two coffees | $1.99 | one-time |
| Pro Version | $2.99 | one-time |
| Tip for three coffees | $2.99 | one-time |
| Tip for four coffees | $3.99 | one-time |
| Tip for five coffees | $4.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Simple and easy to use
- 🚀 Fast and smooth playback
- 💡 Allows importing M3U playlists
- 🔒 No annoying ads
- 👍 Intuitive and clean interface

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent freezing and crashing issues
- 🔋 Drains battery quickly
- 🐛 Chromecast functionality not working as expected
- 🐛 Playlist sync issues between devices
- 🐛 Playback stops when exiting the app

**Reported bugs**

- Channels not loading properly
- Inability to restore purchases
- Search function not working on Apple TV
- Playback issues when switching between apps
- Compatibility problems with iOS 14 and newer

**Requested features**

- Add support for Xtream codes
- Implement picture-in-picture mode
- Improve EPG (Electronic Program Guide) support
- Allow organizing channels into categories
- Add background playback option


## Frequently asked questions

### Is VLC media player free?

VLC media player is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Cloud Stream IPTV Player free?

Cloud Stream IPTV Player is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, VLC media player or Cloud Stream IPTV Player?

Cloud Stream IPTV Player is rated higher. VLC media player averages 3.7 out of 5 from 5.8K ratings, while Cloud Stream IPTV Player averages 4.7 from 3.1K ratings.

### Do VLC media player or Cloud Stream IPTV Player have ads?

Neither VLC media player nor Cloud Stream IPTV Player shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, VLC media player or Cloud Stream IPTV Player?

VLC media player ships an update fortnightly, and Cloud Stream IPTV Player every 9 days. Most recently, VLC media player was updated on September 24, 2026 and Cloud Stream IPTV Player on September 16, 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.*