CRB Classical vs Ocean State Media
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
CRB Classical
Stream centuries of timeless classical music for free. Enjoy 24/7 programming and exclusive on-demand broadcasts from Boston-based ensembles. This app is your perfect companion for any part of your day.
- Free music streaming
- 24/7 classical programming
- Exclusive on-demand broadcasts
- Boston Symphony Orchestra content
- Works on smartphone, laptop, smart speaker
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Step into a musical oasis with the CRB Classical App. Carry centuries of timeless music in your pocket and stream it free on your smartphone, laptop, or smart speaker. Enjoy 24/7 programming from WCRB and hear exclusive on-demand Classical Radio Boston broadcasts of the Boston Symphony Orchestra and other Massachusetts-based ensembles. Whether you’re waking up, working, or unwinding, CRB Classical is your companion throughout the day.
Ocean State Media
Listen to live radio, pause and rewind broadcasts, and access on-demand content. Explore program schedules, set alarms, and share stories with friends. Enjoy background listening while multitasking.
- Live radio streaming
- Pause, rewind, and fast forward live audio
- On-demand content access
- Integrated program schedules
- Sleep timer and alarm clock
- Share stories and programs
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The Ocean State Media App allows you to listen to Ocean State Media Radio, pause and rewind the live audio, and view the program schedule for Ocean State Media all at once! You can explore and listen to On Demand content whenever you want, share stories with your friends and wake up to Ocean State Media with the alarm clock! Live Streaming • DVR-like controls (pause, rewind, and fast forward). You can pause the live stream to have a conversation and pick up right where you left off! Or rewind to catch a comment you just missed! • Listen to live stream from Ocean State Media even while traveling! Start the app and your favorite station starts playing. • Integrated program schedules for the Ocean State Media stream! • Listen to Ocean State Media in the background while browsing the web or catching up on your emails! On Demand • Access Rhode Island Public Radio’s past programs easily and quickly. • DVR-like controls. Pause, rewind and fast forward your program with ease. • When listening to programs, individual segments (when available) are listed so you can review and choose one or listen to the entire program. Additional features • Easily share stories and programs with family and friends via the “Share” button. • Access to the full Rhode Island Public Radio schedule. • A built in Sleep Timer and Alarm Clock allows you to go to sleep and wake up to your favorite station. • Share audio or video feedback directly with the station via the “Share Your Thoughts” feature. Ocean State Media App is brought to you by the people at Rhode Island Public Radio and Public Media Apps. We work to provide our valued listeners with great solutions to find what you want, when you want it, on whatever device you have! Please support Ocean State Media by becoming a member today! https://www.oceanstatemedia.org http://www.publicmediaapps.com
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: CRB Classical at 4.8 against Ocean State Media's 4.3. CRB Classical also leads on ratings volume (350 vs 33). Ocean State Media's advantage is update cadence (every 3 months vs every 7 months). On price, review sentiment, 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.
CRB Classical holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: CRB Classical has 350 ratings behind it against 33, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 49% of CRB Classical's written reviews are positive against 50% of Ocean State Media's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.
CRB Classical ships an update every 7 months, Ocean State Media every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on October 15, 2026 and October 21, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | CRB Classical | Ocean State Media |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.8 (350 ratings) — better | 4.3 (33 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 48.5% of reviews | 50.0% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 350 — better | 33 |
| Update frequency | Every 7 months | Every 3 months — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 14.0 — better | 15.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 38 MB | 37 MB |
| Age rating | 17+ | 17+ |
| Developer | WGBH Educational Foundation | Rhode Island Public Radio |
Customer experience
CRB Classical
Ocean State Media
In-app purchases
CRB Classical
No in-app purchases
Ocean State Media
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is CRB Classical free?
Is Ocean State Media free?
Which has better reviews, CRB Classical or Ocean State Media?
Do CRB Classical or Ocean State Media have ads?
Which is updated more often, CRB Classical or Ocean State Media?
Other comparisons
