# DSM Video vs Cathode Player

The clearest difference is update cadence: Cathode Player at every 5 days against DSM Video's every 3 weeks. DSM Video's advantage is iOS requirement (18.0 vs 26.1). On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

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

DSM Video ships an update every 3 weeks, Cathode Player every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on October 7, 2026 and October 9, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | DSM Video | Cathode Player |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | — | **[4.2 (5 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cathode-player/id6765878641/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | — | **5** |
| Positive reviews | — | 66.7% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | **Every 5 days** |
| Monetization | — | Free |
| Size | 13 MB | 8 MB |
| Requires iOS | **18.0** | 26.1 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Apple TV | **iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple TV** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Ryan Primeau](https://appshunter.io/developer/1844103663) | [Zabir Raihan](https://appshunter.io/developer/1890301412) |

## What reviewers say

### DSM Video

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/dsm-video/id6760669315)

**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 DSM Video free?

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

### Is Cathode Player free?

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

### Do DSM Video or Cathode Player have ads?

Neither DSM Video nor Cathode Player shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, DSM Video or Cathode Player?

DSM Video ships an update every 3 weeks, and Cathode Player every 5 days. Most recently, DSM Video was updated on October 7, 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.*