# Big 98.1 vs SmartBee

The clearest difference is ads: SmartBee at none against Big 98.1's shown. SmartBee also leads on update cadence (every 5 weeks vs every 6 months) and device support (4 vs 2). Big 98.1's advantage is iOS requirement (16.6 vs 18.6). On price 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.

Big 98.1 ships an update every 6 months, SmartBee every 5 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 24, 2026 and October 4, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Big 98.1 | SmartBee |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[3.8 (6 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/big-981/id1196916766/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **6** | — |
| Positive reviews | 50.0% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 6 months | **Every 5 weeks** |
| Monetization | Ad-supported | — |
| Size | 56 MB | 17 MB |
| Requires iOS | **16.6** | 18.6 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [JVC Media LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/444084204) | [Sveinar Rasmussen](https://appshunter.io/developer/1787539502) |

## What reviewers say

### Big 98.1

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/big-981/id1196916766)

Stream classic hits from the 60s, 70s, and 80s, featuring iconic artists like Elton John, The Beatles, and Madonna. Enjoy the biggest songs of your life with this radio app.

**Highlights:** Classic hits radio, 60s music, 70s music, 80s music, Iconic artists, Live streaming

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

**In-app purchases:** none


### SmartBee

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/smartbee/id6740168219)

**Features:** Apple Watch app, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Big 98.1 free?

Big 98.1 is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is SmartBee free?

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

### Do Big 98.1 or SmartBee have ads?

Big 98.1 shows ads; SmartBee does not.

### Which is updated more often, Big 98.1 or SmartBee?

Big 98.1 ships an update every 6 months, and SmartBee every 5 weeks. Most recently, Big 98.1 was updated on September 24, 2026 and SmartBee on October 4, 2026.

---

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