# Vocalo vs KBACH Phoenix

The clearest difference is update cadence: KBACH Phoenix at every 8 months against Vocalo's every 18 months. KBACH Phoenix also leads on ratings volume (139 vs 42). Vocalo's advantage is iOS requirement (12.4 vs 14.0). On price, rating, review sentiment and ads there is nothing between them.

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

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.9 for Vocalo against 4.9 for KBACH Phoenix. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 42 and 139 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 89% of Vocalo's written reviews are positive against 83% of KBACH Phoenix's.

Vocalo ships an update every 18 months, KBACH Phoenix every 8 months. The most recent releases landed on September 20, 2026 and October 16, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Vocalo | KBACH Phoenix |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.9 (42 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/vocalo/id470955202/reviews)** | [4.9 (139 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/kbach-phoenix/id871272161/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 42 | **139** |
| Positive reviews | **88.9% of reviews** | 83.3% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 18 months | **Every 8 months** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 25 MB | 38 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.4** | 14.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 12+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Chicago Public Media, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/379174218) | [Friends of Public Radio Arizona](https://appshunter.io/developer/767469034) |

## What reviewers say

### Vocalo

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/vocalo/id470955202)

Experience Chicago's vibrant urban alternative music scene with this station's curated blend of R&B, hip-hop, and dance. Discover new sounds and cultural expressions hosted by engaging personalities. It's the definitive soundtrack for the city.

**Highlights:** Urban alternative music, R&B, hip-hop, and dance genres, Hosted by radio personalities, Music discovery, Cultural expression

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### KBACH Phoenix

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/kbach-phoenix/id871272161)

Stream live classical music, jazz, news, and podcasts from public radio stations. Access on-demand content including interviews and local news. Features include pause/rewind, sleep timer, and podcast favorites.

**Highlights:** Live classical music stream, Jazz music stream, News and information stream, On-demand podcasts, Pause and rewind live audio, Sleep timer and alarm clock, Podcast favorites

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Vocalo free?

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

### Is KBACH Phoenix free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Vocalo or KBACH Phoenix?

Vocalo is rated higher. Vocalo averages 4.9 out of 5 from 42 ratings, while KBACH Phoenix averages 4.9 from 139 ratings.

### Do Vocalo or KBACH Phoenix have ads?

Neither Vocalo nor KBACH Phoenix shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Vocalo or KBACH Phoenix?

Vocalo ships an update every 18 months, and KBACH Phoenix every 8 months. Most recently, Vocalo was updated on September 20, 2026 and KBACH Phoenix on October 16, 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.*