# PBS vs Real Chimes

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: PBS at none against Real Chimes's 4. PBS also leads on ads (none vs shown) and ratings volume (356K vs 9). Real Chimes's advantage is review sentiment (100% vs 81%). On price, monetization model, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Real Chimes sells 4 one-off in-app purchases. PBS asks for nothing beyond the download.

PBS holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: PBS has 356K ratings behind it against 9, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 81% of PBS's written reviews are positive against 100% of Real Chimes's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

PBS ships an update every 5 weeks, Real Chimes every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 31, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | PBS | Real Chimes |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.9 (356K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pbs-watch-tv-and-documentaries/id398349296/reviews)** | [4.6 (9 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/real-chimes/id1643184607/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **356K** | 9 |
| Positive reviews | 80.5% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 5 weeks** | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 52 MB | 198 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.4 | **14.0** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple TV** | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 17+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [PBS](https://appshunter.io/developer/329374179) | [Riley Leal](https://appshunter.io/developer/1643184609) |

## What reviewers say

### PBS

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pbs-watch-tv-and-documentaries/id398349296)

Stream a vast library of award-winning documentaries, iconic series, and live local TV from your PBS station. Discover new shows and catch up on favorites across drama, news, history, science, and arts anytime, anywhere.

**Highlights:** Stream live local PBS station, Watch thousands of full-length episodes on demand, Access award-winning documentaries, Explore iconic series across multiple genres, Save episodes to a custom watchlist, Daily additions of new videos and episodes

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🎥 Excellent programming, especially documentaries
- 🎨 High-quality, diverse content
- 📺 Ability to watch shows on-demand
- 🎬 Exclusive access to shows through Passport
- 🌍 Variety of international and British shows

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🤖 Buggy app with frequent crashes
- 🔍 Difficulty finding and resuming shows
- 💰 Paywall for most content, even for donors
- 🇨🇦 Limited availability for Canadian users
- 📢 Intrusive ads even for Passport members

**Reported bugs**

- App freezes and crashes frequently
- Unable to cast or stream content reliably
- Watch history and progress not saved properly
- Incompatibility issues with certain devices
- Inconsistent behavior when navigating the app

**Requested features**

- Add option to skip ads for Passport members
- Improve resume functionality to remember progress
- Enhance discoverability of shows and categories
- Provide more free content for non-Passport users
- Optimize app performance and stability


### Real Chimes

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/real-chimes/id1643184607)

Create personalized ambient soundscapes for meditation, relaxation, or sleep. Customize chimes with various scales, keys, and octaves, and select from immersive environments. Save your favorite settings as presets for quick access.

**Highlights:** Physically simulated chimes, Customizable scales, keys, and octaves, Ambient environment selection, Saveable presets, Dynamic note generation

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Remove Ads | $2.99 | one-time |
| Remove ads - $5 | $4.99 | one-time |
| Remove ads - $15 | $14.99 | one-time |
| Remove ads - $25 | $24.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is PBS free?

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

### Is Real Chimes free?

Real Chimes is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, PBS or Real Chimes?

PBS is rated higher. PBS averages 4.9 out of 5 from 356K ratings, while Real Chimes averages 4.6 from 9 ratings.

### Do PBS or Real Chimes have ads?

Real Chimes shows ads; PBS does not.

### Which is updated more often, PBS or Real Chimes?

PBS ships an update every 5 weeks, and Real Chimes every 2 months. Most recently, PBS was updated on October 31, 2026 and Real Chimes on October 24, 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.*