97.9 The Box vs 104.1 KRBE
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
97.9 The Box
Listen to live radio streams and access exclusive content from your favorite station. Stay connected on the go with social media integration and unique features. This app is free to use and offers a convenient way to enjoy audio content.
- Live radio streaming
- Social media integration
- Access unique content
- On-the-go connectivity
- Audience measurement software
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Download the official 97.9 The Box app, it’s easy to use and always FREE! With the official app, you can stay connected from work, home, or on the road. Follow us on social media, get access to all our other unique content, features and more! * Radio streaming only playable in the U.S. & CANADA Please note: This app features Nielsen’s audience measurement software which will allow you to contribute to market research, such as Nielsen’s TV Ratings. To learn more about our digital audience measurement products and your choices in regard to them, please visit http://www.nielsen.com/digitalprivacy for more information.
104.1 KRBE
Stream live radio and access on-demand content, including podcasts and news. Features include a new interface, song history, and offline listening options. Enjoy an alarm clock, sleep timer, and real-time weather updates.
- Live radio streaming
- On-demand podcast access
- Current and recently played songs
- Station and local news updates
- Offline podcast listening
- Alarm clock and sleep timer
- Real-time weather
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Listen to us at work, home or on the road. Install our app and get instant access to our unique content, features and more! - New design and interface - See current and recently played songs, latest podcast episodes and up to date station and local news on a single screen - Access all your favorite podcast shows on demand. Listen live (less storage requirement) or download and listen when offline - Get notifications and single click access to any station promotions or contests - View station’s YouTube channel without searching or leaving the app (when available) - Wake up to your favorite station with our alarm clock. Record a personal reminder to play before waking to the station. - Fall asleep while listening to your favorite station - Access station's weekly show schedules so you don’t miss a thing - Real-time weather for where you are - Share our app via Facebook, Twitter, and e-mail - Car Mode provides simple audio controls so you can listen while on the road
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is review sentiment: 97.9 The Box at 61% against 104.1 KRBE's 26%. 97.9 The Box also leads on rating (3.3 vs 3.0). 104.1 KRBE's advantage is ratings volume (26 vs 7). On price, update cadence, 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.
97.9 The Box holds the better App Store score, 3.3 against 3.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 7 and 26 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 61% of 97.9 The Box's written reviews are positive against 26% of 104.1 KRBE's.
97.9 The Box ships an update every 3 months, 104.1 KRBE every 4 months. The most recent releases landed on October 23, 2026 and October 21, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | 97.9 The Box | 104.1 KRBE |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 3.3 (7 ratings) — better | 3.0 (26 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 61.4% of reviews — better | 26.4% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 7 | 26 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months — better | Every 4 months |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Ad-supported | Ad-supported |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | 15.1 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 90 MB | 66 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Urban One, Inc. | Cumulus Media |
Customer experience
97.9 The Box
104.1 KRBE
User reviews
97.9 The Box
From 7 App Store ratingsWhat we love
- ❤️ Favorite station accessible anywhere
- 👍 Great music selection
- 🎶 Consistent music play (when working)
- 😎 Ability to listen at work
- ✨ User-friendly interface (when working)
Room to improve
- 🐛 Frequent buffering and stalling
- 🐛 App freezes and goes silent
- 🐛 App forces close unexpectedly
- 🐛 Too many commercials
- 🐛 Unsafe ad interaction while driving
104.1 KRBE
From 26 App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 🎶 Great music quality
- 🎤 Access to Roula and Ryan show
- 👍 Easy to use (historically)
- 🚀 Fast connection (sometimes)
Room to improve
- ❌ Frequent app crashes
- ❌ Excessive and intrusive ads
- ❌ App won't open or load
- ❌ Poor navigation and unintuitive design
- ❌ Ads block content or crash app
Bugs and requests
97.9 The Box
Reported bugs
14 issues- Random buffering
- App stops playing music
- App freezes
- App forces close
- App is out of sync
Show 9 moreShow fewer
- App needs to be updated but doesn't update
- App doesn't work on mobile internet
- App stops playing during phone calls
- Bad sound quality after update
- App times out
- App crashes
- App doesn't load
- App has error messages
- Background playback doesn't work
Requested features
9 requests- Fix buffering and connection issues
- Improve app performance and stability
- Reduce or eliminate commercials
- Allow multitasking while using the app
- Show artist info for each song
Show 4 moreShow fewer
- Option to pay to remove ads
- Fix update issues
- Improve sound quality
- Fix background playback
104.1 KRBE
Reported bugs
21 issues- App crashes frequently
- App won't open
- App won't load content
- Black screen after ads
- Ads block exit button
Show 16 moreShow fewer
- App closes mid-listening
- App doesn't open at all
- Cannot accept terms & conditions
- App says no internet connection
- App stops playing in background
- App crashes when changing apps or receiving calls
- App jumps to App Store without permission
- App doesn't stream content
- App gets stuck on 'retrieving content' screen
- App doesn't play live radio
- App doesn't play podcasts
- App crashes when opening
- App is behind live radio
- Ads cause app to crash
- App freezes on startup
- URL is invalid for podcasts
Requested features
7 requests- Update the app
- Fix bugs
- Improve navigation
- Allow background listening
- Fix cellular connection issues
Show 2 moreShow fewer
- Make contest sign-ups easier
- Consider a paid ad-free option
In-app purchases
97.9 The Box
No in-app purchases
104.1 KRBE
No in-app purchases
