ESPN Chicago vs CHSN
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
ESPN Chicago
Stay connected with Chicago's vibrant sports scene. Engage in discussions and debates about local teams with popular hosts. Experience the pulse of one of the nation's most talked-about sports cities.
- Live sports talk radio
- Interactive host discussions
- Debate latest team news
- Chicago sports coverage
- National sports stage updates
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ESPN 1000 is Chicago’s Home For Sports! Our hosts talk about the topics of the day and let you interact with them to discuss and debate the latest with our teams. Chicago, one of the largest, most talked about sports cities in the country, is frequently on the national stage.
CHSN
Access live games, highlights, and real-time stats for Chicago's major sports teams. Enjoy 24/7 multisport programming and in-depth coverage of local sports news and shows. Stay connected to your favorite Chicago teams anytime, anywhere.
- Live game streaming
- Game highlights
- Real-time stats
- Team updates
- Multisport programming
- Chicago sports shows
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Welcome to the CHSN App – the official app of the Chicago Sports Network. With more than 300 live Blackhawks, Bulls, and White Sox games annually, first-class pre- and-post game coverage, and 24/7 multisport programming, we are taking your Chicago sports fandom to the next level. Chicago Sports Network is the official home of the Blackhawks, Bulls, and White Sox, and the CHSN App is built by Chicago sports fans - for Chicago sports fans. The CHSN App is the best place to watch live games, the best highlights, and stay informed with real-time stats and team updates, ensuring you’re always in the loop. The App also offers access to CHSN's full slate of Chicago-focused sports programming, including shows about pro football, college football and the network’s cornerstone show, "The Chicago Lead," which highlights all of Chicago sports. Whether you’re on-the-go or watching from home, CHSN brings the love of the game right to your fingertips. Download now and never miss a moment of the action. Log in for free and subscribe to an annual or monthly plan. This app offers monthly and annual auto-renewable subscriptions. You may cancel your subscription in your phone settings at any time. Monthly & Annual subscriptions are available. Payment will be charged to iTunes Account at confirmation of purchase. Subscription automatically renews unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24-hours before the end of the current period. Account will be charged for renewal within 24-hours prior to the end of the current period and identify the cost of the renewal. Subscriptions may be managed by the user and auto-renewal may be turned off by going to the user's Account Settings after purchase. Terms of Use: https://chsn.com/terms-of-use Privacy Policy: https://chsn.com/privacy-policy CHSN content can also be viewed in retail locations and various venues throughout the US.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is in-app purchases: ESPN Chicago at none against CHSN's 5. ESPN Chicago also leads on rating (4.7 vs 4.3) and review sentiment (41% vs 26%). CHSN's advantage is update cadence (fortnightly vs every 10 months) and chart position (#25 vs unranked). On price, ratings volume, ads and iOS requirement 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. CHSN sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $19.99 per month. ESPN Chicago asks for nothing beyond the download.
ESPN Chicago holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.3. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 3.4K and 3.3K respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 41% of ESPN Chicago's written reviews are positive against 26% of CHSN's.
ESPN Chicago ships an update every 10 months, CHSN fortnightly. Both last shipped on September 22, 2026.
| Parameter | ESPN Chicago | CHSN |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.7 (3.4K ratings) — better | 4.3 (3.3K ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 41.2% of reviews — better | 25.7% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 3.4K — better | 3.3K |
| Update frequency | Every 10 months | Fortnightly — better |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | Ad-supported — better | Subscription |
| Best chart rank | — | #25 — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple TV — better |
| Requires iOS | 16.6 | 15.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 26 MB | 229 MB |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | GOOD KARMA BROADCASTING LLC | Chicago Sports Broadcasting LLC |
Customer experience
ESPN Chicago
CHSN
User reviews
ESPN Chicago
From 3.4K App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 🎉 Entertaining content
- 🌍 Listen anywhere
- 📻 Great radio lineup
- 🐻 Bears coverage
Room to improve
- 🐛 App randomly turns on
- ⏯️ Playback issues (pausing, rewinding)
- 📢 Unwanted audio playback
- 🔍 Navigation/UX problems
- 🚫 Blackout issues for out-of-market users
CHSN
From 3.3K App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 👍 Reliable content
- 🚀 Solid streaming experience
- 💡 Vertical feed is awesome
Room to improve
- 🐛 Buggy, choppy video feed
- 🔌 Casting/AirPlay issues
- 💰 Expensive subscription
- 🤔 Limited device compatibility
Bugs and requests
ESPN Chicago
Reported bugs
4 issues- App randomly activates and plays audio
- Podcast episodes not playing in order
- Content disappearing from the app
- Buffering and connectivity issues
Requested features
3 requests- Podcast playback in chronological order
- Pause and rewind functionality
- Improved auto-play behavior
CHSN
Reported bugs
3 issues- Video freezes and needs refreshing
- Incorrect location detection
- Live TV not working in some areas
Requested features
3 requests- On-demand game replays
- Downloadable app for smart TVs
- Multi-device login support
In-app purchases
ESPN Chicago
No in-app purchases
CHSN
- White Sox Monthly Team Pass$19.991 Month
- Bulls Monthly Team Pass$19.991 Month
- Blackhawks Monthly Team Pass$19.991 Month
Show 2 moreShow fewer
- All 3 teams - Monthly$29.991 Month
- Annual Plan$349.991 Year
Questions
Is ESPN Chicago free?
Is CHSN free?
Which has better reviews, ESPN Chicago or CHSN?
Do ESPN Chicago or CHSN have ads?
Which is updated more often, ESPN Chicago or CHSN?
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