# TV Pro Classic vs ARD Mediathek

TV Pro Classic and ARD Mediathek both sit at 4.7 stars, but that hides the real split: 96% of TV Pro Classic's written reviews are positive against 42% of ARD Mediathek's. TV Pro Classic also leads on update cadence (every 9 days vs every 3 weeks) and iOS requirement (12.0 vs 17.0). ARD Mediathek's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 5) and ads (none vs shown). On price, rating and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. TV Pro Classic sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per 7 days. ARD Mediathek asks for nothing beyond the download.

ARD Mediathek holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: ARD Mediathek has 2K ratings behind it against 40, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 96% of TV Pro Classic's written reviews are positive against 42% of ARD Mediathek's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

TV Pro Classic ships an update every 9 days, ARD Mediathek every 3 weeks. Both last shipped on November 6, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | TV Pro Classic | ARD Mediathek |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.7 (40 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tv-pro-classic-tv-programm/id652741629/reviews) | **[4.8 (2K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ard-mediathek/id981496660/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 40 | **2K** |
| Positive reviews | **96.3% of reviews** | 41.7% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Every 9 days** | Every 3 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 98 MB | 78 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.0** | 17.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, Vision Pro** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Live TV GmbH](https://appshunter.io/developer/647275632) | [Sudwestrundfunk, Anstalt des offentlichen Rechts](https://appshunter.io/developer/610313722) |

## What reviewers say

### TV Pro Classic

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tv-pro-classic-tv-programm/id652741629)

Access a comprehensive TV guide for your iPhone and iPad. Get daily overviews, set reminders for your favorite shows, and discover personalized recommendations. Enjoy high-definition images and offline access to program data.

**Highlights:** Daily TV overview, Show reminders, Personalized recommendations, High-definition images, Offline program data, Power search functionality

**In-app purchases (5)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| TV Pro Gold | $1.99 | per 7 days |
| TV Pro Gold | $10.99 | per month |
| Alles-Inklusive-Paket | $14.99 | per month |
| TV Pro Gold | $22.99 | per 6 months |
| TV Pro Gold | $29.99 | per year |


### ARD Mediathek

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ard-mediathek/id981496660)

Stream a wide variety of German public broadcasting content, including news, documentaries, series, films, shows, and live TV channels. Create profiles for personalized recommendations, watchlists, and seamless cross-device viewing. Includes a dedicated, safe children's profile.

**Highlights:** Stream news, documentaries, series, and films, Watch live ARD TV channels, Personalized user profiles, Continue watching across devices, Create watchlists, Dedicated children's profile

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Good media library
- 🚀 Smooth playback
- 🌍 Useful for expats
- 💡 Great for staying connected to German culture

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔒 Content blocked outside of Germany
- 🐛 Frequent crashes and bugs
- 🔍 Lack of content availability
- 🤯 Unreliable performance after updates

**Reported bugs**

- Playback issues (audio/video desync, freezing, loading problems)
- Compatibility problems with older devices and platforms
- Unreliable streaming and downloading

**Requested features**

- Improve content availability for international users
- Enhance stability and reliability
- Add more playback options (e.g., full-screen, background audio)


## Frequently asked questions

### Is TV Pro Classic free?

TV Pro Classic is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is ARD Mediathek free?

ARD Mediathek is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, TV Pro Classic or ARD Mediathek?

ARD Mediathek is rated higher. TV Pro Classic averages 4.7 out of 5 from 40 ratings, while ARD Mediathek averages 4.8 from 2K ratings.

### Do TV Pro Classic or ARD Mediathek have ads?

TV Pro Classic shows ads; ARD Mediathek does not.

### Which is updated more often, TV Pro Classic or ARD Mediathek?

TV Pro Classic ships an update every 9 days, and ARD Mediathek every 3 weeks. Most recently, TV Pro Classic was updated on November 6, 2026 and ARD Mediathek on November 6, 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.*