# WBUR vs The Boston Globe

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: WBUR at none against The Boston Globe's 1. WBUR also leads on rating (4.8 vs 4.6) and iOS requirement (15.1 vs 17.0). The Boston Globe's advantage is ratings volume (44K vs 4K) and chart position (#39 vs unranked). On price, review sentiment, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. The Boston Globe sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $29.99 per month. WBUR asks for nothing beyond the download.

WBUR holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: The Boston Globe has 44K ratings behind it against 4K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 41% and 41% positive.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 6 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and November 4, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | WBUR | The Boston Globe |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (4K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/wbur/id379690847/reviews)** | [4.6 (44K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-boston-globe/id632761100/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 4K | **44K** |
| Positive reviews | **40.9% of reviews** | 40.6% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 6 weeks | Every 6 weeks |
| Monetization | **Ad-supported** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | — | **#39** |
| Size | 55 MB | 57 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.1** | 17.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [90.9 WBUR, Boston’s NPR news station](https://appshunter.io/developer/379690850) | [BOSTON GLOBE MEDIA PARTNERS, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1324796989) |

## What reviewers say

### WBUR

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

Access live radio streams and on-demand podcasts from a public media organization. Enjoy news briefs, trending stories, and the ability to download episodes for offline listening. Supports CarPlay for in-car use.

**Highlights:** Live radio stream, Signature podcasts, Hourly news briefs, Download episodes, CarPlay support, On-demand listening

**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


### The Boston Globe

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-boston-globe/id632761100)

**Currently charting:** #39 Top Grossing · Magazines & Newspapers, #42 Top Free · Magazines & Newspapers, #52 Top Grossing · News, #124 Top Free · News (US App Store)

Access award-winning journalism covering local and national news, politics, business, arts, and culture. Read, watch, and comment on stories, with customizable notifications and offline reading capabilities. Explore in-depth features, opinion pieces, and daily news updates.

**Highlights:** Award-winning journalism, Local and national news, Investigative reporting, Opinion and analysis, Customizable notifications, Offline article saving, In-app commenting

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly Subscription | $29.99 | per month |

**What reviewers like**

- 📰 Excellent news coverage
- 🏆 Great investigative journalism
- 🗞️ Reliable and informative
- 💻 Convenient digital format

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔍 Poor search functionality
- 🔀 Repetitive/recycled content
- 🤖 Intrusive ads
- 🔒 Login issues
- 🗺️ Confusing navigation

**Reported bugs**

- Frequent crashes after recent update
- Inability to find comics and puzzles
- Inconsistent page layout and formatting

**Requested features**

- Video journalism and documentaries
- Offline reading mode
- Improved article sharing
- Better integration between app and email


## Frequently asked questions

### Is WBUR free?

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

### Is The Boston Globe free?

The Boston Globe is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, WBUR or The Boston Globe?

WBUR is rated higher. WBUR averages 4.8 out of 5 from 4K ratings, while The Boston Globe averages 4.6 from 44K ratings.

### Do WBUR or The Boston Globe have ads?

Both WBUR and The Boston Globe show ads.

### Which is updated more often, WBUR or The Boston Globe?

WBUR ships an update every 6 weeks, and The Boston Globe every 6 weeks. Most recently, WBUR was updated on November 1, 2026 and The Boston Globe on November 4, 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.*