# PBS vs Singing Straw Studio

The clearest difference is review sentiment: PBS at 81% against Singing Straw Studio's 0%. PBS also leads on rating (4.9 vs 4.0) and ratings volume (357K vs 2). Singing Straw Studio's advantage is monetization model (free vs free with in-app purchases) and update cadence (fortnightly vs every 5 weeks). On price, ads, in-app purchases and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

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

PBS holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: PBS has 357K ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 81% of PBS's written reviews are positive against 0% of Singing Straw Studio's.

PBS ships an update every 5 weeks, Singing Straw Studio fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on November 9, 2026 and October 30, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | PBS | Singing Straw Studio |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.9 (357K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pbs-watch-tv-and-documentaries/id398349296/reviews)** | [4.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/singing-straw-studio/id6743140749/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **357K** | 2 |
| Positive reviews | **80.5% of reviews** | 0.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 5 weeks | **Fortnightly** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 52 MB | 49 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.4** | 16.6 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple TV** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 17+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [PBS](https://appshunter.io/developer/329374179) | [Singing Straw Vocal Workouts](https://appshunter.io/developer/1801616768) |

## 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


### Singing Straw Studio

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/singing-straw-studio/id6743140749)

Strengthen, balance, and improve your voice with exclusive video lessons, warmups, and workouts. Access all your vocal content in one place, save favorites, and receive notifications for new material. Makes vocal training simple, effective, and consistent for singers of all levels.

**Highlights:** Exclusive video lessons, Vocal warmups and workouts, Organized vocal video library, Push notifications for updates, Save favorite lessons, Persistent login

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is PBS free?

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

### Is Singing Straw Studio free?

Singing Straw Studio is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, PBS or Singing Straw Studio?

PBS is rated higher. PBS averages 4.9 out of 5 from 357K ratings, while Singing Straw Studio averages 4.0 from 2 ratings.

### Do PBS or Singing Straw Studio have ads?

Neither PBS nor Singing Straw Studio shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, PBS or Singing Straw Studio?

PBS ships an update every 5 weeks, and Singing Straw Studio fortnightly. Most recently, PBS was updated on November 9, 2026 and Singing Straw Studio on October 30, 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.*