# RTÉ Listen vs Broadcasts

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: RTÉ Listen at none against Broadcasts's 1. Broadcasts's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (monthly vs every 5 months). On price, rating, review sentiment and ratings volume there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Broadcasts sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. RTÉ Listen asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.8 for RTÉ Listen against 4.7 for Broadcasts. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 1K and 930 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 67% of RTÉ Listen's written reviews are positive against 75% of Broadcasts's.

RTÉ Listen ships an update every 5 months, Broadcasts monthly. Both last shipped on October 1, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | RTÉ Listen | Broadcasts |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (1K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/rte-listen/id470493202/reviews)** | [4.7 (930 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/broadcasts/id1469995354/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **1K** | 930 |
| Positive reviews | 67.1% of reviews | **74.8% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 5 months | **Monthly** |
| Monetization | **Ad-supported** | Freemium |
| Size | 58 MB | 25 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.6 | **15.4** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac, Apple TV, Apple Watch, Vision Pro** |
| Age rating | 12+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [RTÉ](https://appshunter.io/developer/417236883) | [Steven Troughton-Smith](https://appshunter.io/developer/286133549) |

## What reviewers say

### RTÉ Listen

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/rte-listen/id470493202)

Stream live radio stations and discover a vast library of award-winning podcasts from Ireland's national broadcaster. Enjoy content across various genres, from news and sports to drama and children's programming.

**Highlights:** Live radio streaming, Extensive podcast library, Award-winning original content, Multiple radio station options, Content across news, sports, and kids genres

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Excellent app
- 👍 Great for listening to Irish radio
- 🎧 Wonderful music and entertainment
- 🌍 Connects expats to home
- 🔊 High-quality audio

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Buggy, crashes frequently
- ⏱️ Slow to load, buffer issues
- 🔍 Difficult to navigate, poor UI
- 🔇 Excessive ads before programs
- 📺 Lack of landscape mode on iPad

**Reported bugs**

- App freezes or stops playing unexpectedly
- Playback issues when switching between apps
- Inconsistent behavior on different devices
- Delayed availability of programs for playback

**Requested features**

- Ability to pause, rewind, and resume live programs
- Quicker availability of programs for playback
- More customization options
- Improved search and discovery
- Airplay/Chromecast support


### Broadcasts

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/broadcasts/id1469995354)

Stream internet radio stations from around the world with an intuitive, single-purpose application. Enjoy beautiful artwork, metadata, and cross-device syncing. Offers a free tier with a limited library or a full version for unlimited stations and advanced features.

**Highlights:** Global internet radio streaming, Unlimited station library (full version), Station artwork and metadata display, Shazam integration for metadata, iCloud library syncing, CarPlay support, Apple Watch and Apple TV playback

**Features:** Game Controller support, Family Sharing, Siri integration, Apple Watch app, SharePlay

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Unlock All Features | $7.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Simple, efficient, and reliable
- 🔒 Privacy-focused with no data tracking
- 👍 Seamless syncing across devices
- 👍 Customizable station icons and collections
- 👍 Affordable one-time purchase

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional streaming issues and crashes
- 🔍 Limited search and discovery features
- 🔍 Lack of genre-based browsing
- 🔍 Difficult to add non-listed stations

**Reported bugs**

- Syncing issues causing data loss
- Playback issues on CarPlay and macOS
- Inconsistent behavior when changing stations

**Requested features**

- Improved global station search
- Genre-based station browsing
- Easier custom station addition
- Airplay and Siri integration
- Sleep timer and alarm clock functionality


## Frequently asked questions

### Is RTÉ Listen free?

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

### Is Broadcasts free?

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

### Which has better reviews, RTÉ Listen or Broadcasts?

RTÉ Listen is rated higher. RTÉ Listen averages 4.8 out of 5 from 1K ratings, while Broadcasts averages 4.7 from 930 ratings.

### Do RTÉ Listen or Broadcasts have ads?

RTÉ Listen shows ads; Broadcasts does not.

### Which is updated more often, RTÉ Listen or Broadcasts?

RTÉ Listen ships an update every 5 months, and Broadcasts monthly. Most recently, RTÉ Listen was updated on October 1, 2026 and Broadcasts on October 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.*