# Thunder 98.1 vs Bates FM

The clearest difference is ads: Bates FM at none against Thunder 98.1's shown. On price, update cadence, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

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

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 26, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Thunder 98.1 | Bates FM |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[3.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/thunder-981/id1226084697/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **2** | — |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | Every 3 months |
| Monetization | Ad-supported | — |
| Size | 78 MB | 30 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 15.6 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple TV** |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Townsquare Media, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/433762450) | [Rick White](https://appshunter.io/developer/1205030712) |

## What reviewers say

### Thunder 98.1

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/thunder-981/id1226084697)

Stay informed with local news, weather, and traffic updates. Listen live to radio shows, interact with hosts, and receive instant alerts for breaking news and contests. Save articles for later and share content easily.

**Highlights:** Live radio streaming, Local news and weather updates, Traffic information, Interactive host communication, Breaking news alerts, Article saving for offline reading, Content sharing

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

**In-app purchases:** none


### Bates FM

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bates-fm/id1308082737)

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Thunder 98.1 free?

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

### Is Bates FM free?

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

### Do Thunder 98.1 or Bates FM have ads?

Thunder 98.1 shows ads; Bates FM does not.

### Which is updated more often, Thunder 98.1 or Bates FM?

Thunder 98.1 ships an update every 3 months, and Bates FM every 3 months. Most recently, Thunder 98.1 was updated on October 24, 2026 and Bates FM on October 26, 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.*