# Varsity Network vs SBL Play

The clearest difference is ads: SBL Play at none against Varsity Network's shown. SBL Play also leads on update cadence (weekly vs every 2 months) and iOS requirement (12.0 vs 16.4). On price, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Varsity Network ships an update every 2 months, SBL Play weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 15, 2026 and October 4, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Varsity Network | SBL Play |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[2.9 (512 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/varsity-network/id1574519982/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **512** | — |
| Positive reviews | 23.8% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Weekly** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Size | 29 MB | 19 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.4 | **12.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Learfield Communications, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/551780794) | [StayLive AB](https://appshunter.io/developer/1405632964) |

## What reviewers say

### Varsity Network

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/varsity-network/id1574519982)

Access live and on-demand audio broadcasts for college sports teams. Enjoy official team channels, exclusive content, and real-time streaming for games and podcasts. Experience the excitement of college sports audio anywhere.

**Highlights:** Vast audio library of live broadcasts, shows, and podcasts, Official team audio channels, Live audio streaming, On-demand listening for past content, Exclusive original content, NCAA Postseason event coverage

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Great app for college sports fans
- 🔥 Unlimited college sports broadcasts
- 🎉 Free service with no subscription fee
- 🔊 High-quality audio production
- 📡 Ability to listen to local radio broadcasts

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes and freezes
- 🚫 Inability to get past advertisement screen
- 🔍 Difficulty finding and accessing favorite teams
- 🔁 Issues with audio skipping and repeating
- 📵 App not working when screen is locked

**Reported bugs**

- App crashing on launch
- Freezing on advertisement screen
- Audio issues like skipping, repeating, and distortion
- Inconsistent behavior across different devices and OS versions
- Notifications not working as expected

**Requested features**

- Add favorites/bookmarks to easily access preferred teams
- Improve stability and reliability of the app
- Provide more control over audio playback (pause, rewind, etc.)
- Optimize performance and reduce issues with advertisements
- Add support for background audio playback


### SBL Play

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sbl-play/id1593390827)

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Varsity Network free?

Varsity Network is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is SBL Play free?

SBL Play is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Do Varsity Network or SBL Play have ads?

Varsity Network shows ads; SBL Play does not.

### Which is updated more often, Varsity Network or SBL Play?

Varsity Network ships an update every 2 months, and SBL Play weekly. Most recently, Varsity Network was updated on October 15, 2026 and SBL Play on October 4, 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.*