# Flashboard vs Cathode Player

The clearest difference is rating: Cathode Player at 4.2 against Flashboard's 1.0. Cathode Player also leads on ratings volume (5 vs 1) and device support (4 vs 2). Flashboard's advantage is iOS requirement (17.0 vs 26.1). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

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

Cathode Player holds the better App Store score, 4.2 against 1.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Cathode Player has 5 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

Flashboard ships an update every 11 days, Cathode Player weekly. The most recent releases landed on September 10, 2026 and September 23, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Flashboard | Cathode Player |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [1.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/flashboard-led-banner/id6754074817/reviews) | **[4.2 (5 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cathode-player/id6765878641/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 1 | **5** |
| Positive reviews | — | 66.7% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 11 days | **Weekly** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 2 MB | 8 MB |
| Requires iOS | **17.0** | 26.1 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple TV** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Jiawen Sun](https://appshunter.io/developer/1809677007) | [Zabir Raihan](https://appshunter.io/developer/1890301412) |

## What reviewers say

### Flashboard

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/flashboard-led-banner/id6754074817)

Turn your device into a dynamic LED banner for messages and announcements. Customize scrolling text with various LED effects to grab attention at events or for personal use.

**Highlights:** Create LED banner displays, Customizable scrolling messages, Various LED effects, Ideal for concerts and parties, Attention-grabbing announcements

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

**In-app purchases:** none


### Cathode Player

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cathode-player/id6765878641)

A native video viewer for following channels and watching content across your Apple devices. Enjoy a fast, lightweight experience with features like picture-in-picture, background audio, and cross-device sync via iCloud. Discover new content with curated channel suggestions.

**Highlights:** Follow channels and view latest videos, Search for videos and channels, Native player with picture-in-picture and background audio, Save videos to Watch Later, Cross-device playback progress sync, Curated channel suggestions

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Flashboard free?

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

### Is Cathode Player free?

Cathode Player is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Flashboard or Cathode Player?

Cathode Player is rated higher. Flashboard averages 1.0 out of 5 from 1 ratings, while Cathode Player averages 4.2 from 5 ratings.

### Do Flashboard or Cathode Player have ads?

Neither Flashboard nor Cathode Player shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Flashboard or Cathode Player?

Flashboard ships an update every 11 days, and Cathode Player weekly. Most recently, Flashboard was updated on September 10, 2026 and Cathode Player on September 23, 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.*