# WXPN 88.5 vs Echoes App

The clearest difference is monetization model: WXPN 88.5 at free against Echoes App's subscription. Echoes App's advantage is rating (3.9 vs 3.6) and review sentiment (58% vs 39%). On price, ratings volume, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

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

Echoes App holds the better App Store score, 3.9 against 3.6. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 72 and 58 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 39% of WXPN 88.5's written reviews are positive against 58% of Echoes App's.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 9 months. The most recent releases landed on November 6, 2026 and November 11, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | WXPN 88.5 | Echoes App |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.6 (72 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/wxpn-885/id304658861/reviews) | **[3.9 (58 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/echoes-app/id1050309655/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **72** | 58 |
| Positive reviews | 39.0% of reviews | **58.3% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 9 months | Every 9 months |
| Monetization | **Free** | Subscription |
| Size | 24 MB | 66 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 9+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [University of Pennsylvania](https://appshunter.io/developer/437910363) | [Pennsylvania Public Radio Associates Inc](https://appshunter.io/developer/1050309654) |

## What reviewers say

### WXPN 88.5

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/wxpn-885/id304658861)

Discover emerging and heritage artists with handcrafted playlists and live concert broadcasts. This app offers a vast mix of classic and lesser-known tracks across diverse genres like rock, blues, roots, and folk, curated by music fans for music fans.

**Highlights:** Music discovery, Handcrafted playlists, Live concert broadcasts, Artist interviews, Diverse music genres, Emerging and heritage artists

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🎶 Great music selection
- 🏠 Access from anywhere
- 📱 Easy to use interface
- 🎵 Recently played songs displayed
- 👍 Reliable streaming (for some)

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes
- 🔌 Connection drops/buffering
- 🚗 No more CarPlay support
- 🔋 Battery drain issues
- 🔄 App restarts or plays twice

**Reported bugs**

- App often cuts off or restarts
- App plays twice or reopens on its own
- No longer compatible with Apple CarPlay
- Skips and buffers endlessly
- Archives stop after an hour and don't save progress

**Requested features**

- Bring back CarPlay support
- Optimize for iPad landscape mode
- Add XPN2 stream access
- Improve archive listening (longer history, resume playback)
- Fix concert calendar


### Echoes App

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/echoes-app/id1050309655)

Listen to a daily two-hour music soundscape featuring a wide array of styles from acoustic to electronic, jazz to space music. Explore interviews with modern music figures and live concert recordings.

**Highlights:** Daily music soundscape, Interviews with musicians, Live concert recordings, Explore diverse music styles, Public Radio International content

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is WXPN 88.5 free?

WXPN 88.5 is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Echoes App free?

Echoes App is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, WXPN 88.5 or Echoes App?

Echoes App is rated higher. WXPN 88.5 averages 3.6 out of 5 from 72 ratings, while Echoes App averages 3.9 from 58 ratings.

### Do WXPN 88.5 or Echoes App have ads?

Neither WXPN 88.5 nor Echoes App shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, WXPN 88.5 or Echoes App?

WXPN 88.5 ships an update every 9 months, and Echoes App every 9 months. Most recently, WXPN 88.5 was updated on November 6, 2026 and Echoes App on November 11, 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.*