KCRW vs KUCR
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.
KUCR
Listen to a diverse range of music and public affairs programming from a university radio station. Explore indie rock, jazz, classical, hip-hop, and insightful news discussions.
- Live radio streaming
- Diverse music genres
- Public affairs programming
- News discussions
- University campus radio
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KUCR is a free app which offers the ability to listen to the radio station of the University of California at Riverside. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= KUCR was started in 1965 and officially began broadcasting from UCR in 1966. Since then, it has been a vital, active and creative college broadcaster in the student/campus model seen in the University of California and other great academic institutions throughout the United States. KUCR has been built by the effort and contributions of thousands of students, faculty, and staff from the time of its inception. KUCR’s mission is to offer an alternative to what is available in the commercial broadcast marketplace. KUCR’s format is diversity. That’s why on KUCR you hear cutting-edge indie rock, real (not “easy”) jazz, real (not “easy”) classical by the world’s great orchestras and performers, progressive hip-hop, and much more, presented in artful and experimental mixes combining the rich history of recorded music into new fusions of sound and energy. Our public affairs and news program offer no less diversity, ranging from world events and news, to special interest, to discussions featuring a broad range of the world’s authorities on the vital experts of our times. A university with a student/campus radio station is a rare and special feature, and KUCR is the most honored, most award-winning radio station in the UC system. Check it out - we think you’ll find something to inspire you, to expand your knowledge, your horizons. KUCR believes that diversity, knowledge, and information is good for you. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= This application is not sponsored or endorsed by KUCR.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: KUCR at 4.1 against KCRW's 2.9. KUCR also leads on review sentiment (50% vs 32%) and iOS requirement (8.0 vs 15.6). KCRW's advantage is update cadence (monthly vs every 4 months) and ratings volume (393 vs 14). 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.
KUCR holds the better App Store score, 4.1 against 2.9. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: KCRW has 393 ratings behind it against 14, 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 50% of KUCR's.
KCRW ships an update monthly, KUCR every 4 months. The most recent releases landed on October 11, 2026 and October 12, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | KCRW | KUCR |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 2.9 (393 ratings) | 4.1 (14 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 32.2% of reviews | 50.0% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 393 — better | 14 |
| 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 | 8.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 121 MB | 4 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | KCRW | Jeff Armantrout |
Customer experience
KCRW
KUCR
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
KUCR
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
KCRW
No in-app purchases
KUCR
No in-app purchases







