Parents' Guide to Nebula

Though this app sets itself up as an appendage, rather than a rival, of YouTube, the comparisons are inevitable -- and the results aren't good. Its main selling point is lack of ads, but it lacks a lot of other things, too, including content. Without it, Nebula isn't worth using, let alone paying for.

The app's first shortcoming is apparent the minute you open it and find you can't register within the app (you're redirected to the app's website). Next, you'll notice the serious lack of content. If you're hoping to find your favorite YouTube star here, you'll likely be disappointed. At the time of review, it has only 75 content creators, so each category contains only two to four videos, some of which are doing double duty in multiple categories. Also, the category list is seriously limited. No Art category? That's a big one on YouTube.

Searches are even more disappointing, mostly finding nothing, or finding things unrelated to your search terms. Granted, the app's currently limited content makes it easy for parents to vet videos for kids, but assuming content grows over time, the app's lack of parental/safety controls could prove problematic. Also problematic -- at least for people who are hearing-impaired -- is the lack of closed captions. Videos are limited to only one automatic resolution and two viewing sizes. But on a more positive note, the app's lack of Like options, comments, and number of views could help foster a nontoxic community that's less competitive and more open to creativity. Along with that, its no-algorithm approach could put content creators on a more even playing field with better chance of being seen (and paid). That said, the developers' claims of offering creators "production resources, design guidance, mentorship, sponsorship, and analytics" remain vague thanks to a total lack of online tools and information. As it stands, due to an overall lack of content, parental controls, and tools, Nebula is far from being useful to either viewers or creators, and is definitely not worth a $5 subscription fee.