KCRW vs KUGS
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
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.
KUGS
This app provides a diverse program of music and information for students and the community. It aims to foster understanding of human differences and cultural pluralism through its volunteer-staffed programming.
- Diverse music programming
- Informative content
- Student-focused
- Community bridge
- Volunteer-staffed
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The mission of KUGS FM is to serve the students of Western Washington University in Bellingham, Wash., by providing a diverse program of music and information consistent with student interests. The Board of Trustees of Western Washington University holds the license and the Associated Students operates the station. KUGS is staffed by volunteers who are committed to providing programming that encourages a greater understanding of the human differences and cultural pluralism within the university community and the world we live in. Through its programming, KUGS serves as a bridge from the university to the surrounding community.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: KUGS at 4.6 against KCRW's 2.9. KUGS also leads on iOS requirement (9.3 vs 15.6). KCRW's advantage is review sentiment (32% vs 0%) and ratings volume (401 vs 8). 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.
KUGS holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 2.9. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: KCRW has 401 ratings behind it against 8, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 32% of KCRW's written reviews are positive against 0% of KUGS's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.
KCRW ships an update monthly, KUGS every 4 months. The most recent releases landed on November 9, 2026 and November 2, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | KCRW | KUGS |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 2.9 (401 ratings) | 4.6 (8 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 31.8% of reviews — better | 0.0% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 401 — better | 8 |
| Update frequency | Monthly — better | Every 4 months |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 | 9.3 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 121 MB | 32 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | KCRW | Western Washington University |
Customer experience
KCRW
KUGS
Bugs and requests
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
KUGS
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
KCRW
No in-app purchases
KUGS
No in-app purchases
