KCRW vs Underpass NYC
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.
Underpass NYC
Discover all upcoming concerts and venues in New York City. Hear artist previews before you go, browse shows on a map, and get personalized recommendations based on your preferences.
- Venue and concert listings
- Artist audio previews
- Interactive city map for shows
- Personalized recommendations
- Save shows and get directions
- Swipe to discover new music
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Every venue and concert in New York, the fringe brings it to you. We keep up with hundreds of venues across the city, from the biggest halls to the smallest back rooms, so you can stop hunting through calendars and just go. HEAR BEFORE YOU GO Tap any show to play a 30-second preview of the artist. Know if it's your sound before you buy a ticket. FIND SHOWS NEAR YOU Open the map to see every concert around the city, browse by neighborhood, and get directions to the door. SWIPE TO DISCOVER Match mode plays you a taste of each act as you swipe. Save the ones you like,skip the rest. MADE FOR YOUR TASTE The more you save, the better For You gets at finding shows you'd actually want to see. Save shows, get to the venue, grab tickets, all in one app.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is review sentiment: Underpass NYC at 100% against KCRW's 32%. Underpass NYC also leads on rating (5.0 vs 2.9). KCRW's advantage is ratings volume (401 vs 2). 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.
Underpass NYC holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 2.9. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: KCRW has 401 ratings behind it against 2, 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 Underpass NYC's.
KCRW ships an update monthly, Underpass NYC every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 9, 2026 and November 5, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | KCRW | Underpass NYC |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 2.9 (401 ratings) | 5.0 (2 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 31.8% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 401 — better | 2 |
| Update frequency | Monthly | Every 3 weeks — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better | iPhone, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 | 15.1 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 121 MB | 38 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | KCRW | Steven Packard |
Customer experience
KCRW
Underpass NYC
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
Underpass NYC
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
KCRW
No in-app purchases
Underpass NYC
No in-app purchases
