# ARD Mediathek vs Skydown x 22

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: ARD Mediathek at none against Skydown x 22's 2. ARD Mediathek also leads on device support (4 vs 1). Skydown x 22's advantage is update cadence (every 4 days vs every 3 weeks). On price, ads and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Skydown x 22 sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month. ARD Mediathek asks for nothing beyond the download.

ARD Mediathek ships an update every 3 weeks, Skydown x 22 every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on October 29, 2026 and October 25, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | ARD Mediathek | Skydown x 22 |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 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 | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | **Every 4 days** |
| Monetization | Free | — |
| Size | 78 MB | 40 MB |
| Requires iOS | **17.0** | 18.5 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, Vision Pro** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Sudwestrundfunk, Anstalt des offentlichen Rechts](https://appshunter.io/developer/610313722) | [Ngoc Anh Nguyen](https://appshunter.io/developer/1888526432) |

## 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)


### Skydown x 22

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/skydown-x-22/id6761268946)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Family Sharing, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Ai Creator | $3.99 | per month |
| AI Studio | $8.99 | per month |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is ARD Mediathek free?

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

### Is Skydown x 22 free?

Skydown x 22 is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Do ARD Mediathek or Skydown x 22 have ads?

Neither ARD Mediathek nor Skydown x 22 shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, ARD Mediathek or Skydown x 22?

ARD Mediathek ships an update every 3 weeks, and Skydown x 22 every 4 days. Most recently, ARD Mediathek was updated on October 29, 2026 and Skydown x 22 on October 25, 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.*