KCRW vs Novaphonic.FM
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.
Novaphonic.FM
Stream a 24/7 music channel featuring specialty shows and a diverse mix of music. Interact with the community by sending messages, photos, and videos to get on the air. Access favorite podcasts and read the latest music news.
- Live 24/7 music streaming
- Pause and rewind live stream
- Access favorite podcasts
- Read music news
- Send messages, photos, and videos to get on air
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Novaphonic is a community of music lovers and music makers in southwest Ohio and beyond. Novaphonic is a new 24/7 streaming music channel presented by WYSO Public Radio. It’s a companion to WYSO that allows us to serve our music community with all of the specialty shows you know and love alongside a full mix of music all day, every day. Explore music together, with us! App Features: • Listen to Novaphonic.FM radio live and browse our programs wherever you are • Pause and rewind the live stream • Access all of your favorite podcasts from the Novaphonic.FM radio channel • Read the latest music news on Studio Sessions • Send us a messages, photos and videos from the app and get on the air! The Novaphonic.FM app is brought to you by WYSO and Public Media Apps: www.novaphonic.fm www.publicmediaapps.com
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is review sentiment: Novaphonic.FM at 100% against KCRW's 32%. Novaphonic.FM also leads on rating (4.8 vs 2.9). KCRW's advantage is ratings volume (400 vs 13). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases 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.
Novaphonic.FM 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 13, 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 100% of Novaphonic.FM's.
KCRW ships an update monthly, Novaphonic.FM every 4 weeks. Both last shipped on October 24, 2026.
| Parameter | KCRW | Novaphonic.FM |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 2.9 (400 ratings) | 4.8 (13 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 32.1% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 400 — better | 13 |
| Update frequency | Monthly | Every 4 weeks — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 | 14.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 121 MB | 38 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | KCRW | Miami Valley Public Media Inc. |
Customer experience
KCRW
Novaphonic.FM
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
Novaphonic.FM
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
KCRW
No in-app purchases
Novaphonic.FM
No in-app purchases
