# NBL vs PBA

The clearest difference is ads: PBA at none against NBL's shown. PBA also leads on monetization model (free vs ad-supported). NBL's advantage is rating (4.8 vs 4.4) and update cadence (fortnightly vs every 3 months). On price, review sentiment, ratings volume and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

NBL holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.4. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 10 and 7 respectively. Written reviews complicate that: 31% of NBL's written reviews are positive against 33% of PBA's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

NBL ships an update fortnightly, PBA every 3 months. Both last shipped on October 24, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | NBL | PBA |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (10 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nbl/id1046278655/reviews)** | [4.4 (7 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pba-the-app/id1130797718/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **10** | 7 |
| Positive reviews | 31.4% of reviews | **33.3% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Fortnightly** | Every 3 months |
| Monetization | Ad-supported | **Free** |
| Size | 75 MB | 109 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.6** | 18.6 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [National Basketball League Pty Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/1713101724) | [Pen One Digital Corporation](https://appshunter.io/developer/1485520835) |

## What reviewers say

### NBL

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nbl/id1046278655)

Your official courtside pass to the National Basketball League. Stream live match stats, follow play-by-play, and track scores in real time. Access highlights, news, schedules, and buy tickets and merchandise.

**Highlights:** Live match stats, Real-time play-by-play, Historical stats hub, Match highlights, Breaking news, Team schedules and standings, Ticket and merchandise purchasing

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


### PBA

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pba-the-app/id1130797718)

Stay updated with the Philippine Basketball Association. Access the latest news, team and player information, standings, live games, schedules, and results. Discover upcoming events and promotions.

**Highlights:** Latest News Updates, Team and Player Information, League Standings, Live Game Information, Schedules and Results, Events and Promotions

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is NBL free?

NBL is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is PBA free?

PBA is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, NBL or PBA?

NBL is rated higher. NBL averages 4.8 out of 5 from 10 ratings, while PBA averages 4.4 from 7 ratings.

### Do NBL or PBA have ads?

NBL shows ads; PBA does not.

### Which is updated more often, NBL or PBA?

NBL ships an update fortnightly, and PBA every 3 months. Most recently, NBL was updated on October 24, 2026 and PBA on October 24, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*