CuriosityStream vs PLY Spinners Guild
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
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.
- Unlimited documentary streaming
- Offline viewing with downloads
- 4K and HD content
- New content added weekly
- CuriosityKIDS section
- Ad-free experience
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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).
PLY Spinners Guild
This app provides a comprehensive fiber arts community with instructional videos and forums. Learn spinning techniques at your own pace with guidance from experts, covering everything from fiber prep to finishing. Connect with other spinners and participate in community events.
- Instructional videos
- Expert guidance
- Community forums
- Regular spin-alongs
- Access to past seasons
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The PLY spinning guild is an inclusive, active fiber community centered around spinning more, and more satisfying, yarns. Brought to you by Jacey Boggs Faulkner and PLY Magazine, it's a series of progressive, instructional videos where spinners can learn at their own pace and be guided by some of the best spinners in the community. Whether you're just starting or have been spinning for years; spin on a wheel or a spindle; love wool, silk, and/or plant fibers, there's a place for you in the guild. Each season has 8-10 episodes and each episode has 3-20 parts (totaling 1-3 hours) where the topic is discussed in detail, from different perspectives, and demonstrated with easy-to-see spinning views (from the front, side, and above so you won't miss the action). For each season's topic we'll talk about fiber choices, fiber prep, drafting, plying, ply structures, texture, color, finishing, end use and so much more. Features: * All previous seasons and lessons for as long as you're a member * New episode every 6 weeks * Regular spin-alongs * Forums for questions, communication, and community Terms of Service: https://www.plyspinnersguild.com/tos Privacy Policy: https://www.plyspinnersguild.com/privacy
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is review sentiment: PLY Spinners Guild at 98% against CuriosityStream's 31%. PLY Spinners Guild also leads on monetization model (free with in-app purchases vs subscription) and rating (4.9 vs 4.6). CuriosityStream's advantage is ratings volume (6.3K vs 44) and update cadence (monthly vs every 6 months). On price, ads, in-app purchases and iOS requirement 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
Both are free to download. CuriosityStream sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 per month and PLY Spinners Guild sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $11.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
PLY Spinners Guild holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: CuriosityStream has 6.3K ratings behind it against 44, 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 98% of PLY Spinners Guild's.
CuriosityStream ships an update monthly, PLY Spinners Guild every 6 months. The most recent releases landed on October 20, 2026 and October 15, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | CuriosityStream | PLY Spinners Guild |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.6 (6.3K ratings) | 4.9 (44 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 30.9% of reviews | 97.8% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 6.3K — better | 44 |
| Update frequency | Monthly — better | Every 6 months |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Subscription | Free with in-app purchases — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple TV — better | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 15.1 — better | 16.6 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 37 MB | 66 MB |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | CuriosityStream, LLC | PLY Publishing Corp |
Customer experience
CuriosityStream
PLY Spinners Guild
User reviews
CuriosityStream
From 6.3K App Store ratingsWhat 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
PLY Spinners Guild
From 44 App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 👍 Exceptional content and inspiration
- 👍 Great resource for spinners
- 👍 Informative and educational videos
- 👍 Warm and approachable teaching style
- 👍 Diverse group of teachers
Room to improve
- 🐛 App is minimal
- 🐛 Not full access compared to web
- 🐛 Forums not available on app
- 🐛 Teaching content video episodes limited
- 🐛 No useful help section
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
PLY Spinners Guild
Reported bugs
7 issues- App is minimal with limited access compared to web version
- Forums and spin-in chat threads not available on the app
- Teaching content video episodes limited to a few from last year
- No useful help section
- App is bare bones and hard to navigate
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- Content seems blocked from updates
- Earliest videos are a little out of frame
Requested features
5 requests- Full access to all features on the app, including forums
- Availability of current teaching content updates on the app
- A useful help section
- Improved app navigation
- Fix earliest videos that are out of frame
In-app purchases
CuriosityStream
- Basic$5.991 Month
- Standard$5.991 Month
- Smart Bundle$11.991 Month
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- Basic$49.991 Year
- Standard$49.991 Year
- Smart Bundle$79.991 Year
PLY Spinners Guild
- PLY Spinners Guild Monthly3 Days trial$11.991 Month
- PLY Spinners Guild Yearly3 Days trial$85.991 Year
Questions
Is CuriosityStream free?
Is PLY Spinners Guild free?
Which has better reviews, CuriosityStream or PLY Spinners Guild?
Do CuriosityStream or PLY Spinners Guild have ads?
Which is updated more often, CuriosityStream or PLY Spinners Guild?
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