# VicEmergency vs SBS Audio

The clearest difference is ads: VicEmergency at none against SBS Audio's shown. VicEmergency also leads on rating (3.5 vs 3.1) and monetization model (free vs ad-supported). SBS Audio's advantage is update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 6 months) and ratings volume (18 vs 4). On price, review sentiment, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

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

VicEmergency holds the better App Store score, 3.5 against 3.1. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 4 and 18 respectively. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 23% and 24% positive.

VicEmergency ships an update every 6 months, SBS Audio every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 23, 2026 and September 25, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | VicEmergency | SBS Audio |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[3.5 (4 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/vicemergency/id356559665/reviews)** | [3.1 (18 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sbs-audio/id470808084/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 4 | **18** |
| Positive reviews | 23.1% of reviews | **24.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 6 months | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Ad-supported |
| Size | 15 MB | 46 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | 15.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [State of Victoria - Department of Justice](https://appshunter.io/developer/688084760) | [Special Broadcasting Service Corporation](https://appshunter.io/developer/410148194) |

## What reviewers say

### VicEmergency

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/vicemergency/id356559665)

Receive official emergency warnings and information for Victoria, Australia. Set up personalized watch zones to get alerts for areas that matter to you, and view a live incident map with real-time updates.

**Highlights:** Live incident map, Personalized watch zones, Push notifications for warnings, GPS integration for location, Forecast Fire Danger Ratings, Total Fire Ban status

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


### SBS Audio

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sbs-audio/id470808084)

Access music, news, podcasts, and community updates in your preferred language. Stream live radio stations and explore a diverse range of audio content.

**Highlights:** Music streaming, Australian news and current affairs, Podcasts, Community updates, Live radio programs, Multilingual content

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Great music selection (Chill)
- 👍 Free to use
- 👍 Good for language learning
- 👍 Clear audio quality
- 👍 Works well for some users

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent app crashes/freezing
- 🐛 Pausing/resuming issues (resets to beginning)
- 🐛 Frequent connection drops/streaming issues
- 🐛 Battery draining quickly
- 🐛 Ads interrupting streams

**Reported bugs**

- App stops frequently while broadcasting
- App not compatible with CarPlay
- Cannot pause and play from Home Screen
- Dead support link
- Ads from current location

**Requested features**

- CarPlay compatibility
- Dark mode
- Ability to slow down speech for language learning
- Sleep timer
- Search function


## Frequently asked questions

### Is VicEmergency free?

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

### Is SBS Audio free?

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

### Which has better reviews, VicEmergency or SBS Audio?

VicEmergency is rated higher. VicEmergency averages 3.5 out of 5 from 4 ratings, while SBS Audio averages 3.1 from 18 ratings.

### Do VicEmergency or SBS Audio have ads?

SBS Audio shows ads; VicEmergency does not.

### Which is updated more often, VicEmergency or SBS Audio?

VicEmergency ships an update every 6 months, and SBS Audio every 3 weeks. Most recently, VicEmergency was updated on September 23, 2026 and SBS Audio on September 25, 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.*