Comparison

CuriosityStream vs HISTORY Vault

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

Head to head
About

CuriosityStream

Access a vast library of award-winning documentaries and non-fiction content covering science, nature, history, and biographies. Enjoy ad-free streaming and offline viewing for all ages, including a dedicated kids' section.

Highlights
  • Unlimited documentary streaming
  • Offline viewing with downloads
  • 4K and HD content
  • New content added weekly
  • CuriosityKIDS section
  • Ad-free experience
Features
Read full description

CuriosityStream is the world’s leading documentary and non-fiction streaming service covering science, nature, history, biographies of real characters of consequence and pretty much anything else you can think of. Learn about our natural world alongside luminaries like Sir David Attenborough. Look at our universe with wonder as Michio Kaku and Brian Greene broaden your perspective on space, time and the future. Step back in time and explore dinosaurs, ancient history, and the rise of homo sapiens. Curiositystream also offers CuriosityKIDS, a dedicated collection of safe, entertaining and inspiring programs for families to enjoy together or for kids to watch on their own. Let CuriosityKids spark a love of learning and a passion for exploration. Plus, all CuriosityStream shows are downloadable so you can keep kids entertained while on the go. Whether your kids are budding astronomers, paleontologists, or historians, CuriosityStream has got you covered with award-winning, ad-free content. Join more than 20 million CuriosityStream subscribers and explore thousands of brain-boosting documentaries. CuriosityStream membership benefits: - Unlimited streaming of the best in documentary programming - Download shows so you can watch anytime, anywhere without an internet connection - 4K and HD documentaries available on multiple devices - New content added weekly so you’ll never run out of things to watch - Browse titles with multiple search tools to help you quickly find your favorite subject areas - Rate your favorite shows and get recommendations for related content - Bookmark shows to watch later or resume watching previously viewed shows on other devices You may cancel your membership and stop the billing anytime by logging into your account. Please Note: - Payment will be charged to the user's iTunes Account at confirmation of purchase -Subscription automatically renews unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24 hours before the end of the current period - Account will be charged for renewal within 24 hours prior to the end of the current period - Subscriptions may be managed by the user and auto-renewal may be turned off by going to the user's Account Settings after purchase By downloading this application, you agree to the CuriosityStream Terms of Use (https://curiositystream.com/terms) and Privacy Policy (https://curiositystream.com/privacy).

About

HISTORY Vault

Explore thousands of documentaries and specials about history, from ancient times to modern conflicts. Watch full-length, commercial-free videos on demand, with new content added weekly. Access classic series and discover the events and people that shaped our world.

Highlights
  • Thousands of documentaries and specials
  • Commercial-free viewing
  • New videos added weekly
  • Classic HISTORY Channel series
  • No TV provider needed
  • On-demand streaming
Features
Read full description

Now with over 2,000 videos – HISTORY Channel brings you thousands of documentaries and specials exploring the events and people that shaped our world, from ancient empires to modern warfare, all commercial-free. Watch commercial-free, full-length videos with no TV provider needed. New videos are added weekly, featuring everything from ancient civilizations and World Wars to space exploration. Plus your favorite classic HISTORY Channel series. Watch: • America: The Story of Us • Days That Shaped America • The Men Who Built America • Founding Fathers • Ice Road Truckers And many more! Note: HISTORY Vault content is only available to stream in the United States. Free Trial is only valid for first-time subscribers. Video can only be streamed in the U.S. and U.S. Territories. Payment is charged to the iTunes account at confirmation of purchase. Your account will be charged for renewal at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. You can manage your subscription and auto-renewal by visiting Account Settings on your device. If you turn off auto-renew during the current subscription period, your subscription will be canceled for the subsequent period. Please visit support.historyvault.com if you are experiencing any issues. Terms of Use: http://www.aenetworks.com/terms Privacy Policy: http://www.aenetworks.com/privacy

Screenshots

CuriosityStream4 screens
HISTORY Vault4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: CuriosityStream at 4.6 against HISTORY Vault's 3.9. CuriosityStream also leads on ratings volume (6.3K vs 1.1K) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 17.6). HISTORY Vault's advantage is monetization model (free with in-app purchases vs subscription). On price, review sentiment, update cadence and ads 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. CuriosityStream sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 per month and HISTORY Vault sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

CuriosityStream holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 3.9. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: CuriosityStream has 6.3K ratings behind it against 1.1K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 31% of CuriosityStream's written reviews are positive against 29% of HISTORY Vault's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly monthly. The most recent releases landed on September 22, 2026 and September 20, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
CuriosityStream versus HISTORY Vault: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterCuriosityStreamHISTORY Vault
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.6 (6.3K ratings) — better3.9 (1.1K ratings)
Positive reviews30.7% of reviews — better29.3% of reviews
Number of ratings6.3K — better1.1K
Update frequencyMonthlyMonthly
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationSubscriptionFree with in-app purchases — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple TV — betteriPhone, iPad, Apple TV
Requires iOS13.0 — better17.6
Further details — not scored
Size44 MB100 MB
Age rating12+12+
DeveloperCuriosityStream, LLCA+E Global Media

Customer experience

CuriosityStream

All ratings6,266 ratings
Positive91.1%
Neutral3.0%
Negative5.9%
Written reviews361 reviews
Positive30.7%
Neutral16.9%
Negative52.4%

HISTORY Vault

All ratings1,093 ratings
Positive72.9%
Neutral5.9%
Negative21.2%
Written reviews164 reviews
Positive29.3%
Neutral6.7%
Negative64.0%

User reviews

CuriosityStream

From 6.3K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Great content
  • 💡 Excellent value for money
  • 👍 Diverse range of documentaries
  • 👍 Informative and educational

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Buggy app with frequent crashes
  • 🐛 Streaming issues and buffering problems
  • 🐛 Poor user interface and navigation
  • 🐛 Chromecast/casting support issues
  • 🐛 Inconsistent playback controls

HISTORY Vault

From 1.1K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Great content
  • 🚀 Interesting documentaries
  • 👍 Variety of historical topics
  • 👍 Reasonable subscription price

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Buggy app with frequent crashes
  • 🐛 Streaming and downloading issues
  • 🐛 Inconsistent user experience across devices
  • 🔒 Difficult to cancel subscription
  • 🔒 Billing and account issues

Bugs and requests

CuriosityStream

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • App crashes on launch
  • Videos not resuming from last position
  • Casting issues and video playback problems
  • Inconsistent behavior when switching between apps

Requested features

5 requests
  • Offline downloads
  • Profiles/multiple user support
  • Improved search and recommendation features
  • Better integration with TV platforms
  • Customizable playback controls

HISTORY Vault

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Login and password reset problems
  • Incompatibility with certain devices
  • Inconsistent content availability

Requested features

5 requests
  • Add more recent and popular shows
  • Improve search and navigation
  • Implement resume playback and favorites
  • Add Chromecast/casting support
  • Provide multi-language options

In-app purchases

6 purchases

CuriosityStream

Subscriptions6
  • Basic$5.991 Month
  • Standard$5.991 Month
  • Smart Bundle$11.991 Month
Show 3 more
  • Basic$49.991 Year
  • Standard$49.991 Year
  • Smart Bundle$79.991 Year
2 purchases

HISTORY Vault

Subscriptions2
  • History Vault7 Days trial2 variants$5.991 Month
  • History Vault7 Days trial2 variants$59.991 Year

Questions

Is CuriosityStream free?
CuriosityStream is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is HISTORY Vault free?
HISTORY Vault is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, CuriosityStream or HISTORY Vault?
CuriosityStream is rated higher. CuriosityStream averages 4.6 out of 5 from 6.3K ratings, while HISTORY Vault averages 3.9 from 1.1K ratings.
Do CuriosityStream or HISTORY Vault have ads?
Neither CuriosityStream nor HISTORY Vault shows ads.
Which is updated more often, CuriosityStream or HISTORY Vault?
CuriosityStream ships an update monthly, and HISTORY Vault monthly. Most recently, CuriosityStream was updated on September 22, 2026 and HISTORY Vault on September 20, 2026.

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