# KCRW vs Bilingual Sounds

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Bilingual Sounds at 94% against KCRW's 32%. Bilingual Sounds also leads on rating (4.8 vs 2.9) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.6). KCRW's advantage is update cadence (monthly vs every 7 months) and ratings volume (400 vs 36). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

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

Bilingual Sounds holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 2.9. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: KCRW has 400 ratings behind it against 36, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 32% of KCRW's written reviews are positive against 94% of Bilingual Sounds's.

KCRW ships an update monthly, Bilingual Sounds every 7 months. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | KCRW | Bilingual Sounds |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [2.9 (400 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/kcrw/id319014603/reviews) | **[4.8 (36 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bilingual-sounds/id1021367176/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **400** | 36 |
| Positive reviews | 31.9% of reviews | **93.8% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Monthly** | Every 7 months |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 121 MB | 17 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 | **13.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [KCRW](https://appshunter.io/developer/314988073) | [California State University, Northridge](https://appshunter.io/developer/677332864) |

## What reviewers say

### KCRW

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/kcrw/id319014603)

Access a curated selection of music, news, and cultural content. Enjoy new livestreams, real-time song information, and exclusive member benefits.

**Highlights:** Curated music and shows, New livestreams (Dance24, Vintage24), Real-time "Now Playing" information, Member perks, Redesigned interface

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Apple Wallet

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 💎 Best music station
- 🎧 Excellent music selection
- 🌍 Accessible from anywhere
- 🔍 Helpful for music discovery

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Buggy and crashes frequently
- 🔋 High battery consumption
- 🔍 Difficult to navigate
- 🔇 Playback issues (pausing, resuming, skipping)
- 🔧 Broken functionality after updates

**Reported bugs**

- 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**

- Resume playback from where left off
- Improved song/artist information display
- Chromecast/AirPlay support
- Ability to save/favorite songs
- Landscape mode support on iPad


### Bilingual Sounds

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bilingual-sounds/id1021367176)

Experience a unique 24/7 radio station featuring a blend of world alternative music and American rock. Discover emerging artists and rediscover forgotten tracks from the past four decades.

**Highlights:** World alternative music, American rock music, Emerging artist showcases, 80s, 90s, 00s, 10s music, 24/7 live stream, Public radio station

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is KCRW free?

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

### Is Bilingual Sounds free?

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

### Which has better reviews, KCRW or Bilingual Sounds?

Bilingual Sounds is rated higher. KCRW averages 2.9 out of 5 from 400 ratings, while Bilingual Sounds averages 4.8 from 36 ratings.

### Do KCRW or Bilingual Sounds have ads?

Neither KCRW nor Bilingual Sounds shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, KCRW or Bilingual Sounds?

KCRW ships an update monthly, and Bilingual Sounds every 7 months. Most recently, KCRW was updated on November 1, 2026 and Bilingual Sounds on October 24, 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.*