# WBUR vs Artscope Magazine

The clearest difference is rating: WBUR at 4.8 against Artscope Magazine's 3.8. WBUR also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 20) and update cadence (every 6 weeks vs every 49 months). Artscope Magazine's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and review sentiment (62% vs 41%). On price, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Artscope Magazine sells 20 in-app purchases, starting at $15.99 per year. WBUR asks for nothing beyond the download.

WBUR holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 3.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: WBUR has 4K ratings behind it against 59, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 41% of WBUR's written reviews are positive against 62% of Artscope Magazine's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

WBUR ships an update every 6 weeks, Artscope Magazine every 49 months. The most recent releases landed on October 29, 2026 and October 23, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | WBUR | Artscope Magazine |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (4K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/wbur/id379690847/reviews)** | [3.8 (59 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/artscope-magazine/id659051872/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **4K** | 59 |
| Positive reviews | 40.9% of reviews | **61.5% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Every 6 weeks** | Every 49 months |
| Monetization | **Ad-supported** | Subscription |
| Size | 55 MB | 17 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.1 | **14.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [90.9 WBUR, Boston’s NPR news station](https://appshunter.io/developer/379690850) | [Boston Publishing House LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/635711888) |

## 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


### Artscope Magazine

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/artscope-magazine/id659051872)

This app provides previews and reviews of art exhibitions, galleries, and artists in the New England region. It aims to make art accessible and encourages community participation through interactive content and on-the-go formats.

**Highlights:** Previews and reviews of regional art exhibitions, Profiles of artists, galleries, and arts organizations, Interactive images and special elements, Dynamic, on-the-go tablet-optimized format, Instant delivery of new issues, Free 30-day trial with subscription

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (20)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Subscription | $15.99 | per year |
| Artscope Yearly Subscription | $15.99 | per year |
| March/April 2016 | $2.99 | one-time |
| May/June 2016 | $2.99 | one-time |
| March/April 2020 | $2.99 | one-time |
| May/June 2020 | $2.99 | one-time |
| November/December 2020 | $2.99 | one-time |
| January/February 2021 | $2.99 | one-time |
| May/June 2022 | $2.99 | one-time |
| March / April 2023 | $2.99 | one-time |
| January/February 2024 | $2.99 | one-time |
| March/April 2024 | $2.99 | one-time |
| January/February 2016 | $2.99 | one-time |
| January/February 2025 | $2.99 | one-time |
| November/December 2024 | $2.99 | one-time |
| September / October 2024 | $2.99 | one-time |
| January/February 2022 | $2.99 | one-time |
| March/April 2022 | $2.99 | one-time |
| July/August 2024 | $2.99 | one-time |
| May/June 2024 | $2.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is WBUR free?

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

### Is Artscope Magazine free?

Artscope Magazine is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, WBUR or Artscope Magazine?

WBUR is rated higher. WBUR averages 4.8 out of 5 from 4K ratings, while Artscope Magazine averages 3.8 from 59 ratings.

### Do WBUR or Artscope Magazine have ads?

WBUR shows ads; Artscope Magazine does not.

### Which is updated more often, WBUR or Artscope Magazine?

WBUR ships an update every 6 weeks, and Artscope Magazine every 49 months. Most recently, WBUR was updated on October 29, 2026 and Artscope Magazine on October 23, 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.*