# SBS Audio vs RFE/RL

The clearest difference is review sentiment: RFE/RL at 68% against SBS Audio's 24%. RFE/RL also leads on rating (4.2 vs 3.1) and ads (none vs shown). SBS Audio's advantage is update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 2 months). On price, 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.

RFE/RL holds the better App Store score, 4.2 against 3.1. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 18 and 69 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 24% of SBS Audio's written reviews are positive against 68% of RFE/RL's.

SBS Audio ships an update every 3 weeks, RFE/RL every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on September 25, 2026 and September 26, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | SBS Audio | RFE/RL |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.1 (18 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sbs-audio/id470808084/reviews) | **[4.2 (69 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/rferl/id475986784/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 18 | **69** |
| Positive reviews | 24.0% of reviews | **68.4% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 weeks** | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | Ad-supported | **Free** |
| Size | 46 MB | 68 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple TV** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Special Broadcasting Service Corporation](https://appshunter.io/developer/410148194) | [RFE/RL, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/406810961) |

## What reviewers say

### SBS Audio

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sbs-audio/id470808084)

Access music, news, podcasts, and community updates in your preferred language. Stream live radio stations and explore a diverse range of audio content.

**Highlights:** Music streaming, Australian news and current affairs, Podcasts, Community updates, Live radio programs, Multilingual content

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Great music selection (Chill)
- 👍 Free to use
- 👍 Good for language learning
- 👍 Clear audio quality
- 👍 Works well for some users

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent app crashes/freezing
- 🐛 Pausing/resuming issues (resets to beginning)
- 🐛 Frequent connection drops/streaming issues
- 🐛 Battery draining quickly
- 🐛 Ads interrupting streams

**Reported bugs**

- App stops frequently while broadcasting
- App not compatible with CarPlay
- Cannot pause and play from Home Screen
- Dead support link
- Ads from current location

**Requested features**

- CarPlay compatibility
- Dark mode
- Ability to slow down speech for language learning
- Sleep timer
- Search function


### RFE/RL

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/rferl/id475986784)

Access uncensored news and open debate from Europe and Asia. This app provides breaking news, live broadcasts, and on-demand audio/video in 22 languages, covering 36 regions. Customize your feed and download content for offline access.

**Highlights:** News in 22 languages, Coverage of 36 regions, Customizable news by topic, Live broadcasts (audio, video, blogs), On-demand audio and video, Breaking news push notifications, Offline reading, watching, and listening

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 📰 Comprehensive international news coverage
- 🌍 Multiple language options available
- 👍 User-friendly interface and navigation
- 📱 Works well on mobile devices
- 🎥 Quality videos and multimedia content

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent app crashes and freezes
- 🔌 Streaming connectivity issues
- 😕 Inconsistent app performance across updates
- ⚠️ Political bias in some coverage
- 🔄 Live stream functionality unreliable

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes upon opening or launching
- Live streaming doesn't work properly
- Audio files play simultaneously causing overlap
- Content fails to load or displays blank pages
- Text rendering issues with content cutoff

**Requested features**

- Widget support for home screen
- Auto-play functionality on app launch
- Landscape mode support
- Font size adjustment options
- Specific program filtering and selection


## Frequently asked questions

### Is SBS Audio free?

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

### Is RFE/RL free?

RFE/RL is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, SBS Audio or RFE/RL?

RFE/RL is rated higher. SBS Audio averages 3.1 out of 5 from 18 ratings, while RFE/RL averages 4.2 from 69 ratings.

### Do SBS Audio or RFE/RL have ads?

SBS Audio shows ads; RFE/RL does not.

### Which is updated more often, SBS Audio or RFE/RL?

SBS Audio ships an update every 3 weeks, and RFE/RL every 2 months. Most recently, SBS Audio was updated on September 25, 2026 and RFE/RL on September 26, 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.*