Verithiathe honest score on any app
Updated July 2026 · real, multi-region App Store reviews
Head-to-head

nugs vs LivePhish

nugs 4.8★ · Free + IAP 60
Winner LivePhish
LivePhish 4.9★ · Free + IAP 80

For dedicated fans of Phish, LivePhish is the clear choice due to its exclusive content and quick show uploads, while nugs offers a broader selection of live music but struggles with app stability and user experience issues.

Full reviews: nugs · LivePhish

LivePhish is highly praised by Phish fans for its comprehensive archive, quick uploads of new shows, and overall content quality . Nugs, while offering a wider variety of artists, faces significant criticism for app stability, poor UI, and aggressive review prompts R7R16.

Head to head

Content & Variety edge: LivePhishR9R11R12R14
nugs Nugs offers a wide range of live music from various bands, allowing users to listen to shows from many years ago R11R14R44. However, some users feel there's a lack of variety in livestreams, with a focus on certain bands, and some advertised shows are not available R9R12.
LivePhish LivePhish provides an extensive and complete archive of Phish's live music, with new shows uploaded almost immediately after they happen . It is considered essential for any Phish fan .
App Stability & Performance tieR7R16R39R41
nugs Nugs users report frequent app drops, hanging, buffering, and issues with resuming playback R7R16. Some experience login problems after updates, with the app taking them to blank screens R39. CarPlay functionality has also been negatively impacted by recent updates R41.
LivePhish LivePhish also has performance issues, with some users experiencing slow loading or stopping streams, especially with heavy traffic . Airplay can be slow, and the app occasionally restarts songs . Some users report the app stops playing when the phone is locked or minimized .
User Interface & Features tieR1R9R16R18
nugs Nugs lacks basic sorting options for playlists, requiring manual dragging of songs R1. The Apple TV app has limited functionality and search capabilities R9R21. Some users cannot save shows for offline play R18R30, and there are complaints about DRM preventing use on some devices R16.
LivePhish LivePhish users also complain about the lack of sorting options for playlists R61. Search functionality is criticized for not returning adequate results for common terms R84. There are requests for an Apple Watch app , iPad split-screen support , and better Sonos integration .
Price & Value edge: LivePhishR14R15R27R44
nugs Nugs is seen as worth the subscription price by many for the range of music R14R44. However, some users feel the price is too high, especially when compared to services offering video, and dislike tiered subscriptions R15R27. There are also complaints about being charged for video-only shows on top of a subscription R15R57.
LivePhish LivePhish is considered well worth the subscription price, with users highlighting the value of accessing every live show for about 41 cents a day, especially when individual shows can cost $40 .
Customer Support & User Experience edge: LivePhishR4R10R13R19
nugs Nugs is heavily criticized for constantly prompting users for reviews, sometimes multiple times a day or every time the app is opened, even after a review has been submitted R4R10R13R19. Some users also report issues with refunds and being ignored by support .
LivePhish LivePhish also has review prompts, though less frequently cited as a major issue . Some users have had positive experiences with support, receiving solutions from real people . However, one user reported submitting a help request and receiving no response .
Pick nugs if

Pick nugs if you want access to a wide variety of live music from many different artists beyond just Phish, and prioritize a broad selection over specific band focus R11R44.

Pick LivePhish if

Pick LivePhish if you are a dedicated Phish fan who wants immediate access to every live show, values high-fidelity sound, and prioritizes content specific to the band .

Evidence note: Both apps have a significant number of negative reviews related to persistent review prompts, which skews their recent ratings. For nugs, this issue is particularly pronounced and frequently cited. LivePhish's content is exclusively Phish, so its user base is self-selected and highly dedicated, which may contribute to its slightly higher lifetime rating despite similar app performance complaints.

Frequently asked

Can I watch videos on nugs and LivePhish?
Nugs offers some video content, but users complain about being forced to pay extra for video-only shows on top of their subscription and the lack of dedicated smart TV apps, often requiring AirPlay or connecting a computer R15R49R57. LivePhish users express a desire for more full show videos and video streaming options, suggesting it is not a primary feature currently R65.
Do these apps allow offline listening?
Nugs users report issues with saving shows for offline play, with some stating they cannot R18R30. LivePhish users mention the downloadable function R89 but also report problems accessing downloaded music when offline, especially for logging in R84.
What are the main complaints about the user interface?
Both nugs and LivePhish receive significant criticism for their playlist functionality, specifically the lack of sorting options, forcing users to manually drag songs R1R61. Nugs also has limited search and functionality on its Apple TV app R9R21, while LivePhish's search is criticized for not returning adequate results for common terms R84.

What reviewers actually said

Built only from these 120 real reviews (foreign ones translated). Superscripts jump to the quote here. Apple has no per-review links, so [ref] opens that app's reviews on the App Store.

  1. [R9] nugs 3/5 · US All goose, all the time (for the most part). Otherwise great quality app.: Look, I like Goose as much as the next guy, but lately the majority of the livestreams are Goose. I wouldn’t have bought an annual sub had I known it would turn out to be lacking variety to this extent (maybe this will change in the future?). Also, the AppleTV app, while great quality (bravo for that) seems a bit limited
  2. [R11] nugs 5/5 · US Nugs: Definitely spot on for all your favorite bands you can’t see or travel too. Scratches my itch
  3. [R12] nugs 3/5 · US yeooo: needs better search and could be nice to have some more musicians or concerts etc otherwise solid for my top picks tho
  4. [R14] nugs 5/5 · US Worth it: This is the best idea ever! I’m so much happier just listening to all the shows I want to go to instead of feeling like I can’t afford the tickets and travel
  5. [R7] nugs 2/5 · US Ugh: App drops 12 times a day.
  6. [R16] nugs 1/5 · US Poor developer choices: The developers decided to implement widevine DRM, so it can’t be used on most daps. On my iPhone, app doesn’t do gapless consistently, hangs, buffers, doesn’t resume properly. Really poor design.
  7. [R39] nugs 1/5 · US worthless: signed up and opened to a blank white screen…. I could research on web browsers about this app and its payments and free trial mechanisms etc….nothing. Tried signing in with Facebook and apple after already creating a nugs account: nothing. There are sooo many ways to legally download the best versions of GD shows and there are so many streaming apps like food ole archive.org…. why c
  8. [R41] nugs 1/5 · US New update is horrible: WHY did you change the CarPlay functionality so much? When I select an album while plugged into CarPlay, I cannot select a song manually anymore. It starts every album and play list from the beginning. I have to go on my phone to choose a song from the album which is far more dangerous when driving. Seriously considering canceling until this is fixed.
  9. [R1] nugs 2/5 · US No “Sort” option for Playlists: The only way to sort/arrange songs in a playlist is by manually dragging each song, one-by-one, from the very bottom of the playlist where they’re added up to wherever you want it. If you want to sort alphabetically (Artist, Song Title, Album/Show/Venue), Recently Added to Playlist, or most importantly: Date of Show; you’re out of luck. Given the live music angle of
  10. [R18] nugs 3/5 · US Offline: Can’t save for offline play.
  11. [R15] nugs 3/5 · US Video Only Shows?: $14.99 a month is similar to Netflix, Disney+, etc streaming services that provide video… The fact that there are shows that are only video is unacceptable. Makes me wonder why I pay what I do when I can get most of the same shows on archive for free. Yes Nugs has better sound, but come on! This is a forced upgrade to an unreasonable price range. I am such a fan of the service a
  12. [R27] nugs 3/5 · US Like & Gripe: Overall satisfied. I Like as much as I Gripe . Service and price could be better . But also could be worse. But I recall the day when I got almost everything I seen and heard at a festival for free. Now I pay and sometimes don’t get it all or can’t . Would like quicker access. But livestreams are cool…if they work and are not glitchy . Switching out promotion rate like c
  13. [R44] nugs 5/5 · US So worth the subscription price: Nugs has really blown me away with how the range of music & recordings offered. I can listen to shows I went to in my little college town from 10 YEARS AGO. Love the modern world of music apps & nugs is tops
  14. [R4] nugs 1/5 · US Stop making me review you every day it's obnoxious: Good
  15. [R10] nugs 1/5 · US Stop asking me for a review: Stop pestering me for a review
  16. [R13] nugs 1/5 · US Should’ve been 5 stars: Great great app. Cant believe all of the great music on this app. Definitely would’ve been a 5 star review but Nugs keeps asking me to rate it and apparently rating it 50 times is not enough to stop the never ending prompt.
  17. [R19] nugs 1/5 · US Stop asking for a review: For weeks now I’ve been asked for a review every single time I open the app. Annoying for sure
  18. [R49] nugs 1/5 · US No video: Wasted my money. Can’t get any video only audio and BS graphics.
  19. [R57] nugs 1/5 · US Can we finally get an app for streaming video?: Crazy to think they can’t be bothered to provide an app for Roku or smart tv’s. The only real option is to airplay or hook a computer up to your tv. AirPlay always glitches and for the amount they charge I shouldn’t have to drag my laptop into my living room to watch a D&c livestream I paid close to $30 dollars for on top of my subscription fee. Gr
  20. [R65] LivePhish 5/5 · US More full show videos: One thing I really wish this app would do is let us watch the shows we went to
  21. [R30] nugs 3/5 · GB Good for streaming: Works well and the audio quality is good for streaming. Without a subscription, it is limited. It would be good to have the ability to download shows you've purchased (rather than just stream) and to get better iPad support. It would then be worth 5 stars.
  22. [R84] LivePhish 1/5 · US Great music, mediocre app: I’m happy to pay for access to Phish’s music, but the app falls short over and over again. “Halloween”, “New Year’s Eve” and “Island Tour” are three phrases that don’t return adequate results in the search bar. I often can’t get to my *downloaded* music when I’m off WiFi/out of cell service. The app offers no access to lyrics, no still photos from shows, nowhere
  23. [R89] LivePhish 5/5 · US Alex Griffin: Re-living every show through the band’s legit app is a true treat. Sound quality is top notch, love the downloadable function, and am stoked for this new video feature! I love this band!
  24. [R21] nugs 3/5 · US No search option for Apple TV: The app is really awesome on the IPhone, but what gives with the lack of functionality using Apple TV? You can’t search and there’s no choice between watching and listening. Pretty lame as I was excited to pay $25 / month to watch a lot of great concerts. However, I’m not interested in watching everything on my Iphone. I guess I could airplay, but why should I have
  25. [R61] LivePhish 1/5 · US Sorting: Please let us sort the order of our playlists. The app was updated and now playlists are in order of creation date instead of alphabetical. Please allow changes to sorting.

Synthesized from 120 recent App Store reviews · updated July 2026 · View on the App Store