# CBC Listen vs KEXP

The clearest difference is rating: CBC Listen at 4.8 against KEXP's 4.0. CBC Listen also leads on review sentiment (58% vs 42%) and device support (5 vs 3). KEXP's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and monetization model (free vs free with in-app purchases). On price, ratings volume, update cadence and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

CBC Listen holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 708 and 272 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 58% of CBC Listen's written reviews are positive against 42% of KEXP's.

CBC Listen ships an update every 5 weeks, KEXP every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 27, 2026 and October 23, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | CBC Listen | KEXP |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (708 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cbc-listen/id325946767/reviews)** | [4.0 (272 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/kexp/id342254135/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **708** | 272 |
| Positive reviews | **57.7% of reviews** | 42.4% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Every 5 weeks** | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 67 MB | 63 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 15.6 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple TV, Apple Watch** | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 9+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [CBC](https://appshunter.io/developer/325946770) | [KEXP.ORG 90.3FM Seattle](https://appshunter.io/developer/342254138) |

## What reviewers say

### CBC Listen

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cbc-listen/id325946767)

Stream live CBC Radio, explore popular CBC Podcasts, and discover curated music playlists. Enjoy a vast library of Canadian content, all for free. Features include offline listening, personalized recommendations, and playback controls.

**Highlights:** Live & On Demand CBC Radio, CBC Podcasts, CBC Music Playlists, Offline Listening, Personalized Recommendations, Playback Speed Control, CarPlay Support

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Apple Watch app, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to use
- 🎶 Wide variety of content
- 🔍 Helpful for finding local news
- 🌍 Allows listening from anywhere
- 🔊 Good audio quality

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes and bugs
- 🔑 Constant need to log in
- 🗺️ Issues with location detection and defaulting to wrong region
- 🔀 Difficulty finding and organizing favorite shows
- 🔍 Poor search and navigation

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes when switching between WiFi and cellular
- Playback randomly stops or skips back
- Favorites and settings not saving properly
- Outdated or missing content
- Unreliable live stream updates

**Requested features**

- Add CarPlay support
- Improve podcast management and playback controls
- Allow customization of playback controls (seek forward/back)
- Provide more options to browse and discover content
- Fix issues with live stream reliability and connectivity


### KEXP

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/kexp/id342254135)

This app connects you to a global community of music enthusiasts and creators. It broadcasts live radio from Seattle and the Bay Area, featuring diverse music across genres and eras. Discover exclusive in-studio performances through its popular YouTube channel.

**Highlights:** Live radio broadcasts, International music community, Exclusive in-studio performances, Diverse music genres, Online streaming, YouTube channel content

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is CBC Listen free?

CBC Listen is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is KEXP free?

KEXP is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, CBC Listen or KEXP?

CBC Listen is rated higher. CBC Listen averages 4.8 out of 5 from 708 ratings, while KEXP averages 4.0 from 272 ratings.

### Do CBC Listen or KEXP have ads?

CBC Listen shows ads; KEXP does not.

### Which is updated more often, CBC Listen or KEXP?

CBC Listen ships an update every 5 weeks, and KEXP every 2 months. Most recently, CBC Listen was updated on October 27, 2026 and KEXP on October 23, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*