WFUV vs KCRW
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
WFUV
Access two live music streams and a vast archive of performances and video sessions. Enjoy commercial-free listening and viewing of exclusive content from a public media source.
- Two live music streams
- FUV Live Vault performances
- Video of private concerts
- Commercial-free listening
- Music discovery
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WFUV is Listener Supported Public Media from Fordham University in New York City Music Discovery Starts Here Choose from two live streams, thousands of performances in the FUV Live Vault, or video of private concerts and sessions for your commercial-free listening and viewing pleasure. The majority of our funding comes from listeners like you. Find out more about WFUV Membership at wfuv.org.
KCRW
Access a curated selection of music, news, and cultural content. Enjoy new livestreams, real-time song information, and exclusive member benefits.
- Curated music and shows
- New livestreams (Dance24, Vintage24)
- Real-time "Now Playing" information
- Member perks
- Redesigned interface
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Your shortcut to the music, shows, and city you love. The KCRW app is your home for in-depth journalism, community storytelling, and free music discovery. Stream live, catch up on shows, and hear real-time Now Playing. New in this version: Explore LA. Discover events, places, and cultural picks curated by KCRW, browse hand-picked collections from local experts, and see what's happening near you on an interactive map. Bookmark your favorites to revisit or share, and keep all your member perks in one place. With livestreams including Dance24 and Vintage24, member perks in your pocket, and now a curated guide to the city, there's more to discover than ever.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: WFUV at 4.0 against KCRW's 2.9. WFUV also leads on iOS requirement (10.0 vs 15.6). KCRW's advantage is update cadence (monthly vs every 8 months) and review sentiment (32% vs 13%). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model 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.
WFUV holds the better App Store score, 4.0 against 2.9. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: KCRW has 393 ratings behind it against 22, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 13% of WFUV's written reviews are positive against 32% of KCRW's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.
WFUV ships an update every 8 months, KCRW monthly. The most recent releases landed on September 27, 2026 and September 30, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | WFUV | KCRW |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.0 (22 ratings) — better | 2.9 (393 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 13.0% of reviews | 32.4% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 22 | 393 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 8 months | Monthly — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 10.0 — better | 15.6 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 34 MB | 121 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Jacobs Media | KCRW |
Customer experience
WFUV
KCRW
User reviews
WFUV
From 22 App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 👍 Great station content
- 👍 On-demand listening
- 👍 Simple interface
- 👍 Free to use
Room to improve
- 🐛 App crashes frequently
- 🐛 App does not open
- 🐛 Incompatible with newer iOS
- 🐛 AirPlay issues
- 🐛 Buffering problems
KCRW
From 393 App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 💎 Best music station
- 🎧 Excellent music selection
- 🌍 Accessible from anywhere
- 🔍 Helpful for music discovery
Room to improve
- 🐛 Buggy and crashes frequently
- 🔋 High battery consumption
- 🔍 Difficult to navigate
- 🔇 Playback issues (pausing, resuming, skipping)
- 🔧 Broken functionality after updates
Bugs and requests
WFUV
Reported bugs
18 issues- App crashes upon start
- App does not open
- App crashes when adjusting volume
- App crashes when multitasking
- App crashes when switching streams
Show 13 moreShow fewer
- App crashes after iOS update
- AirPlay not working with LG C9
- AirPlay inconsistent with Apple TV
- App starts to play music then crashes
- App opens, then disappears
- App minimizes to background immediately
- Constant stopping and buffering issues
- App won't open after last OS upgrade
- App broken since last iOS update
- App crashes every time
- App flatlined, appears to open then shuts out
- App immediately crashes
- App has been broken for months
Requested features
9 requests- Update the app
- Fix bugs
- Improve compatibility with newer iOS
- Fix AirPlay issues
- Add song title information
Show 4 moreShow fewer
- Add album art
- Allow listening to game broadcasts
- Update for OS 4.0 compatibility
- Update for iOS 9+
KCRW
Reported bugs
5 issues- App crashes on launch
- Incompatible with older iOS versions
- Notification badge won't clear
- Streaming cuts out frequently
- Eclectic 24 playlist not updating in real-time
Requested features
5 requests- Resume playback from where left off
- Improved song/artist information display
- Chromecast/AirPlay support
- Ability to save/favorite songs
- Landscape mode support on iPad
In-app purchases
WFUV
No in-app purchases
KCRW
No in-app purchases
