WICS ABC20 vs RiverBender
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
WICS ABC20
Get instant access to local and national news, weather, and sports. Watch live newscasts, receive breaking news alerts, and stay updated with real-time traffic and weather forecasts.
- Breaking news alerts
- Live newscast streaming
- Hourly and daily weather forecasts
- Live weather radar
- Traffic information
- Customizable notifications
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The WICS News app delivers news, weather and sports in an instant. With the new and fully redesigned app you can watch live newscasts, get up-to-the minute local and national news, weather and traffic conditions and stay informed via notifications alerting you to breaking news and local events. • Breaking news alerts and stories • Live streaming • New weather section with hourly and daily forecasts • Live weather radar and traffic information • Completely overhauled app that is faster and easier to use
RiverBender
Access local news, weather updates, and community information for the River Bend area. Stay informed about breaking stories, sports, events, and local businesses.
- Breaking local news and weather
- High school and local sports coverage
- Community videos
- Business directory
- Classified ads
- Event calendar
- Live radio streaming
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Discover everything happening in the Riverbend, all in one place. The RiverBender.com app keeps you connected to your community with real-time local news, weather, events, and more—right from your phone. Stay informed with breaking news as it happens, detailed weather updates with highs and lows, and full coverage of local and high school sports. From city updates to statewide headlines, you’ll always know what’s going on around you. Watch live and on-demand videos featuring local events, interviews, and community stories. Tune in to live radio streaming and stay connected wherever you are. Explore a powerful local business directory to find services, shops, and restaurants nearby. Browse restaurant guides, entertainment options, and discover new places to try. Looking to buy or sell? Post and browse free classified ads for vehicles, homes, jobs, and more. Stay organized with a full community calendar featuring local events, festivals, and activities happening across the region. You can also stay connected to your community with obituaries and important notices, all in one easy-to-use app. Whether you're at home or on the go, RiverBender.com makes it simple to stay connected to the places and people that matter most. Serving Alton, Godfrey, Jerseyville, Grafton, Wood River, East Alton, Bethalto, Roxana, Edwardsville, Collinsville, and the entire Metro East region. Download now and stay connected to your community every day.
Screenshots
Verdict
WICS ABC20 and RiverBender both sit at 4.7 stars, but that hides the real split: 75% of RiverBender's written reviews are positive against 21% of WICS ABC20's. RiverBender also leads on monetization model (free vs ad-supported). WICS ABC20's advantage is update cadence (fortnightly vs every 3 months) and ratings volume (72 vs 9). On price, rating, 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.
On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.7 for WICS ABC20 against 4.7 for RiverBender. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: WICS ABC20 has 72 ratings behind it against 9, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 21% of WICS ABC20's written reviews are positive against 75% of RiverBender's.
WICS ABC20 ships an update fortnightly, RiverBender every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on October 23, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | WICS ABC20 | RiverBender |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.7 (72 ratings) | 4.7 (9 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 20.8% of reviews | 75.0% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 72 — better | 9 |
| Update frequency | Fortnightly — better | Every 3 months |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Ad-supported | Free — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 13.0 | 13.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 100 MB | 35 MB |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Standard Media Group | RiverBender.com |
Customer experience
WICS ABC20
RiverBender
In-app purchases
WICS ABC20
No in-app purchases
RiverBender
No in-app purchases
