# Shudder vs Second Stream

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Second Stream at 100% against Shudder's 20%. Second Stream also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 7) and update cadence (weekly vs monthly). Shudder's advantage is chart position (#59 vs unranked) and device support (4 vs 1). On price and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Shudder sells 7 in-app purchases, starting at $7.99 per month. Second Stream asks for nothing beyond the download.

Shudder ships an update monthly, Second Stream weekly. The most recent releases landed on November 5, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Shudder | Second Stream |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.4 (15K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shudder-horror-and-thrillers/id919790315/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **15K** | — |
| Positive reviews | 19.8% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Monthly | **Weekly** |
| Monetization | Subscription | **Free** |
| Best chart rank | **#59** | — |
| Size | 129 MB | 12 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 26.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple TV** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 17+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [AMC Networks Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/545340158) | [Nicolas Widynski](https://appshunter.io/developer/687198503) |

## What reviewers say

### Shudder

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shudder-horror-and-thrillers/id919790315)

**Currently charting:** #59 Top Grossing · Entertainment (US App Store)

Access a vast and growing collection of curated horror, thriller, and suspense films and TV series. Enjoy unlimited, ad-free, and uncensored content, including exclusive originals. Stream on your Apple devices with a commitment-free trial.

**Highlights:** Largest horror film selection, Curated content, Exclusive originals, Unlimited streaming, Ad-free and uncensored, 7-day free trial

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, SharePlay

**In-app purchases (7)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly with Ads | $7.99 | per month |
| Monthly Membership | $9.99 | per month |
| Monthly Membership | $9.99 | per month |
| Monthly Membership | $9.99 | per month |
| Monthly Premium | $9.99 | per month |
| Annual Membership | $99.99 | per year |
| Annual Premium | $99.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Great content selection
- 👍 Excellent for horror fans
- 💡 Unique original programming
- 🚀 Fast streaming
- 👍 Affordable subscription

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Glitchy app performance
- 🔍 Limited search functionality
- 🔍 Inconsistent content availability
- 🔍 Lack of closed captions
- 🔍 Difficult to cancel subscription

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes or freezes
- Subscription issues (double charges, unable to cancel)
- Playback issues (buffering, restarting from beginning)
- Syncing issues across devices

**Requested features**

- Improved search and filtering options
- Resume playback from where you left off
- Ability to cast to TV devices
- Closed captions on all content
- Better account management tools


### Second Stream

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/second-stream/id6760979035)

This app consolidates all your subscribed content, including podcasts, YouTube channels, and RSS feeds, into one unified reader. AI-generated summaries help you quickly grasp key information from new episodes and articles, saving you time and reducing distractions.

**Highlights:** AI-generated summaries for podcasts and YouTube, Unified reader for multiple content sources, Curated weekly news digests, Distraction-free reading experience, Obsidian vault sync for bookmarks and notes, Background feed refresh, Shake to mark all as read

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Shudder free?

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

### Is Second Stream free?

Second Stream is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Do Shudder or Second Stream have ads?

Neither Shudder nor Second Stream shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Shudder or Second Stream?

Shudder ships an update monthly, and Second Stream weekly. Most recently, Shudder was updated on November 5, 2026 and Second Stream on October 31, 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.*
