# WBUR vs Vermont Public

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Vermont Public at 77% against WBUR's 41%. Vermont Public also leads on ads (none vs shown) and monetization model (free vs ad-supported). WBUR's advantage is rating (4.8 vs 4.4) and update cadence (monthly vs every 3 months). On price, in-app purchases, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

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

WBUR holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: WBUR has 4K ratings behind it against 302, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 41% of WBUR's written reviews are positive against 77% of Vermont Public's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

WBUR ships an update monthly, Vermont Public every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on November 6, 2026 and November 10, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | WBUR | Vermont Public |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (4K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/wbur/id379690847/reviews)** | [4.4 (302 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/vermont-public/id463783633/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **4K** | 302 |
| Positive reviews | 40.9% of reviews | **76.8% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Monthly** | Every 3 months |
| Monetization | Ad-supported | **Free** |
| Size | 55 MB | 53 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.1 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | +4 | 17+ |
| Developer | [90.9 WBUR, Boston’s NPR news station](https://appshunter.io/developer/379690850) | [Vermont Public Radio](https://appshunter.io/developer/463783636) |

## What reviewers say

### WBUR

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/wbur/id379690847)

Access trusted news and stories from Greater Boston and beyond with live streams and signature podcasts. Enjoy hourly news briefs, on-demand listening, and offline downloads. Play word games and stay updated on local events.

**Highlights:** Live radio stream with pause/rewind, On-demand listening to signature podcasts, Download episodes for offline playback, Hourly local and national news briefs, Daily word games and news quizzes, Updates on WBUR CitySpace events

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 24/7 access to news and programs
- 👍 Pause, rewind, and resume live streaming
- 💡 Ability to download shows for offline listening
- 👍 Easy to navigate and use

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes and freezes
- 🐛 Inconsistent live streaming and buffering issues
- 🐛 Rewind and fast-forward functionality not working as expected
- 🔋 High battery consumption
- 🔍 Cluttered interface with too many buttons

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes when switching between audio sources
- Playback does not resume after interruptions like phone calls
- Time slider inaccurate, often showing wrong position in the program

**Requested features**

- Add search functionality to find specific shows or episodes
- Improve sleep timer and alarm clock integration
- Provide an option to disable the opening ad
- Optimize the app for larger screens and modern UI


### Vermont Public

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/vermont-public/id463783633)

Access local news, podcasts, and live radio streams. Watch featured videos and explore PBS shows. Receive breaking news alerts and important updates.

**Highlights:** Livestream access, Local news stories, Podcast listening, Featured videos and shorts, PBS show exploration, Breaking news notifications

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to use and intuitive interface
- 🎵 High-quality audio streaming
- 📻 Reliable access to VPR content anywhere
- 🎧 Excellent content quality and journalism
- 🌐 Works well on multiple devices

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes and unexpected quits
- ⚠️ Streaming cuts off unexpectedly
- 🔌 Requires restart after phone calls or network switches
- 📊 Slow app loading, especially on cellular
- 🎯 Difficult to find classical station

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes when resuming from suspended state
- Streaming fails to start on initial play attempt
- Blank screen when clicking on previews with no navigation back
- App doesn't play through Apple Airplay as it used to
- Introductory sponsor list plays repeatedly every few minutes

**Requested features**

- More bluegrass, folk, and vocal music programming
- Better TV schedule display for all channels (Plus, Create, Kids)
- Auto-reconnect functionality when signal is lost
- Improved landscape mode UI for tablets
- Better classical station visibility and organization


## Frequently asked questions

### Is WBUR free?

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

### Is Vermont Public free?

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

### Which has better reviews, WBUR or Vermont Public?

WBUR is rated higher. WBUR averages 4.8 out of 5 from 4K ratings, while Vermont Public averages 4.4 from 302 ratings.

### Do WBUR or Vermont Public have ads?

WBUR shows ads; Vermont Public does not.

### Which is updated more often, WBUR or Vermont Public?

WBUR ships an update monthly, and Vermont Public every 3 months. Most recently, WBUR was updated on November 6, 2026 and Vermont Public on November 10, 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.*