# Sundance Now vs The Fireplace App

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.

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.

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.

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.

## The numbers

| Metric | Sundance Now | The Fireplace App |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.1 (3.6K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sundance-now/id879902807/reviews)** | [3.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-fireplace-app/id1487727741/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **3.6K** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | 15.4% of reviews | **50.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Monthly** | Every 11 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 108 MB | 195 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 16.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple TV** | iPhone, iPad, Apple TV |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [AMC Networks Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/545340158) | [NWIC Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1542104258) |

## What reviewers say

### Sundance Now

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sundance-now/id879902807)

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:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly Membership | $7.99 | per month |
| Annual Membership | $74.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Great content
- 👍 Variety of shows
- 🤩 Love the shows
- 🤩 Enjoyed the shows
- 👍 Decent streaming app

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Buggy app
- 🤯 Terrible app
- 😡 Doesn't work
- 😡 Subscription issues
- 😡 Terrible customer service

**Reported bugs**

- 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**

- 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

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-fireplace-app/id1487727741)

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:** macOS Compatibility, Family Sharing

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly Subscription | $7.99 | per month |
| 1 Month | $7.99 | per month |
| Annual Subscription | $89.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked 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.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*