Comparison

ESPN Chicago vs CHSN

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

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.

Highlights
  • Live sports talk radio
  • Interactive host discussions
  • Debate latest team news
  • Chicago sports coverage
  • National sports stage updates
Features
Read full description

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.

About

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.

Highlights
  • Live game streaming
  • Game highlights
  • Real-time stats
  • Team updates
  • Multisport programming
  • Chicago sports shows
Features
Read full description

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

ESPN Chicago4 screens
CHSN4 screens

Verdict

The call

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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

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.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

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.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

ESPN Chicago ships an update every 10 months, CHSN fortnightly. Both last shipped on September 22, 2026.

Scorecard7 real differences · 4 level
ESPN Chicago versus CHSN: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterESPN ChicagoCHSN
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.7 (3.4K ratings) — better4.3 (3.3K ratings)
Positive reviews41.2% of reviews — better25.7% of reviews
Number of ratings3.4K — better3.3K
Update frequencyEvery 10 monthsFortnightly — better
AdsYesYes
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationAd-supported — betterSubscription
Best chart rank—#25 — better
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple TV — better
Requires iOS16.615.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size26 MB229 MB
Age rating12+4+
DeveloperGOOD KARMA BROADCASTING LLCChicago Sports Broadcasting LLC

Customer experience

ESPN Chicago

All ratings3,363 ratings
Positive93.4%
Neutral1.8%
Negative4.8%
Written reviews114 reviews
Positive41.2%
Neutral8.8%
Negative50.0%

CHSN

All ratings3,285 ratings
Positive83.0%
Neutral4.0%
Negative13.1%
Written reviews417 reviews
Positive25.7%
Neutral7.2%
Negative67.1%

User reviews

ESPN Chicago

From 3.4K App Store ratings

What 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 ratings

What 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

None

ESPN Chicago

No in-app purchases

5 purchases

CHSN

Subscriptions5
  • White Sox Monthly Team Pass$19.991 Month
  • Bulls Monthly Team Pass$19.991 Month
  • Blackhawks Monthly Team Pass$19.991 Month
Show 2 more
  • All 3 teams - Monthly$29.991 Month
  • Annual Plan$349.991 Year

Questions

Is ESPN Chicago free?
ESPN Chicago is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is CHSN free?
CHSN is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, ESPN Chicago or CHSN?
ESPN Chicago is rated higher. ESPN Chicago averages 4.7 out of 5 from 3.4K ratings, while CHSN averages 4.3 from 3.3K ratings.
Do ESPN Chicago or CHSN have ads?
Both ESPN Chicago and CHSN show ads.
Which is updated more often, ESPN Chicago or CHSN?
ESPN Chicago ships an update every 10 months, and CHSN fortnightly. Most recently, ESPN Chicago was updated on September 22, 2026 and CHSN on September 22, 2026.

Other comparisons