Comparison

Sundance Now vs The Fireplace App

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

Head to head
About

Sundance Now

Stream a curated selection of independent films, including festival favorites and new theatrical releases. Discover thought-provoking documentaries and true crime series. Enjoy new content added weekly for less than the cost of a movie ticket.

Highlights
  • Independent film library
  • New movies direct from theaters
  • Curated collections
  • True crime and documentaries
  • Weekly new titles
Features
Read full description

Sundance Now is the premium streaming home for independent film. Experience a curated selection of festival darlings and filmmaker favorites with new titles added every week, including new premieres direct from theaters—all for less than the price of a movie ticket. Sundance Now. The scene starts here. Features: • The home of independent film, from festival favorites to cult classics • New movies direct from theaters • Curated collections from A-list stars and award-winning filmmakers • Thought-provoking true crime and documentaries • 7-day free trial. Cancel anytime free of charge or continue for only $7.99/month If you are experiencing any issues, please visit - http://support.sundancenow.com/ Our Privacy Policy can be found here - https://www.amcnetworks.com/privacy-policy/ Our Terms of Use can be found here - https://www.amcnetworks.com/terms-of-use/

About

The Fireplace App

Create a cozy holiday atmosphere with a virtual fireplace and festive music. Perfect for family gatherings and enjoying the Christmas spirit indoors.

Highlights
  • Virtual roaring fireplace
  • Stream holiday music
  • Cozy atmosphere creation
  • Family-friendly entertainment
  • Indoor holiday spirit
Features
Read full description

The Holiday Fireplace is your app to get all cozy and warm with family and friends around the Christmas holidays. Stream holiday music while watching the roaring flames in the comfort of your own home!

Screenshots

Sundance Now4 screens
The Fireplace App3 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Sundance Now at 4.1 against The Fireplace App's 3.0. Sundance Now also leads on update cadence (monthly vs every 11 months) and ratings volume (3.6K vs 1). The Fireplace App's advantage is review sentiment (50% vs 15%). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model 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. Sundance Now sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $7.99 per month and The Fireplace App sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $7.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Sundance Now holds the better App Store score, 4.1 against 3.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Sundance Now has 3.6K ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 15% of Sundance Now's written reviews are positive against 50% of The Fireplace App's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Sundance Now ships an update monthly, The Fireplace App every 11 months. The most recent releases landed on November 11, 2026 and November 3, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
Sundance Now versus The Fireplace App: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSundance NowThe Fireplace App
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.1 (3.6K ratings) — better3.0 (1 ratings)
Positive reviews15.4% of reviews50.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings3.6K — better1
Update frequencyMonthly — betterEvery 11 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple TV — betteriPhone, iPad, Apple TV
Requires iOS15.0 — better16.0
Further details — not scored
Size108 MB195 MB
Age rating12+4+
DeveloperAMC Networks Inc.NWIC Inc.

Customer experience

Sundance Now

All ratings3,559 ratings
Positive78.3%
Neutral4.5%
Negative17.2%
Written reviews162 reviews
Positive15.4%
Neutral6.8%
Negative77.8%

The Fireplace App

All ratings1 ratings
Positive0.0%
Neutral100.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews2 reviews
Positive50.0%
Neutral50.0%
Negative0.0%

Bugs and requests

Sundance Now

Reported bugs

5 issues
  • App crashes frequently
  • Doesn't remember watched episodes
  • Doesn't save playback progress
  • Subscription issues (can't login, get charged despite cancellation)
  • Compatibility issues with certain devices

Requested features

5 requests
  • Add skip intro feature
  • Improve episode tracking and resume playback
  • Add multiple user profiles
  • Improve casting and TV integration
  • Add offline viewing/downloading option

The Fireplace App

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

2 purchases

Sundance Now

Subscriptions2
  • Monthly Membership7 Days trial$7.991 Month
  • Annual Membership7 Days trial$74.991 Year
3 purchases

The Fireplace App

Subscriptions3
  • Monthly Subscription$7.991 Month
  • 1 Month$7.991 Month
  • Annual Subscription$89.991 Year

Questions

Is Sundance Now free?
Sundance Now is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is The Fireplace App free?
The Fireplace App is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Sundance Now or The Fireplace App?
Sundance Now is rated higher. Sundance Now averages 4.1 out of 5 from 3.6K ratings, while The Fireplace App averages 3.0 from 1 ratings.
Do Sundance Now or The Fireplace App have ads?
Neither Sundance Now nor The Fireplace App shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Sundance Now or The Fireplace App?
Sundance Now ships an update monthly, and The Fireplace App every 11 months. Most recently, Sundance Now was updated on November 11, 2026 and The Fireplace App on November 3, 2026.

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