# USA Network vs AFN Now

The clearest difference is rating: USA Network at 4.5 against AFN Now's 1.4. USA Network also leads on review sentiment (37% vs 5%) and ratings volume (27K vs 577). AFN Now's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and monetization model (free vs free with in-app purchases). On price, in-app purchases, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

USA Network holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 1.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: USA Network has 27K ratings behind it against 577, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 37% of USA Network's written reviews are positive against 5% of AFN Now's.

USA Network ships an update every 5 weeks, AFN Now every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on October 29, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | USA Network | AFN Now |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.5 (27K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/usa-network/id661695783/reviews)** | [1.4 (577 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/afn-now/id1641316094/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **27K** | 577 |
| Positive reviews | **37.2% of reviews** | 4.7% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Every 5 weeks** | Every 3 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 240 MB | 32 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | **15.6** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Apple TV | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple TV** |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Versant Media LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1840809836) | [Defense Media Activity](https://appshunter.io/developer/549784288) |

## What reviewers say

### USA Network

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/usa-network/id661695783)

Stream live TV, catch up on recent episodes of popular shows, and watch movies on demand. Access content from a family of networks, including sports and past season favorites. Requires a TV provider login for full access.

**Highlights:** Watch latest episodes the day after airing, Live stream TV 24/7, Access on-demand content from multiple networks, Stream live sports like PGA TOUR and Premier League, Filter shows by network and genre, Sign in with TV provider for full access

**Features:** Apple Wallet, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Good app for watching shows
- 💡 Provides free credits to watch content
- 🤩 Enjoyable shows like Chrisley Knows Best and Queen of the South

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Constant crashes and bugs
- 🤯 Requires re-linking TV provider frequently
- 😡 Unreliable live streaming and playback
- 🤬 Too many commercials and ads
- 🤕 Poor app performance on various devices

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes during playback
- Video playback issues like freezing, skipping, and audio-video desync
- Inability to resume watching from where user left off
- TV provider login issues and constant re-authentication required

**Requested features**

- Add fast forward/rewind functionality
- Improve Chromecast/casting support
- Allow watching without TV provider login
- Optimize app for newer devices and screen sizes


### AFN Now

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/afn-now/id1641316094)

Access American news, information, and entertainment programming from the American Forces Network. This app provides authorized users stationed overseas with an internet-based alternative to satellite delivery for enjoying AFN content.

**Highlights:** American news and information, Entertainment programming, For overseas US military families, Internet-based streaming, Alternative to satellite delivery

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- ⭐ Great for watching sports overseas
- 🙌 Excellent free content for service members

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes and bugs
- 🔌 Unreliable connectivity and login issues
- 🤔 Limited content selection beyond sports
- 📺 Poor streaming quality and playback controls

**Reported bugs**

- Blank screens and content not loading
- Constant log-outs and session limit issues
- Incompatibility with overseas locations

**Requested features**

- Expand content beyond just sports
- Improve stability and reliability
- Add Chromecast/AirPlay support
- Provide better playback controls


## Frequently asked questions

### Is USA Network free?

USA Network is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is AFN Now free?

AFN Now is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, USA Network or AFN Now?

USA Network is rated higher. USA Network averages 4.5 out of 5 from 27K ratings, while AFN Now averages 1.4 from 577 ratings.

### Do USA Network or AFN Now have ads?

USA Network shows ads; AFN Now does not.

### Which is updated more often, USA Network or AFN Now?

USA Network ships an update every 5 weeks, and AFN Now every 3 months. Most recently, USA Network was updated on October 29, 2026 and AFN Now on October 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.*