# HDHomeRun vs Pixelcade

The clearest difference is rating: Pixelcade at 4.0 against HDHomeRun's 2.5. Pixelcade also leads on update cadence (every 8 days vs every 2 months). HDHomeRun's advantage is ratings volume (465 vs 1) and device support (5 vs 2). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Pixelcade holds the better App Store score, 4.0 against 2.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: HDHomeRun has 465 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

HDHomeRun ships an update every 2 months, Pixelcade every 8 days. The most recent releases landed on September 23, 2026 and July 6, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | HDHomeRun | Pixelcade |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [2.5 (465 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hdhomerun/id949582631/reviews) | **[4.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pixelcade/id6505077613/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **465** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | 26.6% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Every 8 days** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 6 MB | 5 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 16.6 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac, Apple TV** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [SiliconDust USA, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/949582630) | [OPEN GADGETS LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1038238337) |

## What reviewers say

### HDHomeRun

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hdhomerun/id949582631)

Stream live, over-the-air, and cable TV channels directly to your iOS device. Pause, rewind, and fast-forward live broadcasts. Access program guides with images and logos for an enhanced viewing experience.

**Highlights:** Live TV streaming (OTA & Cable), Pause, FF, RW live TV, HD channel support, Program guide with images, Fast channel changes, Intuitive UI controls

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Fastest TV app
- 📺 Great picture quality
- 🔍 Picks up more channels than TV tuner
- 🔌 Works reliably
- 🔨 Decent hardware

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Crashes frequently
- 🔍 Unreliable channel detection
- 🤖 Clunky and unintuitive UI
- 🔇 No independent volume control
- 🔒 Lacks DRM support

**Reported bugs**

- Fails to detect tuner device
- Channels not loading
- Playback issues after updates
- Crashes on channel change
- Compatibility problems with iOS 15+

**Requested features**

- Picture-in-Picture mode
- Channel favorites and filtering
- Improved DVR functionality
- Manual IP address entry
- Native Apple TV app


### Pixelcade

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pixelcade/id6505077613)

This companion app allows users to manage their Pixelcade LED and LCD marquees. Browse, update, and change settings for your marquee artwork and access widgets. Connect wirelessly over Wi-Fi for a seamless experience.

**Highlights:** Browse Pixelcade artwork, Update marquee artwork, Change marquee settings, Access Pixelcade widgets (LED only), Wi-Fi connectivity

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is HDHomeRun free?

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

### Is Pixelcade free?

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

### Which has better reviews, HDHomeRun or Pixelcade?

Pixelcade is rated higher. HDHomeRun averages 2.5 out of 5 from 465 ratings, while Pixelcade averages 4.0 from 1 ratings.

### Do HDHomeRun or Pixelcade have ads?

Neither HDHomeRun nor Pixelcade shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, HDHomeRun or Pixelcade?

HDHomeRun ships an update every 2 months, and Pixelcade every 8 days. Most recently, HDHomeRun was updated on September 23, 2026 and Pixelcade on July 6, 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.*