# Coax vs RetroGuide.TV

The clearest difference is rating: RetroGuide.TV at 5.0 against Coax's 4.2. RetroGuide.TV also leads on update cadence (every 2 days vs weekly). Coax's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and monetization model (free vs free with in-app purchases). On price, in-app purchases and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Coax sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month and RetroGuide.TV sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

RetroGuide.TV holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.2. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Coax has 41 ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two.

Coax ships an update weekly, RetroGuide.TV every 2 days. Both last shipped on October 24, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Coax | RetroGuide.TV |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.2 (41 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/coax-surf-your-plex-server/id6752622762/reviews) | **[5.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/retroguidetv/id6816213425/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **41** | 2 |
| Positive reviews | 76.9% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Weekly | **Every 2 days** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 58 MB | 44 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.6 | **17.0** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple TV, Vision Pro** | iPhone, iPad, Apple TV |
| Age rating | 17+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Out to Lunch Productions, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/367527515) | [Adam Hunt](https://appshunter.io/developer/6809250451) |

## What reviewers say

### Coax

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/coax-surf-your-plex-server/id6752622762)

Experience your Plex media library like a traditional cable TV experience. This app automatically generates channels from your existing content, allowing you to randomly discover movies and shows without the pressure of choosing.

**Highlights:** On-device Plex library channel surfing, Zero-setup integration, Automatic channel guide generation, Customizable channel categories (genre, decade, actor, etc.), Create channels from Plex Collections, Unify TV and movie libraries, Adjustable number of channels

**Features:** Family Sharing, SharePlay

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly - 1st Week Free | $2.99 | per month |
| Annual - 1st Week Free | $29.99 | per year |
| Lifetime | $74.99 | one-time |


### RetroGuide.TV

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/retroguidetv/id6816213425)

Transform your Plex media library into a live TV experience with automatically generated channels. Enjoy curated content, a program guide, and a built-in player that supports various media formats. Customize your viewing with themes and advanced scheduling options.

**Highlights:** Automatic channel creation from Plex library, Customizable genre, decade, and show channels, Cable-style program guide with live preview, Built-in player for various media formats, Multiple themes and CRT scanline options, Support for multiple Plex servers (Pro)

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| RetroGuide Pro: Ad-Free Live TV | $9.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Coax free?

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

### Is RetroGuide.TV free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Coax or RetroGuide.TV?

RetroGuide.TV is rated higher. Coax averages 4.2 out of 5 from 41 ratings, while RetroGuide.TV averages 5.0 from 2 ratings.

### Do Coax or RetroGuide.TV have ads?

RetroGuide.TV shows ads; Coax does not.

### Which is updated more often, Coax or RetroGuide.TV?

Coax ships an update weekly, and RetroGuide.TV every 2 days. Most recently, Coax was updated on October 24, 2026 and RetroGuide.TV 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.*