# QuietBox vs Cathode Player

The clearest difference is rating: QuietBox at 5.0 against Cathode Player's 4.2. QuietBox also leads on iOS requirement (16 vs 26.1). Cathode Player's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 2) and ads (none vs shown). On price, update cadence, monetization model and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. QuietBox sells 2 one-off in-app purchases. Cathode Player asks for nothing beyond the download.

QuietBox holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.2. 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.

QuietBox ships an update every 9 days, Cathode Player every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on October 11, 2026 and October 9, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | QuietBox | Cathode Player |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/quietbox-video-player/id6756213219/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 | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 9 days | **Every 5 days** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 81 MB | 8 MB |
| Requires iOS | **16** | 26.1 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple TV** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [NAICAI LI](https://appshunter.io/developer/576183183) | [Zabir Raihan](https://appshunter.io/developer/1890301412) |

## What reviewers say

### QuietBox

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/quietbox-video-player/id6756213219)

Organize and play local and home-network media files with a clean interface. Supports multiple import methods, broad file formats, and advanced playback features like subtitle support and Picture in Picture. Manage your media library efficiently.

**Highlights:** Multi-source media import, Home network media access, Broad format support, Subtitle loading and switching, Picture in Picture playback, File management tools, IPTV support

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

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| VIP Pro | $1.99 | one-time |
| VIP Max | $2.99 | one-time |


### 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 QuietBox free?

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

### Is Cathode Player free?

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

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

QuietBox is rated higher. QuietBox averages 5.0 out of 5 from 1 ratings, while Cathode Player averages 4.2 from 5 ratings.

### Do QuietBox or Cathode Player have ads?

QuietBox shows ads; Cathode Player does not.

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

QuietBox ships an update every 9 days, and Cathode Player every 5 days. Most recently, QuietBox was updated on October 11, 2026 and Cathode Player on October 9, 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.*