# PBS vs Thirteen Explore

The clearest difference is ads: PBS at none against Thirteen Explore's shown. PBS also leads on ratings volume (356K vs 6.1K) and update cadence (every 5 weeks vs every 5 months). Thirteen Explore's advantage is monetization model (ad-supported vs free with in-app purchases). On price, rating, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

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

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.9 for PBS against 4.8 for Thirteen Explore. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: PBS has 356K ratings behind it against 6.1K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 81% of PBS's written reviews are positive against 70% of Thirteen Explore's.

PBS ships an update every 5 weeks, Thirteen Explore every 5 months. The most recent releases landed on November 4, 2026 and November 1, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | PBS | Thirteen Explore |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.9 (356K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pbs-watch-tv-and-documentaries/id398349296/reviews)** | [4.8 (6.1K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/thirteen-explore/id598509773/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **356K** | 6.1K |
| Positive reviews | **80.5% of reviews** | 69.5% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 5 weeks** | Every 5 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Ad-supported** |
| Best chart rank | **#170** | — |
| Size | 52 MB | 21 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.4 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple TV | iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple TV |
| Age rating | 17+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [PBS](https://appshunter.io/developer/329374179) | [Thirteen/WNET](https://appshunter.io/developer/446797258) |

## What reviewers say

### PBS

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

**Currently charting:** #170 Top Free · Entertainment (US App Store)

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


### Thirteen Explore

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/thirteen-explore/id598509773)

Stream full episodes of popular PBS and THIRTEEN programs, including Masterpiece, Nature, and Frontline, directly to your iPhone and iPad. Access New York-centric shows and livestream THIRTEEN if you're in the NYC metro area. Cast content to your TV using Apple TV and Chromecast.

**Highlights:** Stream full episodes, Masterpiece, Nature, Frontline, New York-centric shows, Livestream THIRTEEN (NYC), Cast to TV

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Quality entertainment and education
- 👍 Variety of programming
- 👍 Reliable and trustworthy content
- 👍 Ability to watch missed episodes

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Buggy app with login and playback issues
- 🤔 Lack of user-friendly features (e.g., episode tracking, Chromecast support)
- 🤔 Limited content availability for Passport members

**Reported bugs**

- Login screen freezes or doesn't work
- Playback issues, such as app crashing or getting kicked out
- Incompatibility with certain devices (e.g., Firestick)

**Requested features**

- Add episode tracking and resume playback functionality
- Improve Chromecast support with features like closed captions
- Expand Passport content library to include more archived shows


## Frequently asked questions

### Is PBS free?

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

### Is Thirteen Explore free?

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

### Which has better reviews, PBS or Thirteen Explore?

PBS is rated higher. PBS averages 4.9 out of 5 from 356K ratings, while Thirteen Explore averages 4.8 from 6.1K ratings.

### Do PBS or Thirteen Explore have ads?

Thirteen Explore shows ads; PBS does not.

### Which is updated more often, PBS or Thirteen Explore?

PBS ships an update every 5 weeks, and Thirteen Explore every 5 months. Most recently, PBS was updated on November 4, 2026 and Thirteen Explore on November 1, 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.*