# RNZ vs The Central App

The clearest difference is review sentiment: The Central App at 80% against RNZ's 41%. RNZ's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 2) and ads (none vs shown). On price, update cadence and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. The Central App sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $6.99 per month. RNZ asks for nothing beyond the download.

RNZ ships an update every 3 months, The Central App every 4 months. The most recent releases landed on November 7, 2026 and November 2, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | RNZ | The Central App |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[3.6 (17 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/rnz/id407890305/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **17** | — |
| Positive reviews | 41.2% of reviews | **80.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 months** | Every 4 months |
| Monetization | **Free** | Ad-supported |
| Size | 51 MB | 59 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 9+ | +17 |
| Developer | [Radio New Zealand](https://appshunter.io/developer/407890308) | [THE INLAND APP COMPANY LIMITED](https://appshunter.io/developer/1160054250) |

## What reviewers say

### RNZ

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/rnz/id407890305)

Access New Zealand's public broadcaster's news, radio stations, podcasts, and on-demand video and audio content. Enjoy a user-friendly interface with features like bookmarking, favorites, and a play queue for personalized listening. Listen live or offline, and receive breaking news alerts.

**Highlights:** Breaking news alerts and live coverage, Live streaming of all RNZ radio stations, On-demand programmes, podcasts, and series, Play queue for listening later or offline, Offline listening without internet access, Personalization with favorites and bookmarks

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 📰 High-quality, ad-free news content
- 🌙 Dark mode implementation (recently added)
- 🎙️ Excellent radio streaming and podcasts
- 🆓 Free access to comprehensive news
- 📱 Generally user-friendly interface

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 App crashes and freezes frequently
- 📏 Text size too small, poor accessibility
- 🔊 Audio playback stops when app backgrounded
- 📱 Not optimized for iPad (phone-sized view)
- 🔗 Many articles redirect to external browser

**Reported bugs**

- App stops playing audio when screen locks
- Crashes on iPhone 14 with iOS 18.5
- HomePod connection drops after seconds
- News items fail to open randomly
- Swipe-to-go-back navigation broken

**Requested features**

- Dynamic Type/adjustable font size support
- Image zoom functionality in articles
- iPad-optimized app version
- Granular notification settings (sports, crime, regional)
- Sleep timer feature


### The Central App

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-central-app/id1160054251)

This app provides comprehensive local information for Central Otago, including news, weather, and event listings. Access real-time updates on road conditions and community happenings directly on your smartphone.

**Highlights:** Local news updates, Weather forecasts, Road condition reports, Event listings, Community information

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

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Supporter programme | $6.99 | per month |
| Koha Annual | $69.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is RNZ free?

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

### Is The Central App free?

The Central App is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Do RNZ or The Central App have ads?

The Central App shows ads; RNZ does not.

### Which is updated more often, RNZ or The Central App?

RNZ ships an update every 3 months, and The Central App every 4 months. Most recently, RNZ was updated on November 7, 2026 and The Central App on November 2, 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.*