# VLC media player vs Videwatch

The clearest difference is price: VLC media player at Free against Videwatch's $1.99. VLC media player also leads on ratings volume (5.8K vs 377) and chart position (#39 vs unranked). Videwatch's advantage is rating (4.8 vs 3.7) and in-app purchases (none vs 5). On update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

VLC media player is free to download; Videwatch costs $1.99 up front. VLC media player sells 5 one-off in-app purchases. Videwatch asks for nothing beyond the download.

Videwatch holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 3.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: VLC media player has 5.8K ratings behind it against 377, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 52% of VLC media player's written reviews are positive against 80% of Videwatch's.

VLC media player ships an update fortnightly, Videwatch every 3 weeks. Both last shipped on September 24, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | VLC media player | Videwatch |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **Free** | $1.99 |
| Rating | [3.7 (5.8K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/vlc-media-player/id650377962/reviews) | **[4.8 (377 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/videwatch/id1489041267/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **5.8K** | 377 |
| Positive reviews | 52.1% of reviews | **80.3% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Fortnightly** | Every 3 weeks |
| Monetization | **Free** | Paid |
| Best chart rank | **#39** | — |
| Size | 186 MB | 29 MB |
| Requires iOS | **9.0** | 16.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple TV** | iPhone, Apple Watch |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [VideoLAN](https://appshunter.io/developer/599606329) | [Atlum Limited](https://appshunter.io/developer/1508897591) |

## What reviewers say

### VLC media player

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

**Currently charting:** #39 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


### Videwatch

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/videwatch/id1489041267)

Play videos and audio directly on your Apple Watch, even offline. Organize your media with folders and resume playback from where you left off. Supports various file formats and cloud storage integrations.

**Highlights:** Play videos and audio on Apple Watch, Offline playback support, Organize media with folders, Resume playback from last position, Supports MP4, MOV, M4V, MP3, M4A, and more, Add media from cloud storage and URLs

**Features:** Apple Watch app

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Works well and worth the price
- 🚀 Great video player for Apple Watch
- 🎥 Allows watching videos on Apple Watch
- 💡 Convenient preview on phone
- 🎧 Supports audio playback through watch speakers

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional crashes or freezes
- 🔍 Limited video controls (no scrubbing)
- 🔌 Slow video transfer speeds
- 🔍 No option to delete individual videos

**Reported bugs**

- Compatibility issues with older Apple Watch models
- Video playback sometimes fails to start
- Occasional watch disconnection during video transfer

**Requested features**

- Add ability to create and manage video playlists
- Implement auto-play for next video
- Allow video rotation to landscape mode
- Increase volume output from watch speakers
- Integrate with cloud storage services for video uploads


## Frequently asked questions

### Is VLC media player free?

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

### Is Videwatch free?

Videwatch costs $1.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, VLC media player or Videwatch?

Videwatch is rated higher. VLC media player averages 3.7 out of 5 from 5.8K ratings, while Videwatch averages 4.8 from 377 ratings.

### Do VLC media player or Videwatch have ads?

Neither VLC media player nor Videwatch shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, VLC media player or Videwatch?

VLC media player ships an update fortnightly, and Videwatch every 3 weeks. Most recently, VLC media player was updated on September 24, 2026 and Videwatch on September 24, 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.*