shouldiuse.io

VERDICT

Should I use ESPN?

Not disclosed - espn.en.uptodown.com

Depends. The free app is fine for scores and news; only pay if you specifically need ESPN's exclusive live rights at $12-$30/month. Skip this Uptodown download page and install from official app stores instead.

Confidence

Medium. Based on 20+ public sources; consumer reviews skew negative on paid tiers, positive on the free app

Ratings

  • Value for money
  • Ease of use
  • Feature depth
  • Support quality
  • Security posture

Pricing

$0

Free app

ModelNot disclosed
Monthly feesNot disclosed
HardwareNot disclosed
Free tierYes
ESPN Select~$12/mo
ESPN Unlimited~$30/mo

Best for

  • US sports fans wanting free scores and news
  • Die-hards needing ESPN's exclusive live rights
  • Cable subscribers who already get ESPN access

Not for

  • Budget cord-cutters — Unlimited hits $30/mo
  • Anyone allergic to subscription billing hassles
  • Casual users who only need scores — the free app covers it
  • Non-US viewers — blackout and rights limits apply (guess)

Gotchas - check before you buy

high

Price increase effective September 17, 2026 — lock in or budget for it

high

PissedConsumer complaints include billing disputes and double charges

medium

DIRECTV customers paid for ESPN Unlimited but couldn't watch; support finger-pointing

medium

This Uptodown page is a third-party APK mirror with no security page — use official stores

Pros and cons

Pros

  • App Store reviewers call it "an excellent app"
  • All-in-one: live sports, scores, and exclusive originals
  • Base app is free for scores, news, and alerts

Cons

  • 1.7/5 rating across 1.4K PissedConsumer reviews
  • Redditors harshly pan paid streaming value and quality
  • Billing disputes and double charges reported
  • Paid subscribers report access conflicts with distributors

Sources & method

Analyzed 9/25/2026 - 12 sources - No CVEs for the iOS app; Zscaler previously flagged ScoreCenter; this Uptodown mirror has no security page.

official x2review x4security x4news x2
  • Zscaler 'Mobile App Wall of Shame' listing, Zscaler security researchers publicly flagged the ESPN ScoreCenter app in their mobile app research series.
  • ESPN social accounts compromised by OurMine, The OurMine hacking group compromised ESPN's Twitter accounts; social account compromise, not the app itself.
  • Third-party APK distribution, The Uptodown listing shows no security page; sideloading APKs skips Google Play or App Store vetting.

Key stats

  • Value for money: 2/5

    Rating

  • $0

    Starting price

  • 12

    Sources

  • Analyzed

  • Value for money: 2/5. Reddit and PissedConsumer pan the paid tier's value
  • Ease of use: 3/5. App Store praise vs harsh Reddit complaints
  • Feature depth: 4/5. Scores, live sports, originals in one app
  • Support quality: 2/5. Billing disputes and finger-pointing reported
  • Security posture: 3/5. No CVEs, but Zscaler flagged ScoreCenter
  • 1.7/5 PissedConsumer rating 1.4K+ reviews
  • $12/mo Starting price ESPN Select plan
  • Yes Free tier scores, news, alerts in base app
  • $30/mo Top plan ESPN Unlimited, price rising Sept 2026

Pricing

Free app

$0

  • Scores and news
  • Team alerts
  • No live games

ESPN Select

~$12/mo

  • Entry streaming tier
  • Select live events
  • Free trial for new subscribers

ESPN Unlimited

~$30/mo

  • Full live sports
  • All ESPN networks
  • Price rising Sept 2026

Security

No CVEs for the iOS app; Zscaler previously flagged ScoreCenter; this Uptodown mirror has no security page.

  • Zscaler 'Mobile App Wall of Shame' listingZscaler security researchers publicly flagged the ESPN ScoreCenter app in their mobile app research series.⁶
  • ESPN social accounts compromised by OurMineThe OurMine hacking group compromised ESPN's Twitter accounts; social account compromise, not the app itself.⁸
  • Third-party APK distributionThe Uptodown listing shows no security page; sideloading APKs skips Google Play or App Store vetting.10

What users say

Opinions are polarized: app-store reviewers like the app, while Reddit and PissedConsumer users slam ESPN+ value, billing, and service quality.

“ESPN is an excellent app”
Apple App Store review
“Espn is absolutely trash”
Reddit, r/ESPN
“ESPN is a dumpster fire.”
Reddit, r/ESPN

Alternatives

Compare ESPN with each alternative.

Full analysis

Based on 20+ public sources; consumer reviews skew negative on paid tiers, positive on the free app

Free scores app is fine. Paid streaming runs $12-$30/mo with billing complaints. Use official stores, not Uptodown.

Methodology

Based on 20+ public sources; consumer reviews skew negative on paid tiers, positive on the free app

Sources

  1. ESPN: Live Sports & Scores — App Store reviewsapps.apple.com
    review
  2. ESPN reviews on PissedConsumerespn.pissedconsumer.com
    review
  3. How Much Is ESPN Streaming? — NerdWalletnerdwallet.com
    official
  4. ESPN streaming price increase — Varietyvariety.com
    news
  5. ESPN Unlimited finger pointing — DIRECTV forumsforums.directv.com
    review
  6. Mobile App Wall Of Shame: ESPN ScoreCenter — Zscalerzscaler.com
    security
  7. ESPN iOS app CVE scanscout.appaloosa.io
    security
  8. Hacking group goes after ESPN — Awful Announcingawfulannouncing.com
    security
  9. ESPN+ is Terrible — Redditreddit.com
    review
  10. ESPN Uptodown security pageespn.en.uptodown.com
    security
  11. Stream live sports with ESPN — officialplus.espn.com
    official
  12. YouTube TV alternatives as Disney pulls ESPN — Newsweeknewsweek.com
    news

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