# ARD Mediathek vs Mentamic

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: ARD Mediathek at none against Mentamic's 1. ARD Mediathek also leads on ads (none vs shown). Mentamic's advantage is update cadence (every 10 days vs every 3 weeks) and iOS requirement (15.1 vs 17.0). On price and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Mentamic sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $7.99 per year. ARD Mediathek asks for nothing beyond the download.

ARD Mediathek ships an update every 3 weeks, Mentamic every 10 days. The most recent releases landed on October 16, 2026 and October 11, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | ARD Mediathek | Mentamic |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (2K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ard-mediathek/id981496660/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **2K** | — |
| Positive reviews | 41.7% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | **Every 10 days** |
| Monetization | Free | — |
| Size | 78 MB | 52 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **15.1** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, Vision Pro** | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 12+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Sudwestrundfunk, Anstalt des offentlichen Rechts](https://appshunter.io/developer/610313722) | [Lars Tofte](https://appshunter.io/developer/1881067259) |

## 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)


### Mentamic

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mentamic-turn-based-math-game/id6759834254)

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Mental Arithmetic Supporter, annual | $7.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is ARD Mediathek free?

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

### Is Mentamic free?

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

### Do ARD Mediathek or Mentamic have ads?

Mentamic shows ads; ARD Mediathek does not.

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

ARD Mediathek ships an update every 3 weeks, and Mentamic every 10 days. Most recently, ARD Mediathek was updated on October 16, 2026 and Mentamic on October 11, 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.*