# WXPN 88.5 vs KEXP

The clearest difference is rating: KEXP at 4.0 against WXPN 88.5's 3.6. KEXP also leads on update cadence (every 2 months vs every 9 months) and ratings volume (278 vs 72). On price, review sentiment, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

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

KEXP holds the better App Store score, 4.0 against 3.6. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 72 and 278 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 39% of WXPN 88.5's written reviews are positive against 42% of KEXP's.

WXPN 88.5 ships an update every 9 months, KEXP every 2 months. Both last shipped on November 6, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | WXPN 88.5 | KEXP |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.6 (72 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/wxpn-885/id304658861/reviews) | **[4.0 (278 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/kexp/id342254135/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 72 | **278** |
| Positive reviews | 39.0% of reviews | **42.4% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 9 months | **Every 2 months** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 24 MB | 56 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.6** | 16.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 9+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [University of Pennsylvania](https://appshunter.io/developer/437910363) | [KEXP.ORG 90.3FM Seattle](https://appshunter.io/developer/342254138) |

## 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


### KEXP

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/kexp/id342254135)

Discover and enjoy a diverse range of music from a global community of artists and fans. This app offers live radio broadcasts and exclusive in-studio performance videos, connecting you to influential music across genres and traditions.

**Highlights:** Live radio broadcasts, Exclusive in-studio performances, Global music community, Music across eras and styles, Online streaming

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**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 KEXP free?

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

### Which has better reviews, WXPN 88.5 or KEXP?

KEXP is rated higher. WXPN 88.5 averages 3.6 out of 5 from 72 ratings, while KEXP averages 4.0 from 278 ratings.

### Do WXPN 88.5 or KEXP have ads?

Neither WXPN 88.5 nor KEXP shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, WXPN 88.5 or KEXP?

WXPN 88.5 ships an update every 9 months, and KEXP every 2 months. Most recently, WXPN 88.5 was updated on November 6, 2026 and KEXP on November 6, 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.*