# AI Desktop 98 vs Cathode Player

AI Desktop 98 and Cathode Player both sit at 4.2 stars, but that hides the real split: 77% of AI Desktop 98's written reviews are positive against 67% of Cathode Player's. AI Desktop 98 also leads on ratings volume (20 vs 5). Cathode Player's advantage is device support (4 vs 2). On price, rating, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

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

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.2 for AI Desktop 98 against 4.2 for Cathode Player. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 20 and 5 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 77% of AI Desktop 98's written reviews are positive against 67% of Cathode Player's.

AI Desktop 98 ships an update every 9 days, Cathode Player every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on October 17, 2026 and October 9, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | AI Desktop 98 | Cathode Player |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.2 (20 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ai-desktop-98/id6761027867/reviews) | [4.2 (5 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cathode-player/id6765878641/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **20** | 5 |
| Positive reviews | **76.9% of reviews** | 66.7% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 9 days | **Every 5 days** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 1.7 GB | 8 MB |
| Requires iOS | **26.0** | 26.1 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple TV** |
| Age rating | 17+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Pritesh Desai](https://appshunter.io/developer/1850459333) | [Zabir Raihan](https://appshunter.io/developer/1890301412) |

## What reviewers say

### AI Desktop 98

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ai-desktop-98/id6761027867)

Experience a retro desktop interface powered by advanced AI. Interact with various AI models, manage conversations, and enjoy nostalgic features like a BIOS boot sequence and sound effects. It offers on-device processing for enhanced privacy.

**Highlights:** Interactive retro desktop interface, Multiple AI backend options, On-device and cloud AI support, Conversation management and organization, Retro web browser, Customizable chat appearance, Nostalgic sound effects and CRT overlay

**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 AI Desktop 98 free?

AI Desktop 98 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, AI Desktop 98 or Cathode Player?

AI Desktop 98 and Cathode Player are both rated 4.2 out of 5 on the App Store, from 20 and 5 ratings respectively.

### Do AI Desktop 98 or Cathode Player have ads?

Neither AI Desktop 98 nor Cathode Player shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, AI Desktop 98 or Cathode Player?

AI Desktop 98 ships an update every 9 days, and Cathode Player every 5 days. Most recently, AI Desktop 98 was updated on October 17, 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.*