Comparison

Arcroom vs Ceau Player

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Arcroom

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Arcroom keeps your movies and shows in libraries you own — on your Mac or your NAS — and plays them beautifully on every Apple screen. Import once, play everywhere. When you add a video, Arcroom converts it into a streaming-friendly format, so playback starts instantly and scrubbing stays smooth — and iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple TV and Apple Vision Pro all play the same library natively. You can even start watching while the import is still running. YOUR STORAGE, YOUR RULES Libraries are plain folders on storage you control: this device, an SMB share on your NAS, or a library another Mac shares over WebDAV. No server software to install, no account to create. MADE FOR EVERY SCREEN One library, four platforms. Browse on your phone, pick up on the couch, continue on Vision Pro. Playback progress syncs privately through iCloud. BEAUTIFUL METADATA Match your files against TMDB for artwork, descriptions and episode details — or keep your own titles. Your library, your language. SUBTITLES DONE RIGHT Text and image-based (PGS) subtitles render crisply on every platform. PRIVATE BY DESIGN Arcroom runs no servers and collects nothing. Your media never leaves storage you control; sync happens in your private iCloud database. Arcroom uses the TMDB API but is not endorsed or certified by TMDB.

About

Ceau Player

A private-first media player for live TV and personal media servers. Organize and play content from various sources like IPTV playlists, Emby/Jellyfin libraries, and local files across Apple devices. Features multi-view playback and native interfaces.

Highlights
  • Multi-view playback (up to 4 channels)
  • Supports M3U, Emby, Jellyfin, WebDAV, local files
  • Native interfaces for iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, Mac
  • Private by design with no ads or analytics
  • Powered by VLC for broad format support
Features
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Your media. Your sources. One player across Apple devices. Ceau Player is a private-first media player for live TV, personal media servers, network storage, and local files. Add sources you are authorized to use, then browse, search, organize, and play them in a native interface designed for iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, and Mac. MULTI-VIEW Watch up to four live channels or videos at once. Choose a layout, focus a tile, and switch audio without leaving the wall. BRING YOUR OWN SOURCES • M3U, M3U8, and TXT IPTV playlists • Emby and Jellyfin libraries • WebDAV and SMB network storage • Local video files on supported devices MADE FOR APPLE SCREENS Use touch on iPhone and iPad, the Siri Remote on Apple TV, and keyboard and pointer controls on Mac. Favorites, recents, search, channel groups, program guide, and playback controls stay consistent across devices. PRIVATE BY DESIGN Credentials remain in the device Keychain. Ceau Player contains no advertising or cross-app tracking. Remote notifications use Firebase. Basic usage statistics use Google Analytics for Firebase and can be turned off in Settings > About > Share usage statistics. Media URLs, playlist contents, credentials and viewing history are not included in analytics. See our privacy policy for details. Optional iCloud sync is limited to credential-free source descriptions and app preferences. PLAYBACK FOR REAL-WORLD MEDIA Powered by VLC for broad support across common live-stream and video formats. Ceau Player does not provide, host, curate, or sell media content. You must only connect sources and media you own or are authorized to use. Apple Watch: browse your IPTV sources, groups, favorites and recents on your wrist. Supported HTTP(S) HLS and video streams use the system player; other supported HTTP(S) streams offer audio playback. The Watch app can run independently of iPhone. Optional iCloud sync and the shared Ceau Pro purchase are available. Media-server libraries, local files and Multi-View are available on other supported devices. Add, browse, and manage unlimited media sources for free. Each device includes 45 minutes of single-screen playback daily; iPhone and iPad also include a separate 6 minutes of Multi-View. Apple Watch supports single-screen playback. Live TV, media servers, network files, and local videos count toward playback time. The allowances reset at local midnight. Ceau Pro is an optional one-time in-app purchase for unlimited playback. View remaining time in Settings > Ceau Pro and restore purchases with the same App Store account. CARPLAY AUDIO Listen to audio from your authorized IPTV sources on CarPlay. Browse sources, favorites, and recents, then control playback with the native Now Playing screen. CarPlay browsing is limited to IPTV sources; media-server libraries, network files, and local files are not included. Requires a compatible CarPlay vehicle.

Screenshots

Arcroom4 screens
Ceau Player3 screens

Verdict

The call

Arcroom and Ceau Player are too close to call on the numbers: across 5 compared parameters — price, ads, in-app purchases and device support among them — neither pulls far enough ahead to decide it. What separates them is feature set and interface, not measurable difference.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Arcroom sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Ceau Player sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ScorecardNo meaningful differences
Arcroom versus Ceau Player: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterArcroomCeau Player
PriceFreeFree
Rating—5.0 (2 ratings) — better
Positive reviews—100.0% of reviews
Number of ratings—2 — better
Update frequency—Every 2 days
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
Monetization—Free
DevicesiPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple TV, Vision ProiPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple TV, Apple Watch, Vision Pro — better
Requires iOS18.418.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size35 MB95 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperHangzhou Hu Di Shen Shan Technology Co., Ltd.曙光 乐

In-app purchases

1 purchases

Arcroom

One-time1
  • Beyond This Device$19.99
1 purchases

Ceau Player

One-time1
  • Ceau Pro Lifetime$4.99

Questions

Is Arcroom free?
Arcroom is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Ceau Player free?
Ceau Player is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Arcroom or Ceau Player have ads?
Neither Arcroom nor Ceau Player shows ads.

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