# KCRW vs The Current Music

The clearest difference is rating: The Current Music at 4.7 against KCRW's 2.9. KCRW's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and ratings volume (400 vs 10). On price, review sentiment, update cadence 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.

The Current Music holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 2.9. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: KCRW has 400 ratings behind it against 10, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 32% of KCRW's written reviews are positive against 24% of The Current Music's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly monthly. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and November 2, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | KCRW | The Current Music |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [2.9 (400 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/kcrw/id319014603/reviews) | **[4.7 (10 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-current-music/id1334353737/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **400** | 10 |
| Positive reviews | **31.9% of reviews** | 24.4% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Monthly | Monthly |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 121 MB | 93 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 | 15.6 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [KCRW](https://appshunter.io/developer/314988073) | [Minnesota Public Radio](https://appshunter.io/developer/291121609) |

## 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


### The Current Music

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-current-music/id1334353737)

Stream live radio from an independent public radio station featuring authentic and independent new music. Access additional curated music streams directly within the app.

**Highlights:** Livestream The Current, Additional music streams, Radio Heartland stream, Local Current stream, Rock the Cradle stream

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is KCRW free?

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

### Is The Current Music free?

The Current Music is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, KCRW or The Current Music?

The Current Music is rated higher. KCRW averages 2.9 out of 5 from 400 ratings, while The Current Music averages 4.7 from 10 ratings.

### Do KCRW or The Current Music have ads?

The Current Music shows ads; KCRW does not.

### Which is updated more often, KCRW or The Current Music?

KCRW ships an update monthly, and The Current Music monthly. Most recently, KCRW was updated on November 1, 2026 and The Current Music on November 2, 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.*