Comparison

iCatholicRadio vs EWTN

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

iCatholicRadio

Access Catholic talk radio and faithful Catholic music in a single application. Explore Scripture, devotionals, Church history, and apologetics. Enjoy live streams and on-demand podcasts featuring international and local affiliate stations, plus a dedicated music stream.

Highlights
  • Catholic talk radio streams
  • Catholic music streams
  • Live and on-demand content
  • Scripture and devotional content
  • Church history and apologetics
  • English and Spanish streams
  • Local affiliate station broadcasts
Features
Read full description

Catholic talk radio and quality Catholic music –all in one app! ICatholicMusic is now easily accessible within the updated iCatholicRadio app! Tune in and witness the treasures of the Catholic faith. Learn about Scripture, pray along with devotionals and the Mass, delve into Church history and get answers from the top Catholic Apologists on how to give a reason for the Catholic faith. Listen to reverent and faithful Catholic music, from medieval Gregorian chant to today’s newest songs by top Catholic artists -on the go, wherever you go! Listen live to our great shows and music or access podcasts on demand. Choose between our two international streams: 1. iCatholicRadio –English 2. iCatholicRadio –Spanish Our seven local affiliate stations: 3. WLOF -Buffalo, NY 4. WQOM -Boston, MA 5. WHIC -Rochester, NY 6. WTMI -Syracuse, NY 7. WMTQ -Elmira/Corning, NY 8. WMIH -Erie, PA/NE Ohio 9. WQHE -Oil City, PA And our iCatholicMusic stream As featured in Laudate!

About

EWTN

Access live and on-demand Catholic television and radio programming. Explore news, program schedules, and a free audio version of the Gospel of Mark. Offers a premium audio New Testament with celebrity voices and synchronized text.

Highlights
  • Live TV and Radio Streams
  • On-demand TV and Radio Programs
  • Catholic News
  • Program Schedule
  • Free Gospel of Mark Audio
  • Premium Audio New Testament
Read full description

EWTN’s TV and Radio: Live and On Demand • TV and Radio Live Streams • Video on demand (Television Programs) • Audio on demand (Radio Programs) • News • Program schedule FREE: RSV-Bible text with entire Gospel of Mark audio (99 minutes) featuring Blair Underwood as Mark - plus full text of the RSV-CE Bible and access to EWTN Live content. At anytime you can purchase the complete New Testament audio. The EWTN Bible is powered by the Truth & Life Audio Bible a celebrity-voiced "radio drama" of the entire RSV-CE New Testament. More than 70 actors help bring the scriptures to life in this 22-hour audio production, complete with movie-quality sound effects and an original music score. This award-winning audio New Testament is endorsed with an Imprimatur from the Vatican and including a foreword by Pope Benedict XVI. Voiced by internationally-renowned actors including: Neal McDonough, Stacy Keach, Kristen Bell, Sean Astin, Michael York, Blair Underwood,Malcolm McDowell, Brian Cox, Julia Ormond, John Rhys-Davies and many more. 70 actors - 20 audio engineers - 10 studios over 3 continents - more than 100 media development experts - and 10,000 production hours were needed to create this world-class audio New Testament. In addition to this amazing audio, the iPhone/iPad app features: • Complete text of RSV-CE synchronized with audio for the New Testament. • Go directly to any verse and hear and see the Bible instantly. • Use the built in playlist to hear the New Testament in 40 days or in Chronological order. • Create your own playlist of verses. • Remembers where you left off. • Sleep timer • Airplay support • Support for headphone pause and play buttons • Easily fit entire 22 hours of audio on your iPhone/iPad. “The Truth & Life Dramatized audio Bible is entirely faithful to the text of the Holy Scriptures. The manner in which the text is performed, beautifully assists the listener in understanding the meaning of the divinely inspired words within their context. The background music and sound effects helps the listener to imagine the setting of each particular text of the Holy Bible. I am happy to give my wholehearted endorsement to the audio New Testament.” --Cardinal Raymond L. Burke, Perfect of the Apostolic Signature of the Holy See “This is the way Scripture is supposed to sound. Revealing and passionate performances from world class actors, a lyrical translation, and sound effects that put you in the middle of the action. Whether you’ve read the Bible a hundred times or are making the first contact, this is an experience you will not forget and one you will want to repeat often.” --Laura Ingraham, Radio Talk Show Host, New York Times Bestselling Author “We learn by hearing as well as reading. Those who desire to become true disciples of Jesus will want to learn from His words in every way. For anyone interested in beginning or continuing their adventure of faith, I highly recommend this faithful and powerful presentation of the Word of God.” --The Most Reverend Charles Chaput, Archbishop of Philadelphia, PA

Screenshots

iCatholicRadio4 screens
EWTN4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: iCatholicRadio at none against EWTN's 31. iCatholicRadio also leads on ads (none vs shown). EWTN's advantage is update cadence (every 4 weeks vs every 6 months) and ratings volume (41K vs 236). On price, review sentiment and iOS requirement 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. EWTN sells 31 one-off in-app purchases. iCatholicRadio asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

EWTN holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: EWTN has 41K ratings behind it against 236, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 87% of iCatholicRadio's written reviews are positive against 91% of EWTN's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

iCatholicRadio ships an update every 6 months, EWTN every 4 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 23, 2026 and October 29, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard7 real differences · 3 level
iCatholicRadio versus EWTN: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameteriCatholicRadioEWTN
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.6 (236 ratings)4.9 (41K ratings) — better
Positive reviews86.6% of reviews90.7% of reviews — better
Number of ratings23641K — better
Update frequencyEvery 6 monthsEvery 4 weeks — better
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree — betterFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac, Apple TV — better
Requires iOS13.0 — better14.0
Further details — not scored
Size17 MB73 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperThe Station of the Cross Catholic Radio NetworkEWTN Religious Catalogue

Customer experience

iCatholicRadio

All ratings232 ratings
Positive90.5%
Neutral3.0%
Negative6.5%
Written reviews82 reviews
Positive86.6%
Neutral4.9%
Negative8.5%

EWTN

All ratings34,690 ratings
Positive97.9%
Neutral1.0%
Negative1.1%
Written reviews237 reviews
Positive90.7%
Neutral2.1%
Negative7.2%

User reviews

iCatholicRadio

From 236 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 📻 Comprehensive Catholic radio programming and content
  • 👍 User-friendly and easy-to-navigate interface
  • 🆓 Free app with no subscription requirements
  • 📱 Portable access to Catholic content anytime, anywhere
  • 🎙️ High-quality programming with engaging hosts and priests

Room to improve

  • 🐛 App crashes and stops working unexpectedly
  • 📡 Audio streaming cuts out or drops connection
  • 🔤 Font size too small and difficult to read
  • 🎵 No song/artist information displayed during music playback
  • 🔄 Navigation issues between live broadcast and podcasts

EWTN

From 41K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🙏 Strengthens Catholic faith
  • 🕍 Provides access to daily Mass and prayers
  • 🎥 Variety of inspiring programs and documentaries
  • 📖 Easy access to Bible and religious content
  • 🤗 Comforting and uplifting during difficult times

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Occasional technical issues with streaming and app crashes
  • 🔍 Confusing navigation and layout changes
  • 🕰️ Slow loading of on-demand content
  • 🔇 Loss of some audio-only programs

Bugs and requests

iCatholicRadio

Reported bugs

9 issues
  • App stops working after extended use or randomly
  • Audio playback fails to start or play
  • Streaming disconnects during long listening sessions
  • App crashes on certain device models (iPhone 5, etc.)
  • Live feed unavailable while podcasts still work
Show 4 more
  • Connection drops when moving between locations
  • App deletion on device tap (older iOS versions)
  • Buffering and lag issues during playback
  • Missing content (prayers, podcasts, rosary removed from app)

Requested features

8 requests
  • Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility
  • Song and artist metadata display for music content
  • Chromecast support for casting to other devices
  • Ability to remember last-played stream on app restart
  • Improved commercial break transitions
Show 3 more
  • Dark mode option for nighttime viewing
  • Generic internet radio app compatibility (TuneIn Radio)
  • Better time slot allocation for popular shows

EWTN

Reported bugs

2 issues
  • Inability to access certain American channels
  • Inconsistent performance on older devices

Requested features

4 requests
  • Improved Chromecast support
  • More personalization options
  • Better organization of on-demand content
  • Easier access to program schedules

In-app purchases

None

iCatholicRadio

No in-app purchases

31 purchases

EWTN

One-time31
  • CHAPLET OF ST. MICHAEL$0.99
  • Padre Pio: He Bore Christ’S Wo$0.99
  • A Wolf In Sheep’S Clothing$1.99
Show 28 more
  • Called And Chosen$1.99
  • Saint Bridget Of Sweden$1.99
  • Hope - Our Lady Of Knock (rent)$1.99
  • MIRACLES OF PADRE PIO (rent)$1.99
  • GUADALUPE MYSTERIES (rent)$1.99
  • MOTHER CABRINI (rent)$1.99
  • THE HIDDEN SHRINE (rent)$1.99
  • GREGORIAN MUSIC OF ANGELS(rent$1.99
  • Tolkien - An Unexpected Friend$1.99
  • SAINT ROSE OF LIMA (rent)$1.99
  • Saint Martin De Porres$1.99
  • Kateri$1.99
  • Cabrini And The Heart Of Jesus$1.99
  • I AM W/ YOU-CARLO ACUTIS(rent)$1.99
  • The Message Of Fatima$2.99
  • Chaplet Of Divine Mercy$2.99
  • Saints Vs. Scoundrels$2.99
  • The Heresies (rent)$2.99
  • They Might Be Saints (rent)$2.99
  • The Case For Marriage$2.99
  • EXPLORE W MIRACLE HUNTER(rent)$2.99
  • Straubinger New Testament Audio$4.99
  • A Wolf In Sheep’s Clothing$9.99
  • THE HOLY ROSARY WITH MOTHER ANGELICA (buy)$9.99
  • Chaplet Of Divine Mercy$14.99
  • The “Reformation” - buy$14.99
  • Liturgy Of The Hours For Lay P$14.99
  • New Testament Audio Package$19.99

Questions

Is iCatholicRadio free?
iCatholicRadio is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is EWTN free?
EWTN is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, iCatholicRadio or EWTN?
EWTN is rated higher. iCatholicRadio averages 4.6 out of 5 from 236 ratings, while EWTN averages 4.9 from 41K ratings.
Do iCatholicRadio or EWTN have ads?
EWTN shows ads; iCatholicRadio does not.
Which is updated more often, iCatholicRadio or EWTN?
iCatholicRadio ships an update every 6 months, and EWTN every 4 weeks. Most recently, iCatholicRadio was updated on October 23, 2026 and EWTN on October 29, 2026.

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