Comparison

Chicago 77.3 vs ALT.radio

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

Head to head
About

Chicago 77.3

Discover emerging artists and engaging talk content. This platform highlights new music, interviews, and mix shows, providing a stage for creators on the rise.

Highlights
  • Showcases hottest music
  • Features interviews
  • Includes talk shows
  • Presents mix shows
  • Gives opportunities to creators
Features
Read full description

Chicago 77.3 A New Digital platform, That showcases the hottest music, interviews, and Talk shows and mix shows around, Giving Opportunities to the people who are on the grind

About

ALT.radio

This app offers a curated, genre-blurring music stream from the 1960s to today. It focuses on indie, punk, experimental, ambient, acoustic, and lofi sounds outside the mainstream. Discover forgotten B-sides, cult classics, and underground releases.

Highlights
  • Genre-blurring music mix
  • Spans 1960s to present
  • Focus on indie, punk, experimental
  • Ambient, acoustic, and lofi beats
  • Deep, non-linear catalog
  • Underground releases
Features
Read full description

ALT.radio is an independent online radio station for music that lives on the edges. Free, streaming 24/7, no account required — just press play and let the deep cuts find you. MUSIC. OFF-KILTER. ALT.radio is a curated, genre-blurring stream spanning the 1960s to right now: indie, post-punk, experimental pop, ambient, acoustic, shoegaze, lofi, and the strange and wonderful in between. We live on the periphery of the musical landscape — forgotten B-sides, cult classics, and essential underground releases you won't hear on mainstream radio. LISTEN — FREE, AND AROUND THE CLOCK • One tap to stream the live station. No sign-up, no paywall. • Full-screen cover art, plus the track and artist for everything that plays. • Background playback with lock screen and Control Center controls. • A sleep timer for late-night listening. • Immersive mode — let the artwork take over the whole screen. GO DOWN THE RABBIT HOLE Hear something you've never heard before? Dig in without leaving the app: • Artist Info — the story behind whoever's on the air. • Discographies — every record an artist made, one tap away. • Artist Photos — put a face to the sound. KEEP WHAT YOU LOVE • Tap the heart to save any song to your Liked list. • Recently Played remembers the last songs to spin, so you never lose the one that got away. SEE WHAT'S ON • The full daily schedule plus specialty shows — including ALT.beats and ALT.live — all times Eastern. BUILT FOR HOW YOU LISTEN • CarPlay: now playing, recently played, the schedule, and one-tap Like, right in the dash. • Designed for iPhone and iPad, and also on Apple TV for the big screen. ALT.radio is independent and listener-supported. If you like what you hear, you can support the station on Patreon and help keep it free and on the air. Questions, requests, or just want to say hey? radio@alt.radio · 404.548.8914 · www.alt.radio Turn it on. Turn it up. Off-kilter awaits.

Screenshots

Chicago 77.34 screens
ALT.radio4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is ads: ALT.radio at none against Chicago 77.3's shown. ALT.radio also leads on update cadence (fortnightly vs every 15 months) and monetization model (free vs ad-supported). Chicago 77.3's advantage is ratings volume (49 vs 2) and iOS requirement (16.0 vs 18.6). On price, rating, review sentiment and in-app purchases 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. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.9 for Chicago 77.3 against 5.0 for ALT.radio. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Chicago 77.3 has 49 ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 100% and 100% positive.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Chicago 77.3 ships an update every 15 months, ALT.radio fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on November 3, 2026 and October 30, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
Chicago 77.3 versus ALT.radio: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterChicago 77.3ALT.radio
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.9 (49 ratings)5.0 (2 ratings) — better
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews100.0% of reviews
Number of ratings49 — better2
Update frequencyEvery 15 monthsFortnightly — better
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationAd-supportedFree — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, Apple Watch — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS16.0 — better18.6
Further details — not scored
Size21 MB13 MB
Age rating12+4+
Developerfred walshKenneth Hamner

Customer experience

Chicago 77.3

All ratings48 ratings
Positive97.9%
Neutral2.1%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews7 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

ALT.radio

All ratings2 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews2 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

None

Chicago 77.3

No in-app purchases

None

ALT.radio

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Chicago 77.3 free?
Chicago 77.3 is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is ALT.radio free?
ALT.radio is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Chicago 77.3 or ALT.radio?
ALT.radio is rated higher. Chicago 77.3 averages 4.9 out of 5 from 49 ratings, while ALT.radio averages 5.0 from 2 ratings.
Do Chicago 77.3 or ALT.radio have ads?
Chicago 77.3 shows ads; ALT.radio does not.
Which is updated more often, Chicago 77.3 or ALT.radio?
Chicago 77.3 ships an update every 15 months, and ALT.radio fortnightly. Most recently, Chicago 77.3 was updated on November 3, 2026 and ALT.radio on October 30, 2026.

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