# ARD Sounds vs WDR 5

ARD Sounds and WDR 5 both sit at 4.6 stars, but that hides the real split: 92% of WDR 5's written reviews are positive against 66% of ARD Sounds's. WDR 5 also leads on iOS requirement (15.6 vs 18.0). ARD Sounds's advantage is ratings volume (370 vs 7). On price, rating, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

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

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.6 for ARD Sounds against 4.7 for WDR 5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: ARD Sounds has 370 ratings behind it against 7, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 66% of ARD Sounds's written reviews are positive against 92% of WDR 5's.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 2, 2026 and November 3, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | ARD Sounds | WDR 5 |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.6 (370 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ard-sounds/id1224607890/reviews) | **[4.7 (7 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/wdr-5/id1460138818/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **370** | 7 |
| Positive reviews | 65.6% of reviews | **92.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | Every 3 weeks |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 276 MB | 92 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | **15.6** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 12+ | +12 |
| Developer | [Sudwestrundfunk, Anstalt des offentlichen Rechts](https://appshunter.io/developer/610313722) | [WDR](https://appshunter.io/developer/728414655) |

## What reviewers say

### ARD Sounds

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ard-sounds/id1224607890)

Discover a world of audio content with this free app, offering exclusive podcasts, captivating audio dramas, free audiobooks, and live radio. Enjoy news, sports, and a wide range of genres for entertainment and information on the go.

**Highlights:** Exclusive ARD podcasts, Free audiobooks and dramas, Live radio streaming, News and live sports updates, Offline listening, Custom playlists and watchlists, Cross-device synchronization

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

**In-app purchases:** none


### WDR 5

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/wdr-5/id1460138818)

Listen to live radio streams with program information and the ability to rewind up to two hours. Access on-demand audio content, curated recommendations, and personalized collections of favorite shows and podcasts. Search for specific content and interact with the WDR 5 team.

**Highlights:** Live radio stream, Up to two hours rewind, On-demand audio content, Curated recommendations, Personalized collections, Search functionality, Direct contact options

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is ARD Sounds free?

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

### Is WDR 5 free?

WDR 5 is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, ARD Sounds or WDR 5?

WDR 5 is rated higher. ARD Sounds averages 4.6 out of 5 from 370 ratings, while WDR 5 averages 4.7 from 7 ratings.

### Do ARD Sounds or WDR 5 have ads?

Neither ARD Sounds nor WDR 5 shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, ARD Sounds or WDR 5?

ARD Sounds ships an update every 3 weeks, and WDR 5 every 3 weeks. Most recently, ARD Sounds was updated on November 2, 2026 and WDR 5 on November 3, 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.*