# WNYC vs WBEZ

The clearest difference is review sentiment: WBEZ at 71% against WNYC's 32%. WBEZ also leads on rating (4.7 vs 4.5) and monetization model (ad-supported vs free with in-app purchases). WNYC's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and chart position (#208 vs unranked). On price, ratings volume, 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.

WBEZ holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.5. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 793 and 623 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 32% of WNYC's written reviews are positive against 71% of WBEZ's.

WNYC ships an update every 2 months, WBEZ every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 28, 2026 and September 19, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | WNYC | WBEZ |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.5 (793 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/wnyc/id470219771/reviews) | **[4.7 (623 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/wbez/id587477231/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **793** | 623 |
| Positive reviews | 31.6% of reviews | **71.3% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Ad-supported** |
| Best chart rank | **#208** | — |
| Size | 92 MB | 31 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 | **15.1** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [New York Public Radio](https://appshunter.io/developer/396530754) | [Chicago Public Media, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/379174218) |

## What reviewers say

### WNYC

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/wnyc/id470219771)

**Currently charting:** #208 Top Free · News (US App Store)

Access live and on-demand news, commentary, culture, storytelling, and music from New York's public radio station and its partners. Save podcasts for offline listening and stay updated on local and national headlines.

**Highlights:** Live broadcast streaming, On-demand news and commentary, Podcast saving for offline listening, Local and national headline updates, Music live streams

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Great station, great app
- 📻 Excellent content and programming
- 🌐 Access to WNYC anywhere
- 🔍 Helpful discovery features
- 🔊 Reliable live streaming

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Glitchy, buggy, and unstable
- 🔇 Frequent audio issues and disconnects
- 🔁 Struggles to resume playback after interruptions
- 🔍 Confusing navigation and UI
- 🔋 Drains battery quickly

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes on launch
- Audio stream stops unexpectedly
- Playback controls not working
- Saved content disappearing
- Connectivity issues with cellular and WiFi

**Requested features**

- Bring back sleep timer
- Improve podcast playback and resume functionality
- Add background audio support
- Optimize UI for newer iPhone models
- Implement better connectivity handling


### WBEZ

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/wbez/id587477231)

Listen to Chicago's NPR news station live or on-demand. Access local and national news, podcasts, and investigative journalism from WBEZ and its partners. Catch up on missed shows with rewind functionality.

**Highlights:** Live radio streaming, On-demand audio features, Podcast library, Rewind live shows, Curated daily stories, Investigative journalism

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Easy access to live and on-demand content
- 👍 Convenient listening experience
- 🌐 Accessible from anywhere
- 🗞️ Comprehensive news coverage
- 🎧 High-quality audio

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes and bugs
- 🔁 Ads interrupting playback
- 🔍 Confusing navigation and UI
- ⏱️ Playback issues (freezing, skipping)
- 🔋 High battery consumption

**Reported bugs**

- App crashing on launch
- Streaming issues on poor internet connections
- Push notifications causing app to freeze
- Inconsistent behavior when switching between audio sources

**Requested features**

- Improved search and content discovery
- Sleep timer functionality
- Ability to resume playback from where left off
- CarPlay and Bluetooth speaker support
- More granular access to local news


## Frequently asked questions

### Is WNYC free?

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

### Is WBEZ free?

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

### Which has better reviews, WNYC or WBEZ?

WBEZ is rated higher. WNYC averages 4.5 out of 5 from 793 ratings, while WBEZ averages 4.7 from 623 ratings.

### Do WNYC or WBEZ have ads?

WBEZ shows ads; WNYC does not.

### Which is updated more often, WNYC or WBEZ?

WNYC ships an update every 2 months, and WBEZ every 3 weeks. Most recently, WNYC was updated on September 28, 2026 and WBEZ on September 19, 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.*