Comparison

Captivox vs Archive Watch

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

Head to head
About

Captivox

Features
Read full description

Captivox brings audio descriptions (AD) and closed captions (CC) to any screen — your TV, cinema, or a friend's device. Before your viewing session, download the AD or CC track for the content you want to watch. Then open the app, press Start Listening, and Captivox will sync your downloaded track to what's playing using acoustic fingerprinting — no Bluetooth, no HDMI, no special hardware needed. Features: • Automatic sync in under 2 seconds • Audio descriptions for blind and low-vision users • Closed captions for deaf and hard-of-hearing users • Works offline after content is downloaded • Full VoiceOver and TalkBack accessibility support • Haptic feedback throughout the interface Captivox works with content from participating providers. Download the track in advance and enjoy fully accessible viewing anywhere.

About

Archive Watch

Explore a vast collection of public-domain films, classic TV, and vintage commercials. Enjoy a curated cinematic experience with real posters, cast information, and genre browsing. Create personalized channels or let the app surprise you with delightful discoveries.

Highlights
  • Public domain film and TV streaming
  • Live programmed channels
  • Customizable channels
  • Detailed film and TV show information
  • Browse by decade, genre, and collection
  • Surprise Me feature
  • No ads, subscriptions, or in-app purchases
Features
Read full description

Archive Watch turns the Internet Archive's vast public-domain moving-image collection into a cinematheque you can wander from your couch — feature films, classic television, silent cinema, animation, newsreels, and the strange, wonderful world of vintage commercials and ephemeral film. Every title is presented with the care of a great repertory house: real posters, cast, synopses, and genres, so a 1920s silent and a 1950s sci-fi B-movie look as considered as anything on a modern streaming service. LIVE CHANNELS — A REAL TV GUIDE - A programmed, scrolling channel guide: see what's on now and next - Tune in and it plays straight through, one title rolling into the next - Vintage public-domain commercials play between programs — the 1990s-TV feel - Build your own channel from any mix of genre, type, and era A REPERTORY HOUSE, NOT A FEED - Hand-curated shelves alongside the most-watched titles from the Archive - Browse by decade, genre, and collection - Classic TV with real series, seasons, and episodes - Surprise Me — for when you'd rather be delighted than decide BUILT FOR THE LIVING ROOM - Native Apple TV experience, full-screen and focus-driven - Resume right where you left off - Search with the Siri Remote or your voice - Favorites and playlists in your Library - Cartoon Mode, Party Play, and a cover-art screensaver FREE, AND RESPECTFUL OF YOU - No subscription, no in-app purchases, no ads - No account required to watch - No tracking, no analytics — nothing about you is collected - Optional Sign in with Apple syncs your favorites and progress across your household's Apple TVs using your own iCloud All content is sourced from the public domain via the Internet Archive. Metadata and artwork come from TMDb, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons, and the Library of Congress. This product uses the TMDb API but is not endorsed or certified by TMDb. If you'd rather wander a well-stocked repository of curated cinema than doomscroll a recommendation feed, Archive Watch is for you.

Screenshots

Captivox4 screens
Archive Watch4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: Archive Watch at every 5 days against Captivox's every 2 weeks. Archive Watch also leads on device support (4 vs 2). Captivox's advantage is iOS requirement (15.1 vs 26.0). On price, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

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. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Captivox ships an update every 2 weeks, Archive Watch every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on October 3, 2026 and October 8, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
Captivox versus Archive Watch: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterCaptivoxArchive Watch
PriceFreeFree
Rating—4.0 (7 ratings) — better
Positive reviews—83.3% of reviews
Number of ratings—7 — better
Update frequencyEvery 2 weeksEvery 5 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
Monetization—Free
DevicesiPhone, iPodiPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple TV — better
Requires iOS15.1 — better26.0
Further details — not scored
Size59 MB29 MB
Age rating4+12+
DeveloperNovantic AILearning is Change, Inc.

In-app purchases

None

Captivox

No in-app purchases

None

Archive Watch

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Captivox free?
Captivox is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Archive Watch free?
Archive Watch is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Captivox or Archive Watch have ads?
Neither Captivox nor Archive Watch shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Captivox or Archive Watch?
Captivox ships an update every 2 weeks, and Archive Watch every 5 days. Most recently, Captivox was updated on October 3, 2026 and Archive Watch on October 8, 2026.

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