Hark Audio vs AARP Streams
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Hark Audio
Discover curated podcast moments and "mixtapes" from expert editors and podcast hosts. Enjoy personalized weekly playlists and a full-featured player for all your favorite shows. Create your own clips and share them.
- Curated podcast moments ('Harklists')
- Personalized weekly playlists
- Full-featured podcast player
- Create custom clips and Harklists
- Import subscriptions from other apps
- Listen on mobile, car, and smart speakers
Read full descriptionHide full description
Hark is a new way to experience the best of podcasts. Time Magazine included it in its "Best Inventions of 2021" list and Hark won the "Vision Award" from American Public Media for being the experience "most likely to reinvent journalism and media." Here’s how it works: Hark editors curate genius podcast moments into ‘Harklists’ - podcast mixtapes - that let you discover new voices, stories, perspectives… and new podcasts! We create Harklists on everything from “History’s Most Audacious Heists,” to “Unleash Your Inner Optimist,” “NBA Weekly,” “Little Known New York Food History,” “Celebrating Joan Didion” and so much more. Every week, you’ll receive “Your Weekly Hark” - a Harklist of podcast moments curated just for you. And of course, you can use Hark to listen to all of your favorite podcasts too. Hark is an easy-to-use, full-featured podcast player that lets you choose your listening speed, create a queue, pick up where you left off and listen on CarPlay or smart speakers. WHAT YOU CAN DO ON HARK Tune in to Hark Daily and tap into the most zeitgeisty podcast conversations of the day. Explore the expanding array of Harklists on everything from Books, Comedy and Science to Tech, Food, Sports, History and more. Experience “Curated by Podcasters” Harklists, created by the hosts of favorite podcasts like Song Exploder, Nice Try and Rough Translation. When you love a clip, tap “Play Full Episode” to continue listening. Bookmark episodes, Harklists and clips into your queue to listen to later. Import your current podcast subscriptions from Spotify and Apple Podcasts with the click of a button. Make your own podcast clips and Harklists. Enjoy a weekly playlist of podcast moments, chosen just for you. Listen on your mobile device, in your car and voice-controlled speakers. All in a beautiful free app curated by people who love podcasts too. Let your ears wander with Hark!
AARP Streams
Stream a curated selection of movies and theater performances specifically chosen for a mature audience. Discover new releases, classic films, and hidden gems. Perfect for relaxing at home or sharing with friends.
- Watch AARP Movies for Grownups
- Access AARP Theater screenings
- Curated content for a grownup audience
- Discover new releases and classics
- Suitable for home viewing or watch parties
Read full descriptionHide full description
AARP Streams allows you to watch a variety of entertainment from your mobile device. The AARP Streams app is the best app to watch AARP Movies for Grownups and AARP Theater screenings, handpicked for a grownup audience. AARP champions movies for grownups, by grownups, by advocating for the 50-plus audience, and encouraging films and performances that resonate with grownup audiences. Discover hidden gems, new releases and beloved classics. Whether you want to relax at home or host a watch party with friends, AARP Streams is the app for you. Enjoy the show!
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is review sentiment: Hark Audio at 65% against AARP Streams's 19%. Hark Audio also leads on rating (4.1 vs 2.3) and ratings volume (85 vs 27). AARP Streams's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and monetization model (free vs free with in-app purchases). On price, update cadence, in-app purchases 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. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
Hark Audio holds the better App Store score, 4.1 against 2.3. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 85 and 27 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 65% of Hark Audio's written reviews are positive against 19% of AARP Streams's.
Hark Audio ships an update every 6 weeks, AARP Streams every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on September 9, 2026 and September 21, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Hark Audio | AARP Streams |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.1 (85 ratings) — better | 2.3 (27 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 64.9% of reviews — better | 18.8% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 85 — better | 27 |
| Update frequency | Every 6 weeks — better | Every 2 months |
| Ads | Yes | No — better |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple TV — better |
| Requires iOS | 13.0 | 13.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 85 MB | 19 MB |
| Age rating | 12+ | 12+ |
| Developer | Hark Audio Inc | AARP |
Customer experience
Hark Audio
AARP Streams
In-app purchases
Hark Audio
No in-app purchases
AARP Streams
No in-app purchases
