# 星島A1 vs SmarTone Prepaid

星島A1 and SmarTone Prepaid are too close to call on the numbers: across 6 compared parameters — price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases among them — neither pulls far enough ahead to decide it. What separates them is feature set and interface, not measurable difference.

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 August 24, 2026 and September 18, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | 星島A1 | SmarTone Prepaid |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[2.7 (3 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/a1/id1436803575/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **3** | — |
| Positive reviews | 16.7% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | Every 3 months |
| Monetization | Free | — |
| Size | 31 MB | 61 MB |
| Requires iOS | 12.0 | **11.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [CCUE Chinese Media Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/365197267) | [SmarTone Mobile Communications Limited](https://appshunter.io/developer/358071022) |

## What reviewers say

### 星島A1

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/a1/id1436803575)

This app broadcasts over 70 hours of Mandarin and Cantonese programming weekly, featuring news, current events, interviews, music, and entertainment. It's a popular radio station in Toronto with a strong lineup of hosts.

**Highlights:** Weekly Mandarin and Cantonese broadcasts, News and current events coverage, Host interviews, Music and entertainment programs, Popular Toronto radio station

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

**In-app purchases:** none


### SmarTone Prepaid

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/smartone-prepaid/id6445904283)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is 星島A1 free?

星島A1 is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is SmarTone Prepaid free?

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

### Do 星島A1 or SmarTone Prepaid have ads?

Neither 星島A1 nor SmarTone Prepaid shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, 星島A1 or SmarTone Prepaid?

星島A1 ships an update every 3 months, and SmarTone Prepaid every 3 months. Most recently, 星島A1 was updated on August 24, 2026 and SmarTone Prepaid on September 18, 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.*