Comparison

Athena Player IPTV vs Nightdeck

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

Head to head
About

Athena Player IPTV

Features
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Athena Player includes NO channels, NO movies, NO series and NO other media. Nothing is bundled with the app, and we neither host nor offer any content of our own. It is a player. You bring the M3U URL or Xtream Codes login from the provider you already pay, and Athena Player plays it on your iPhone, iPad and other devices with a fast, beautiful, distraction-free interface. BUILT FOR GREAT PLAYBACK Athena Player is engineered for smooth, high-quality streaming. It uses hardware-accelerated video for crisp, fluid playback (up to 4K where your device and source allow), fast channel switching, and an interface that stays out of your way. A rich EPG, instant search and Continue Watching make it effortless to find and resume what you were watching. A buffering indicator keeps you informed while a stream loads, and subtitle and audio-track selection are built in. ONE PLAYER, EVERY SCREEN Your account, favorites and playback progress sync across all your devices, so you can start on iPhone and pick up on iPad or Mac exactly where you left off. Cast to your TV with Chromecast, or hand a stream off to an external player when you prefer. SUBSCRIPTION REQUIRED Athena Player requires a paid subscription to use. New users get a 7-day free trial; after the trial, continued access to the app and all of its features requires an auto-renewable subscription — Standard, Premium or Premium+, billed monthly or yearly — or a one-time Lifetime purchase. Titles, subscription length and prices are shown in the app before you buy. Auto-renewable subscriptions renew automatically at the same price unless auto-renewal is turned off at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. You can manage or cancel your subscription in your Apple ID Account Settings after purchase. FEATURES (all require an active trial or paid subscription) - Your provider's live streams, with a full EPG (electronic program guide) and now/next info - Your provider's movies and series, with posters, descriptions and resume playback - Favorites and Continue Watching, synced across your devices - Multiple profiles, each with its own favorites and history - Powerful search across channels, movies and series - Chromecast and optional external player support - Clean, fast interface designed for phone, tablet and TV - Available in English, Italian, Spanish, French, German and Portuguese HOW IT WORKS 1. Create a free account and start your 7-day trial. 2. Add your own M3U or Xtream playlist on playerathena.com (a QR handoff opens the website already signed in). 3. Sign in on Athena Player and start watching. Subscribe to keep access after the trial ends. Athena Player is a player only. It includes no channels or media. You are responsible for the content you add and must have the legal right to access it. We do not host, provide or sell any media content. Terms of Use (EULA): https://playerathena.com/eula Privacy Policy: https://playerathena.com/privacy Questions? Visit playerathena.com

About

Nightdeck

Features
Read full description

Nightdeck is a pure player for your own IPTV playlists: it contains no channels, movies or shows, and it does not sell, arrange or recommend providers. You add your own source – a link to an M3U playlist (optionally with an XMLTV TV guide) or an Xtream Codes login. Only use sources you are entitled to use. No playlist yet? Choose “Try the demo” on the first screen: freely licensed Blender Foundation films (CC BY 3.0) and public test streams let you explore the whole app. LIVE TV • Channel list with now/next and progress • Quick channel switching • Favorites TV GUIDE • Programme grid with a “now” line and reminders • Catch-up when your source offers it • “Tonight” row: your channels’ prime-time line-up at a glance MOVIES & SHOWS • Home screen with Continue watching, Top 10 and recommendations from your own library • Detail pages, seasons and episodes, next episode plays automatically • Audio track and subtitle selection, preferred audio track ON APPLE TV, IPHONE, IPAD AND MAC • Works with the Siri Remote, touch, keyboard and trackpad • Search across channels, movies and shows • 24 interface languages, including Arabic with a right-to-left layout • Multiple playlists, parental PIN, kids mode • Fast even with large lists PRIVATE No account, no ads, no tracking. Your playlists, favorites and history stay on your device. TRY AND UNLOCK Try every feature for 3 days, with no purchase and no subscription. After that, unlock Nightdeck in the app – with a yearly subscription or a one-time purchase. The subscription renews automatically every year unless it is cancelled at least 24 hours before the end of the current period; manage or cancel it in your Apple Account settings. The demo stays available without a purchase. Supported: Xtream Codes, M3U/M3U8 playlists via link, XMLTV (also .gz), HLS and MPEG-TS streams. Questions and help: hello@nightdeck.shop Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy: https://nightdeck.shop/en/privacy-appstore.html Screenshots show the built-in demo with films by the Blender Foundation (CC BY 3.0).

Screenshots

Athena Player IPTV4 screens
Nightdeck4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is iOS requirement: Athena Player IPTV at 15.0 against Nightdeck's 17.0. On price, update cadence, 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. Athena Player IPTV sells 7 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month and Nightdeck sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per year. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 2 days. Both last shipped on November 10, 2026.

Scorecard1 real difference · 5 level
Athena Player IPTV versus Nightdeck: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterAthena Player IPTVNightdeck
PriceFreeFree
Update frequencyEvery 2 daysEvery 2 days
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, Mac
Requires iOS15.0 — better17.0
Further details — not scored
Size71 MB43 MB
Age rating4+17+
DeveloperAlex Nicolo' GalassoDaniel Steffan Buro

In-app purchases

7 purchases

Athena Player IPTV

Subscriptions6
  • Standard Monthly7 Days trial$0.991 Month
  • Premium Monthly7 Days trial$1.991 Month
  • Premium+ Monthly7 Days trial$2.991 Month
Show 3 more
  • Standard Yearly7 Days trial$14.991 Year
  • Premium Yearly7 Days trial$17.991 Year
  • Premium+ Yearly7 Days trial$24.991 Year
One-time1
  • Lifetime Access$39.99
3 purchases

Nightdeck

Subscriptions1
  • Nightdeck Yearly$9.991 Year
One-time2
  • Nightdeck 3-Day TrialFree
  • Nightdeck Lifetime$19.99

Questions

Is Athena Player IPTV free?
Athena Player IPTV is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Nightdeck free?
Nightdeck is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Athena Player IPTV or Nightdeck have ads?
Neither Athena Player IPTV nor Nightdeck shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Athena Player IPTV or Nightdeck?
Athena Player IPTV ships an update every 2 days, and Nightdeck every 2 days. Most recently, Athena Player IPTV was updated on November 10, 2026 and Nightdeck on November 10, 2026.

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