# SBS Audio — user reviews > 75 indexed App Store user reviews of SBS Audio by Special Broadcasting Service Corporation, rated 3.06/5 from 18 ratings. - Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sbs-audio/id470808084/reviews - App overview in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sbs-audio/id470808084.md - Rating breakdown: 5★ 6 · 4★ 2 · 3★ 3 · 2★ 1 · 1★ 6 ## What do users think of SBS Audio? Overall sentiment: negative **Pros** - 👍 Great music selection (Chill) - 👍 Free to use - 👍 Good for language learning - 👍 Clear audio quality - 👍 Works well for some users - 👍 Ad-free experience (for some) - 👍 Easy navigation (for some) **Cons** - 🐛 Frequent app crashes/freezing - 🐛 Pausing/resuming issues (resets to beginning) - 🐛 Frequent connection drops/streaming issues - 🐛 Battery draining quickly - 🐛 Ads interrupting streams - 🐛 Incompatible with CarPlay - 🐛 App not launching after updates - 🐛 Poor user interface/navigation - 🐛 Playlist issues/stale music - 🐛 Support links dead/unresponsive - 🐛 Content not available outside Australia - 🐛 Loss of downloaded podcasts - 🐛 Slow loading times - 🐛 Play button stuck/unresponsive **Commonly reported bugs** - App stops frequently while broadcasting - App not compatible with CarPlay - Cannot pause and play from Home Screen - Dead support link - Ads from current location - Constant streaming issues - App often has to be rebooted to play - Pausing often resets to the beginning - Problematic over Bluetooth speaker - Drains phone battery very quickly - App not launching after update (white blank screen) - App doesn't work after update - Latest version not working on iPhone 6S - Constant cutting out, takes multiple tries to start streaming - Plays for only approx. 10 minutes before stopping - Ads on radio streaming - Music is tired and crappy - Play button gets stuck - Radio stops playing after a minute - Play button stops working after interrupting - Cannot download podcasts - App opens one podcast and becomes unresponsive - Search feature is well hidden - No full episode for Cantonese radio show - Playlist issue for Chill - Hard to navigate and find playlist - Song playlist not accurate - Sharing podcasts has never worked - App freezes after music plays - New version is terrible - Sleep timer missing **Most requested features** - CarPlay compatibility - Dark mode - Ability to slow down speech for language learning - Sleep timer - Search function - Tutorial for new users - Option to view weekly playlists - Purchase songs from iTunes - Download full episodes of podcasts - Improved playlist accuracy - Translate broadcast times to local time ## Newest reviews (18 of 75) ### 3/5 — Way too slow. *2026-05-20, version 6.5.1* Big fan of SBS chill but man it is so slow to load. I give up and go to another app. ### 2/5 — Not ‘CarPlay’ compatible! *2025-10-07, version 6.4.0* Come on SBS! Why on earth isn’t this app compatible with Apple CarPlay? Update: I gave this app two stars years ago, for lack of CarPlay support. Just checked (October 2025), and still a big fat ‘nope’. Is this some sort of unfunny joke, SBS? ### 4/5 — Hi developers 👋 *2025-02-26, version 6.0.0* Because it’s free to use.. contrary to the constant complaints in App Store.. it works fine for me.. I’m happy as long as it remains FREE and REGULARLY UPDATED ### 3/5 — Great but an issue *2024-05-22, version 5.2.1* Love listening to the podcasts but pausing and resuming is an issue. Every time I pause it will restart from the beginning it’s a little annoying. ### 3/5 — Battery draining *2024-01-15* I love to listen to SBS Chill as I work. However after starting to use the app on my phone rather than the TV (when not working from home) I noticed that it drains the phone battery very quickly. ### 3/5 — Easy French not so easy *2023-12-23* Great resource, but I found the Easy French above my level of easy. I do listen to audiobooks in French and I find I can keep up if (a) I know the story and (b) I can slow the speech down to 0.7 or 0.8, depending on the speaker. If you could add that option, I’d be willing to give it another go. ### 3/5 — Getting there! *2023-08-09, version 4.9.0* CarPlay compatibility, please ### 2/5 — Looses connection frequently *2023-05-20, version 4.8.1* Lucky to get 20 minutes without needing to fiddle , doesn’t seem any different with wi-fi or mobile data, car or external speaker. Doesn’t do it with *potify so I think its the app ### 4/5 — Draining my battery *2023-03-05* Hi, I absolutely love listening to SBS chill & have done this for years while I’m working- I find the music selection to be fantastic & really enjoy it! My only negative is lately it’s been noticeably draining my phone battery. I’ve tried it on 2 different phones to make sure it’s not just the handset & both are draining faster while listening. Not sure if it’s due to the updated graphics, but thought I’d mention it, as it’s sadly causing me to use it less. If this could be looked into, that’d be awesome! ### 3/5 — Not bad, few improvements required *2023-03-04, version 4.7.0* Great tunes, but for the love of God; add dark mode! My eyes burn at night. Bonus would be carplay ### 1/5 — Ridiculous! *2023-02-16, version 4.6.4* Worst app ever. Deliberately switches itself off so they can re-advertise on startup again. Ten, fifteen times a day at least… If there was any other option I’d recommend taking it. ### 1/5 — Fairfield NSW 2165 *2023-02-09, version 4.6.3* This app Doesn’t work With iPhone after The update ### 1/5 — Latest version not working on iPhone 6S *2023-02-08, version 4.6.3* The app doesn’t launch after latest update ### 2/5 — Constant cutting out *2023-02-08* Love listening to SBS chill via the app, but it takes 2-3 goes for it to start streaming (with and without wifi connection). It also only plays for approx 10 minutes before it stops, so I have to go back into the app and start again. PLEASE look into fixing app performance!!! ### 1/5 — Used to be great *2022-10-07* This app used to be great. Now if you want to use the app to stream the radio you get a minute of adds - if you pause and restart more adds. I understand this for replaying but when streaming the radio it should be the same experience - please stop the adds. ### 1/5 — Get rid of the ads *2022-08-22, version 4.5.2* Sbs now playing 1 F’ing ad over and over. Ruins the app and experience. ### 1/5 — Music *2022-08-21, version 4.5.2* Was great music now tired and crappy ### 4/5 — No CarPlay support *2022-08-02, version 4.5.2* Please add CarPlay support. ## Most critical reviews (10 lowest-rated) ### 1/5 — Glitchy as *2026-02-06, version 6.4.2* Oh you want to pause? You want to pause and then resume listening to the same podcast? At your own convenience? Get stuffed! You’ll never hear the rest!!! ### 1/5 — Ho *2025-12-30, version 6.4.2* Recently I found it stop frequently while it broadcasting! Please pay a attention for this issue, thanks Ps:few months ago it was excellent! ### 1/5 — CarPlay *2025-10-29, version 6.4.0* Why isn't the app compatible with CarPlay? ### 1/5 — Update needs updating *2025-07-24* It no longer lets me pause and play from the Home Screen. And there’s no way to contact support from the link because it is dead. It’s extremely annoying It’s also really annoying that it has ads from my current location. I keep having to delete cookies. ### 1/5 — My version too old *2025-03-05, version 5.2.4* So be it then. Not buying new iPad jut to update... ### 1/5 — Utterly Useless. *2024-07-04, version 5.2.1* Don’t bother. It will drive you insane with the constant streaming issues (not internet related). The absolute worst app I have ever downloaded. ### 1/5 — No dark mode and barely works for audio, so unreliable *2024-07-02* Seriously I use this at night the light keeps me awake Often I have to reboot the app to make it play. Even then it can take up to ten minutes worst case to make it start playing. Then if you pause it, it will often reset to the beginning of the track. ### 1/5 — Full of bugs *2024-06-02, version 5.2.1* Doesn’t even allow me to pause a recording and continue from where I paused it. Full of bugs. Can’t believe taxpayers are funding this app. Please fix it as soon as possible. ### 1/5 — You get what you pay for.. *2024-05-02* This app is problematic if you want to listen over a Bluetooth speaker. I can listen to SBS Chill on my phone, but as soon as I want to play it over a bluetooth speaker connected to my phone, the app stops, and 9 out of 10 times, it can't be restarted. Absolute junk.. ### 1/5 — update V 4.6.4 *2023-02-22, version 4.6.4* after updating V4.6.4 on an iPhone (ios 12.1.4) , icon still exists but unable to open app - only a white blank screen flashing on/off - restart iphone makes no difference ??? ## Most praised reviews (10 highest-rated) ### 5/5 — Love the new Dark Mode *2025-10-08* Love the new dark mode, so much easier on the eyes at night. The app feels smoother and looks great. I like how easy it is to find my favourite music and podcasts, and the audio is always clear. Such a solid update! ### 5/5 — Love SBS chill *2023-10-04, version 5.0.0* The best music. Please please keep it ad free. ### 5/5 — Perfect app for language learning! *2021-02-18* I started using this app to improve my Spanish and French and I’ve got to say it’s a brilliant resource. I love the variety of the Spanish accents from Spain to Latin America. It also helps me stay up to date with the current news. I can’t believe the amount of other languages they have available too! Love it! **Developer response:** Thank you so much! We are so pleased that you love our app! Keep loving it. Thanks ### 5/5 — Works perfectly *2020-10-13* I have had no problems whatsoever with this app. I listen to news in a number of languages (there are 68 available) and appreciate the ease with which I can navigate from one language to another. The audio is perfectly clear, and the news streams continue to play even in the background, allowing you to use other apps on your device simultaneously. The app is stable, simple to use, and has a clean interface. To top it off, it’s free and without ads. All in all, it’s a great app. ### 5/5 — chill radio *2020-07-18, version 3.3.0* love the sbs chill radio!! my favourite go to after a long day ### 5/5 — G’Day Sire! Best App! flowing along world 🌎 😊 *2020-05-19, version 3.3.0* G’Day Sire! Best App! flowing along world 🌎 😊 ### 5/5 — An Australia door *2019-11-08* Getting up to date Australian news...!!! ### 5/5 — Works *2019-09-27* Works for me. ### 5/5 — Great app *2018-12-22* Using this in the USA, great quality and content !! ### 5/5 — Homesick remedy *2018-06-24* I’m an Aussie expat living in the US. SBS is one of the things I miss about home the most. Love being able to listen on my phone. Thank you! --- *Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-09-17.*