KCRW vs KXLU 88.9FM
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.
KXLU 88.9FM
Stream diverse, commercial-free radio content from Los Angeles to a global audience. Stay updated on upcoming shows and send feedback directly through the app.
- Live radio stream
- Commercial-free content
- Diverse and eclectic programming
- Upcoming show tracking
- Listener feedback submission
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KXLU 88.9FM offers a diverse and eclectic range of free form, commercial free radio to the Los Angeles community and to the world. Listen to our live stream, keep track of upcoming shows and send us love notes with the KXLU iPhone app.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: KXLU 88.9FM at 3.7 against KCRW's 2.9. KXLU 88.9FM also leads on review sentiment (57% vs 32%) and iOS requirement (8.0 vs 15.6). KCRW's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (monthly vs every 4 months). On price, in-app purchases and device support 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.
KXLU 88.9FM holds the better App Store score, 3.7 against 2.9. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: KCRW has 400 ratings behind it against 19, 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 57% of KXLU 88.9FM's.
KCRW ships an update monthly, KXLU 88.9FM every 4 months. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and October 20, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | KCRW | KXLU 88.9FM |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 2.9 (400 ratings) | 3.7 (19 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 31.9% of reviews | 57.1% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 400 — better | 19 |
| Update frequency | Monthly — better | Every 4 months |
| Ads | No — better | Yes |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free — better | Ad-supported |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better | iPhone, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 | 8.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 121 MB | 30 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | KCRW | Mobile Roadie |
Customer experience
KCRW
KXLU 88.9FM
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
KXLU 88.9FM
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
KCRW
No in-app purchases
KXLU 88.9FM
No in-app purchases
