GuiaNetflix is an independent mobile app comparison platform. We may earn a commission when you click through.
Video Streaming Apps: Free Does Not Mean Equal
Across 104 listings, every app is free to install, but ratings average 3.49 and iOS leads Android 64 to 40.
Every one of the 104 video-streaming listings is free to install. That sounds like a bargain until you notice the category average: just 3.49 stars. The real split is not free versus paid, because this dataset contains no paid-only apps. It is polished mainstream services versus a long tail of uneven tools, trackers, regional TV apps, and companion products.
One detail changes the reading of the data: 64 listings are on iOS and 40 on Android. That does not prove iOS apps are better rated—the dataset does not provide platform-level averages—but it does show where this catalogue is deepest. For a quick weekend download, start with the major streaming names rather than assuming every free listing is a proper streamer.
Top App Developers
iOS vs Android
The price question has a blunt answer
There is no typical paid-app price to calculate here: 104 out of 104 listings are marked free. But “free” is doing too much work. Amazon Prime Video, Disney+, YouTube, Netflix, and Tubi all appear free to download, while their descriptions or store labels point to subscriptions, in-app purchases, advertising, or paid content.
Use the store price as an installation cost, not as the cost of watching. Tubi is the clearest free-service proposition in the sample, describing itself as free and ad-supported. Prime Video and Disney+ are free to install but tied to in-app purchases. Netflix is also free to download, yet the catalogue is subscription-led. The practical move is simple: check the payment model before deleting another app to make room.
Tubi
Tubi is the rare listing whose pitch is genuinely about free viewing, with movies and live TV supported by advertising. That makes it the first app to test if you want to spend £0, but the trade is obvious: the catalogue and availability can vary by region, including the UK. Compared with subscription-led Netflix or Disney+, Tubi asks for patience rather than a monthly payment. Best for viewers who accept ads and want live channels without starting a subscription.
Amazon Prime Video
Amazon Prime Video looks free in the store, but the listing explicitly says “In-App Purchases,” so the £0 download price tells only half the story. Its brief description covers originals, films, television, and sport, giving it broader scope than a single-genre service. I would choose it over Tubi when you already use Amazon’s ecosystem or want paid content alongside included titles. Best for households that want films, series, and sport in one catalogue and can tolerate extra purchase prompts.
Disney+
Disney+ carries a 4.7 rating from 319,000 App Store ratings, far above the 3.49 average across all 104 listings. That is a meaningful signal of a smoother mainstream experience, although the store page still marks it free with in-app purchases. The limitation is catalogue identity: it is focused rather than broad, so it makes more sense for fans of Disney’s film and series universe than for someone trying to replace every streaming subscription. Best for viewers who want a focused family and franchise catalogue and are comfortable paying beyond the download.
The first cluster reveals the category’s main trick: installation is free, viewing often is not. Tubi is the honest ad-supported outlier; Prime Video and Disney+ use the free download as the front door to paid access. Ratings help here, but only when paired with the payment model.
The next group shows why developer concentration matters. Large platforms are not merely appearing once: Google, Netflix, Disney, and JIOSTAR INDIA PRIVATE LIMITED sit among the leading developers in the dataset. That concentration gives you a better starting shortlist, but it also means the catalogue includes companion apps that are not streaming services in the usual sense.
The big platforms bring the strongest signals
Google appears in the developer list as both Google LLC and Google, while Netflix, Inc. and Disney also rank among the most visible developers. YouTube’s iOS listing has 6.3 million ratings and 4.6 stars, the largest review volume shown in the sample. That is not proof that every Google app is better, but it is a useful confidence signal: a huge review base makes serious usability problems harder to hide.
YouTube
YouTube is the most established app in this group by visible review volume: 6.3 million App Store ratings at 4.6 stars. It also covers music, live streams, news, learning, gaming, and creator content, so it is less a conventional series service than an enormous video hub. The downside is focus—finding a specific film or show can feel less direct than using Netflix or Disney+. Best for viewers who want live content and endless variety, especially on iOS, and can live with in-app purchases and advertising.
Netflix
Netflix is the cleanest fit for people who mean “streaming app” in the traditional sense: films, series, documentaries, and stand-up in one catalogue. The listing says the mobile app supports watching while travelling or commuting and that new titles are added regularly, but it does not show a price in the supplied data. That means the app should be treated as free to install, not free to watch. Best for regular viewers who want a dedicated catalogue rather than a mixed video platform.
Netflix Game Controller
Netflix Game Controller is the category’s useful outlier—and also the easiest listing to misunderstand. It does not stream films or series; it turns a phone into a controller for Netflix games on a TV or browser, with availability still dependent on device support because the feature is in beta. Its 4.4 rating is respectable, but comparing it directly with Netflix would be like comparing a remote control with a cinema. Best for Netflix subscribers testing game streaming who already have a compatible display.
YouTube
The Android YouTube listing confirms the platform’s broad reach, but it should not be counted as a separate service from the iOS version when choosing an app. The useful takeaway is platform coverage: YouTube appears on both sides of the 64-to-40 split, while the supplied sample gives no Android-versus-iOS rating averages. Pick it for access to live streams, creator channels, music, and learning rather than for a tightly edited film catalogue. Best for Android viewers who want one free-to-install video hub and do not mind ads or in-app purchases.
Google’s presence is strongest through YouTube, while Netflix appears both as the main service and as a gaming companion. That distinction matters: a high ranking or strong rating can belong to an app that supports streaming rather than delivers it. Before installing, read the one-line purpose. It can save you from downloading a controller when you wanted a film catalogue.
There is also a data limit worth being honest about. The listings show 64 iOS apps and 40 Android apps, but they do not provide separate average ratings, paid-app prices, or a complete in-app purchase schedule. So the defensible verdict is platform availability, not a claim that one operating system produces better apps.
Regional and companion apps need a sharper filter
The remaining listings are a reminder that “video streaming” covers more than Netflix-style services. Some apps help you track content, edit videos, or access a regional television package. They may be useful, but they should not be judged by the same standard as a full streaming catalogue.
Claro TV República Dominicana
Claro tv República Dominicana is built around a television subscription: its description includes channel selection, programme schedules up to 14 days ahead, recording, favourites, and search by name or category. That is practical for an existing Claro TV customer, but the regional focus makes it a poor general recommendation for UK viewers. The listing says “Get” rather than showing a purchase price, so the app’s value depends on an underlying service plan. Best for Claro TV customers in the Dominican Republic who need mobile control of their channel package.
Originals for Netflix
Originals for Netflix is a tracker, not Netflix itself. Its 4.5 rating is strong, but the small visible review count—606 ratings—makes it a weaker popularity signal than YouTube’s millions or Disney’s 319,000. The listing also says free with in-app purchases and iPad support, so check the device fit before installing. Best for iOS viewers who want to monitor Netflix Originals and do not need the app to play the shows.
YouTube Create
YouTube Create is not a streaming catalogue at all; it is Google’s video-editing companion, with trimming, cropping, transitions, filters, music, voiceover, and automatic captions listed in its description. It belongs in this dataset because it sits beside YouTube, but it should not influence your decision about where to watch films or series. Best for Android creators who want to prepare videos for YouTube without a complex editing workflow.
This final group is where the average rating can mislead. A 4.5-star tracking app, a regional TV companion, and a video editor may all sit beside mainstream streamers, yet they solve completely different problems. Filter by purpose first, then compare ratings within that purpose.
What the data says you should do
Want the lowest possible monthly cost? Start with Tubi, but expect advertising and check UK availability. Want a conventional film-and-series catalogue? Compare Netflix, Disney+, and Prime Video, treating every “free” label as a download price rather than a viewing price. Want live streams and creator video? YouTube has the strongest visible popularity signal, with 6.3 million iOS ratings at 4.6 stars.
For platform choice, iOS has more listings in this sample—64 versus 40—but the data does not establish a better average rating for iPhone or Android. For paid apps, there is no typical price because none of the 104 entries is listed as paid upfront. The honest conclusion is narrower and more useful: free installation is universal, while the real cost appears through subscriptions, ads, regional restrictions, and in-app purchases.
My shortlist is Netflix for a focused catalogue, YouTube for breadth, Tubi for an ad-supported £0 starting point, and Disney+ when its narrower catalogue matches your taste. Before you install anything else, separate the actual streamer from the tracker, editor, and controller. That one filter removes most of the noise.
Once you have narrowed the catalogue, storage and app clutter become the next problem. Our comparison of The Streaming Apps That Earn Space on Your Phone takes that practical question further.
