By Watchly Team  ·  Updated October 9, 2026  ·  11 min read
Rave is still off the App Store

Best Rave Alternative for iPhone & iOS in 2026

Apple pulled Rave from the App Store in August 2025, and as of October 2026 it has not come back, even after Rave sued Apple in five countries. If your group used Rave to watch Netflix and YouTube together on iPhones, you need a replacement that is actually on iOS. We installed and tested the options; these seven work on iPhone and iPad today.

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Updated 2026-10-09 · Rave's App Store status, lawsuit facts and every app's iOS availability verified on that date

Quick answer: The best Rave alternative for iPhone is Watchly. It is a native iOS app (iOS 15 or later) that does what Rave did: synced Netflix, YouTube, Prime Video and Hulu playback with group voice chat, text and reactions, in rooms that friends on Android, Mac and Chrome can join. It is free for those services, with Pro at $4.99 a month for Disney+, HBO Max, Crunchyroll and more. Hearo is the best phone-only runner-up, and Apple SharePlay is a free fallback for all-Apple groups that do not need Netflix.

Is Rave still available on iOS? No. Apple removed Rave from the App Store in August 2025 and it had not been reinstated as of 2026-10-09. Rave filed antitrust lawsuits against Apple in the US, Canada, Brazil, the Netherlands and Russia on May 7, 2026, but those cases are at the complaint stage and there is no restoration date. Rave still runs on Android and Windows. Apps on the App Store that use the Rave name today are unrelated third-party apps.

Best Rave alternative for iPhone by need:

  • Closest to Rave overall: Watchly (native iOS app, voice chat, Netflix and YouTube free, cross-platform rooms).
  • Phone-only groups: Hearo (iOS and Android app with voice, ad-supported).
  • Desktop-first friends who want a known name: Teleparty's iPhone app (iOS 17.6 or later, mixed reviews).
  • Everyone on Apple devices, no Netflix: SharePlay in FaceTime.
  • No install, YouTube nights: Kosmi or Watch2Gether in Safari.
  • Odd sites nothing else supports: Hyperbeam in Safari.

Related reading

7 Rave alternatives that work on iPhone and iPad (2026)

Published by Watchly, maker of the app ranked first. Editorial ranking. Each app's iOS availability, requirements and pricing were checked against the US App Store or the app's official site on 2026-10-09.

1

Watchly Our pick

The Rave experience, still on the App Store: voice rooms, synced Netflix and YouTube, cross-platform

Best for: Former Rave groups who want a native iPhone app that Android and Mac friends can still joiniPhone · iPad · Android · Mac · ChromeFree · Pro $4.99/mo or $29.99/yr (3-day trial)

Rave's appeal on iPhone was simple: open the app, pick Netflix or YouTube, invite friends, talk over the show. Watchly keeps that loop intact. It is a native app on the App Store (iOS 15 or later, also on iPad and Apple-silicon Macs), with Android and Chrome versions, and every version joins the same room. The host presses play and everyone's player follows; pause, seek and resume are mirrored.

Voice chat is push-to-talk and included on the free plan, alongside text chat and live reactions, so there is no need to run a FaceTime or Discord call on the side. Netflix, YouTube, Prime Video, Hulu and SoundCloud are free to sync. Watchly Pro ($4.99 a month or $29.99 a year after a 3-day trial) adds Disney+, HBO Max, Crunchyroll, Peacock, Paramount+, Apple TV+, Plex, Tubi, Pluto TV, Twitch, Dailymotion and Google Drive video, removes ads and lifts the room cap.

Compared with Rave, the main differences former users notice: there is no public-room browsing (Watchly rooms are private, invite-only links), there is no built-in free movie library, and friends on a laptop can join from Chrome, which Rave never offered. Guests tapping a room link can watch along from a browser without an account.

Pros

  • On the App Store today (iOS 15 or later), plus iPad and Mac
  • Voice chat, reactions and text free, like Rave
  • Netflix, YouTube, Prime Video, Hulu and SoundCloud free
  • Android, Mac and Chrome friends join the same room
  • Private invite-only rooms, no unmoderated public lobbies

Cons

  • Disney+, HBO Max and Crunchyroll need Pro
  • No public rooms or built-in free movie library
  • Each viewer needs their own streaming subscription
Download on theApp Store GET IT ONGoogle Play Download on theMac App Store Available in theChrome Web Store
Download on the App Store
2

Hearo

Phone-first watch party app with voice

Best for: Groups where everyone is on an iPhone or Android phoneiPhone · iPad · AndroidFree with ads · in-app purchases

Hearo is the Rave alternative Apple itself surfaces in the "You Might Also Like" row on watch party listings. It requires iOS 16.4 or later, supports Netflix, Disney+, Hulu, Prime Video, HBO Max and YouTube according to its App Store listing, and bundles voice and text chat. Invites are a party link.

It is phone-only: no Mac app and no Chrome extension, so a friend on a laptop is out. The free tier shows ads. For an all-phone group that mostly wants to talk over a show, it is a strong second choice.

Pros

  • Native iOS and Android
  • Voice chat built in
  • Covers the big subscription services

Cons

  • Ads on free tier
  • No desktop or browser option
Visit Hearo ↗
3

Teleparty (iPhone app)

The desktop favourite's iOS app, with caveats

Best for: Groups whose laptop users already run the Teleparty extensioniPhone (iOS 17.6+) · Android · Chrome, Edge, Opera extension · Mac (Safari extension)Free · Premium $6.59/mo or $47.88/yr

Teleparty now has an iPhone app on the US App Store ("Teleparty - Watch Party", iOS 17.6 or later), even though parts of its own support site still say iOS is unavailable. The free tier covers Netflix, Disney+, Hulu, Prime Video, YouTube and HBO Max with text chat; voice and video chat, Crunchyroll, Paramount+ and ESPN+ need Premium.

Reviews are the weak point: the iOS app averaged 2.8 out of 5 from 817 ratings when we checked, and its Premium price is higher than Watchly Pro. If your group is already extension-based on desktop it is the path of least resistance; otherwise a mobile-first app is smoother.

Pros

  • Big existing user base
  • Netflix and Disney+ free
  • Desktop extension for laptop friends

Cons

  • 2.8-star iOS app when checked
  • Voice chat needs Premium ($6.59/mo)
  • Requires iOS 17.6 or later
Visit Teleparty ↗
4

Apple SharePlay

Already on your iPhone, inside FaceTime

Best for: All-Apple groups watching Disney+, Max, Hulu, Paramount+ or Apple TV+iPhone · iPad · Mac · Apple TVFree

SharePlay is the feature Rave accuses Apple of protecting, and for Apple-only groups it is genuinely good: start a FaceTime call, open a supported app and playback syncs for everyone on the call with video and audio chat on top. Disney+, HBO Max, Hulu, Paramount+, Apple TV+, Twitch and Apple Music all support it.

Two deal-breakers for many former Rave users: Netflix does not support SharePlay, and anyone on Android or Windows cannot join. Screen-sharing Netflix over FaceTime shows a black screen because of DRM.

Pros

  • Free, nothing to install
  • FaceTime video and audio
  • Great with Disney+, Max and Apple TV+

Cons

  • No Netflix
  • Apple devices only
  • Every viewer needs the app and subscription
Apple's SharePlay guide ↗
5

Kosmi

Browser rooms that work in Safari on iPhone

Best for: YouTube nights and hangouts with nothing to installSafari or Chrome on iPhone · any desktop browserFree · Pro tier

Kosmi runs in Safari on an iPhone with no app. Rooms include video and voice chat, a synced YouTube player and games, and a link is all friends need. It captures some of Rave's social, drop-in feel.

For Netflix or Disney+ it uses a shared virtual browser rather than per-account sync, which runs into DRM limits and lower quality, so it is the pick for open-web video rather than subscription releases.

Pros

  • No install, works in Safari
  • Video chat and games
  • Free tier

Cons

  • DRM limits on Netflix and Disney+
  • Not a native app
  • Phone browser experience is cramped
Visit Kosmi ↗
6

Watch2Gether

Shared YouTube and music queue in a mobile browser

Best for: YouTube and SoundCloud sessionsSafari or Chrome on iPhone · any desktop browserFree · Plus tier

Watch2Gether works in a phone browser for YouTube, Vimeo, Dailymotion and SoundCloud with a persistent room and shared playlist, no account required to join. If your Rave sessions were mostly YouTube, it is an easy swap.

It is not built for Netflix or Disney+ and has no voice chat on the free plan, so it is a complement to a native app rather than a full Rave replacement.

Pros

  • No install or account
  • Persistent rooms and queue

Cons

  • No Netflix or Disney+
  • No voice chat on free
  • Ads
Visit Watch2Gether ↗
7

Hyperbeam

Shared cloud browser, usable from Safari

Best for: Sites no watch party app supportsAny browser (desktop works best)Free · paid tiers

Hyperbeam streams one shared browser to everyone, so it handles sites with no watch party integration. It opens in Safari on an iPhone, although controlling a desktop browser on a phone screen is fiddly.

Quality is re-encoded and premium services often block DRM playback inside the virtual browser, which keeps it at the bottom of this list for Netflix-first groups.

Pros

  • Works with almost any site
  • No install

Cons

  • Awkward on a phone screen
  • DRM blocks many premium services
  • Lower quality
Visit Hyperbeam ↗

Rave vs the iPhone alternatives

Whether each option is on the App Store today, syncs Netflix per account, includes voice, and lets Android friends join.

AppOn iOS App StoreNetflixYouTubeFree voice chatAndroid friends can joinPrice
Rave—✓✓✓✓Free · Premium (Android/Windows only)
Watchly✓✓✓✓✓Free · Pro $4.99/mo
Hearo✓✓✓✓✓Free with ads
Teleparty✓✓✓—✓Free · Premium $6.59/mo
SharePlayPartial——✓—Free
Kosmi—Partial✓✓✓Free · Pro
Watch2Gether——✓—✓Free · Plus
Hyperbeam—Partial✓✓✓Free · paid

What happened to Rave on iPhone: the timeline

  • August 2025: Apple removed Rave from the App Store. Rave says Apple cited "unspecified allegations of fraud and vague concerns about content moderation". Existing installs kept working but stopped receiving updates.
  • Late 2025: Rave's website added a banner reading "Apple removed Rave from the App Store" and launched saverave.com to rally users. The Android, Windows and Mac downloads stayed up, and Rave says Apple also flagged its Mac build as malware.
  • May 7, 2026: Rave filed antitrust lawsuits against Apple in the United States, Canada, Brazil, the Netherlands and Russia, arguing the removal protected Apple's own SharePlay feature. Apple called the allegations baseless (MacRumors report).
  • October 2026 (now): Rave is still not on the iPhone App Store. The lawsuits are at the complaint stage, so there is no date for a return. Rave remains available on Android and Windows.

Can I still install Rave on my iPhone?

Not from the App Store. If Rave is still on your phone from before August 2025 it may keep opening, but it no longer receives updates, and streaming-site changes will eventually break sync. iOS does not allow sideloading outside the EU's alternative marketplaces, and Rave has not announced a listing there. Be careful with App Store results for "Rave": the apps that appear are unrelated products using the name, not Rave Inc.'s app.

What to look for in a Rave replacement on iOS

Rave users valued a specific combination, so check each alternative against it:

  1. A native iPhone app, not a browser tab. Background audio, notifications and a proper player all depend on it.
  2. Netflix and YouTube in sync with each person logged into their own account. SharePlay fails here because Netflix does not support it.
  3. Voice chat without paying. Rave's voice rooms were free; Teleparty charges for them, Watchly and Hearo do not.
  4. Cross-platform rooms. Rave worked across iPhone and Android. Watchly adds Mac and Chrome; Hearo stays on phones; SharePlay is Apple-only.
  5. Moderation. Reporting on Rave's removal pointed at unmoderated public rooms. Watchly rooms are private and invite-only, which is a safer default for family and friend groups.

How to move your Rave group to Watchly on iPhone

  1. Install Watchly from the App Store (iOS 15 or later). Android friends install it from Google Play; Mac friends from the Mac App Store; laptop friends add the Chrome extension from the download page.
  2. Open the app, choose Netflix, YouTube, Prime Video, Hulu or SoundCloud (all free) and pick the title.
  3. Tap Share and send the room link to your group chat. Everyone who opens it lands in the same room; browser guests do not need an account.
  4. Press play. Hold the mic button to talk, or use reactions and text.
  5. Run a one-minute test with one friend before the full group night to confirm each person's streaming login works.

Rave alternative for iPhone and Android in the same room

This is the question that trips up most lists. Hearo and Watchly both have native apps on both platforms; Watchly also lets Mac and Chrome users join, which matters when one friend only has a laptop. Teleparty covers both phones but gates voice behind Premium. SharePlay excludes Android entirely. See our watch party app for iPhone and Android ranking for the mobile-only view.

Free Rave alternative for iPhone

Watchly's free plan (Netflix, YouTube, Prime Video, Hulu, SoundCloud, voice chat) and Hearo's ad-supported free tier are the two free native options. SharePlay is free for Apple-only groups. Kosmi and Watch2Gether are free in Safari for YouTube. As with Rave, paid services still need each viewer's own subscription.

Related reading

Rave alternative for iPhone FAQ

Is Rave no longer on iOS?
Correct. Apple removed Rave from the App Store in August 2025 and it has not been reinstated as of October 2026. Rave sued Apple in five countries in May 2026 seeking reinstatement, but the cases are ongoing. Rave is still available on Android and Windows.
Why was Rave removed from the App Store?
Apple has not published a detailed reason. According to Rave's lawsuit, Apple cited unspecified fraud allegations and content-moderation concerns; press coverage also pointed at unmoderated public rooms. Rave argues the removal was anticompetitive because Rave competed with Apple's SharePlay. Apple called the allegations baseless. None of the claims have been tested in court yet.
Is there a Rave app available for iOS at all?
Not from Rave Inc. Apps on the App Store that use the Rave name are unrelated third-party products. If you had Rave installed before August 2025 it may still open, but it no longer receives updates.
What are the best alternatives to Rave on iPhone?
Watchly is the closest match: a native iOS app with synced Netflix, YouTube, Prime Video and Hulu, free voice chat, and rooms that Android, Mac and Chrome friends can join. Hearo is the best phone-only alternative, Teleparty has an iPhone app with mixed reviews, and SharePlay is a free option for Apple-only groups that do not need Netflix.
Is there a free Rave alternative for iPhone?
Yes. Watchly is free for Netflix, YouTube, Prime Video, Hulu and SoundCloud with voice chat included. Hearo is free with ads. SharePlay is free inside FaceTime. Kosmi and Watch2Gether are free in Safari for YouTube. Paid streaming services still need each person's own subscription.
Which Rave alternative works on iPhone and Android together?
Watchly and Hearo both have native apps on iOS and Android that share one room. Watchly additionally supports Mac and Chrome. Teleparty covers both phone platforms but charges for voice chat, and SharePlay does not work with Android at all.
Will Rave come back to the App Store?
Unknown. Rave's lawsuits ask for reinstatement, but as of October 2026 there is no ruling or settlement and no announced return date. We will update this page if that changes.
Is Rave or Teleparty better?
On iPhone the question is moot, because Rave is not on the App Store. Teleparty has an iPhone app but requires iOS 17.6 or later, gates voice chat behind Premium, and averaged 2.8 out of 5 when we checked. For a Rave-style experience on iOS today, Watchly or Hearo is the better choice.
Can I share my Netflix account with friends through these apps?
No. Watchly and every legitimate watch party app only synchronize playback. Each viewer signs into their own Netflix, Disney+ or Max account, just as they did with Rave.

Get the Rave experience back on your iPhone

Watchly is on the App Store today: synced Netflix, YouTube, Prime Video and Hulu, free voice chat, and rooms your Android, Mac and Chrome friends can join.

Download on the App StoreSee all platforms