# CARIFLIX vs Essential Sci

The clearest difference is monetization model: Essential Sci at free with in-app purchases against CARIFLIX's subscription. Essential Sci also leads on rating (4.5 vs 4.2). CARIFLIX's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and ratings volume (400 vs 33). On price, update cadence, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. CARIFLIX sells 11 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month and Essential Sci sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Essential Sci holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 4.2. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: CARIFLIX has 400 ratings behind it against 33, so its average is the more settled of the two.

CARIFLIX ships an update every 2 months, Essential Sci every 6 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 23, 2026 and October 21, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | CARIFLIX | Essential Sci |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.2 (400 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cariflix/id682547598/reviews) | **[4.5 (33 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/essential-sci-fi-channel/id1635437392/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **400** | 33 |
| Positive reviews | 23.1% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Every 6 weeks** |
| Monetization | Subscription | **Free with in-app purchases** |
| Size | 113 MB | 8 MB |
| Requires iOS | **16.0** | 16.6 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Apple TV | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple TV** |
| Age rating | 17+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Streann Media](https://appshunter.io/developer/969471399) | [MacMillan Interactive Communications, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/820481297) |

## What reviewers say

### CARIFLIX

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cariflix/id682547598)

Stream live and on-demand television programming, including original content. This service offers an internet-delivered alternative to traditional cable and satellite TV, accessible on any device with a broadband connection.

**Highlights:** Live TV streaming, On-demand content, Original productions, Multi-device access, Internet-delivered alternative

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (11)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Basic Package | $3.99 | per month |
| Cariflix Premium Package | $9.99 | per month |
| Yearly Premium Package | $99.99 | per year |
| Seven Days Premium Pass | $6.99 | one-time |
| Cariflix PPV | $19.99 | one-time |
| PPV Event | $19.99 | one-time |
| Final Night Tumba PPV | $29.99 | one-time |
| Special Event | $39.99 | one-time |
| PPV Event Concert | $42.99 | one-time |
| Tumba Pay Per View Package | $84.99 | one-time |
| PPV Tumba Event | $84.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🌟 Best Video On demand app of Curaçao and the Caribbean.
- 👍 Better than Netflix.

**What reviewers complain about**

- 👎🏾 Dissapointing
- 👎🏾 Cannot display content
- 👎🏾 Video repeating
- 👎🏾 Charged but not in service
- 👎🏾 Unsubscribe difficult

**Reported bugs**

- Cannot display content try again later
- Video is repeating all the time
- Charged but not in service
- Cannot unsubscribe
- Hasn't worked in a while

**Requested features**

- Apple TV app availability
- Apple TV option


### Essential Sci

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/essential-sci-fi-channel/id1635437392)

Stream a vast library of science fiction movies and TV shows for free. Subscribe monthly to enjoy an ad-free viewing experience and access premium content.

**Highlights:** Hundreds of hours of sci-fi content, Free streaming, Monthly ad-free subscription, Watch on Apple TV, iPhone, iPad, iPod

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Essential Sci-Fi Subscription | $5.99 | per month |
| Essential Sci-Fi Yearly Sub | $69.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is CARIFLIX free?

CARIFLIX is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Essential Sci free?

Essential Sci is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, CARIFLIX or Essential Sci?

Essential Sci is rated higher. CARIFLIX averages 4.2 out of 5 from 400 ratings, while Essential Sci averages 4.5 from 33 ratings.

### Do CARIFLIX or Essential Sci have ads?

Essential Sci shows ads; CARIFLIX does not.

### Which is updated more often, CARIFLIX or Essential Sci?

CARIFLIX ships an update every 2 months, and Essential Sci every 6 weeks. Most recently, CARIFLIX was updated on October 23, 2026 and Essential Sci on October 21, 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.*