96.5 The Alternative vs 8K
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
96.5 The Alternative
This app provides access to Boise's exclusive Alternative music station, focusing solely on playing music from popular Alternative artists. It offers a politics-free and no-nonsense listening experience for fans of the genre.
- Exclusive Alternative music
- Boise's only Alternative station
- Politics-free content
- Focus on popular artists
- Music-centric experience
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96.5 The Alternative is Boise's ONLY Alternative music station. 96.5 The Alternative is all about the music. No politics, no b.s., just the music. The Alternative features all your favorite Alternative artists.
8K
Stream specialist music shows and curated playlists from New Zealand. Enjoy high-fidelity stereo sound with this bare-bones radio application.
- Hi-fi stereo sound
- Specialist music shows
- Collaborative playlists
- Low-tar streaming
- Official radio app
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Tune in to the very finest hi-fi stereo sounds with 8K.NZ's official bare-bones low-tar streaming radio app - broadcasting specialist music shows and obsessively selected collaborative playlists from a secret base in Christchurch, New Zealand.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is ads: 8K at none against 96.5 The Alternative's shown. 8K also leads on monetization model (free vs ad-supported) and iOS requirement (12.0 vs 18.2). 96.5 The Alternative's advantage is update cadence (every 12 months vs every 34 months). On price, review sentiment, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
96.5 The Alternative ships an update every 12 months, 8K every 34 months. The most recent releases landed on October 21, 2026 and October 8, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | 96.5 The Alternative | 8K |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.9 (8 ratings) — better | — |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 8 — better | — |
| Update frequency | Every 12 months — better | Every 34 months |
| Ads | Yes | No — better |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Ad-supported | Free — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better |
| Requires iOS | 18.2 | 12.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 12 MB | 1 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | Illiad Media Boise, LLC | Dave Branton |
Customer experience
96.5 The Alternative
8K
In-app purchases
96.5 The Alternative
No in-app purchases
8K
No in-app purchases
