# ARD Mediathek vs Traumatica

The clearest difference is ratings volume: ARD Mediathek at 2K against Traumatica's 1. ARD Mediathek also leads on update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 3 months) and monetization model (free vs ad-supported). Traumatica's advantage is review sentiment (56% vs 42%). On price, rating, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

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

Traumatica holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: ARD Mediathek has 2K ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 42% of ARD Mediathek's written reviews are positive against 56% of Traumatica's.

ARD Mediathek ships an update every 3 weeks, Traumatica every 3 months. Both last shipped on October 26, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | ARD Mediathek | Traumatica |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.8 (2K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ard-mediathek/id981496660/reviews) | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/traumatica/id1274392301/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **2K** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | 41.7% of reviews | **55.6% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 weeks** | Every 3 months |
| Monetization | **Free** | Ad-supported |
| Size | 78 MB | 222 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **16.0** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, Vision Pro** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 12+ | +12 |
| Developer | [Sudwestrundfunk, Anstalt des offentlichen Rechts](https://appshunter.io/developer/610313722) | [Europa-Park Mack KG](https://appshunter.io/developer/378319819) |

## What reviewers say

### ARD Mediathek

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ard-mediathek/id981496660)

Stream a wide variety of German public broadcasting content, including news, documentaries, series, films, shows, and live TV channels. Create profiles for personalized recommendations, watchlists, and seamless cross-device viewing. Includes a dedicated, safe children's profile.

**Highlights:** Stream news, documentaries, series, and films, Watch live ARD TV channels, Personalized user profiles, Continue watching across devices, Create watchlists, Dedicated children's profile

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Good media library
- 🚀 Smooth playback
- 🌍 Useful for expats
- 💡 Great for staying connected to German culture

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔒 Content blocked outside of Germany
- 🐛 Frequent crashes and bugs
- 🔍 Lack of content availability
- 🤯 Unreliable performance after updates

**Reported bugs**

- Playback issues (audio/video desync, freezing, loading problems)
- Compatibility problems with older devices and platforms
- Unreliable streaming and downloading

**Requested features**

- Improve content availability for international users
- Enhance stability and reliability
- Add more playback options (e.g., full-screen, background audio)


### Traumatica

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/traumatica/id1274392301)

Step into a terrifying festival filled with clowns, witches, and other creatures. Follow Grim and friends into the unknown for an unforgettable, fear-inducing experience.

**Highlights:** Interactive horror festival, Encounter clowns and witches, Follow a narrative with Grim, Experience the unknown, Immersive fear-inducing event

**Features:** Apple Wallet, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is ARD Mediathek free?

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

### Is Traumatica free?

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

### Which has better reviews, ARD Mediathek or Traumatica?

Traumatica is rated higher. ARD Mediathek averages 4.8 out of 5 from 2K ratings, while Traumatica averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.

### Do ARD Mediathek or Traumatica have ads?

Neither ARD Mediathek nor Traumatica shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, ARD Mediathek or Traumatica?

ARD Mediathek ships an update every 3 weeks, and Traumatica every 3 months. Most recently, ARD Mediathek was updated on October 26, 2026 and Traumatica on October 26, 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.*