# NWPB vs Jacobs Radio

The clearest difference is rating: NWPB at 4.2 against Jacobs Radio's 4.0. NWPB also leads on ratings volume (108 vs 13). On price, review sentiment, update cadence 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.

NWPB holds the better App Store score, 4.2 against 4.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: NWPB has 108 ratings behind it against 13, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 66% and 67% positive.

NWPB ships an update every 3 months, Jacobs Radio every 6 months. The most recent releases landed on October 21, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | NWPB | Jacobs Radio |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.2 (108 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nwpb/id472024661/reviews)** | [4.0 (13 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/jacobs-radio/id1607172841/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **108** | 13 |
| Positive reviews | 66.2% of reviews | **66.7% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 months** | Every 6 months |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 48 MB | 15 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 17+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Washington State University](https://appshunter.io/developer/886047261) | [Jeff Jacobs](https://appshunter.io/developer/1607172843) |

## What reviewers say

### NWPB

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nwpb/id472024661)

Access live radio and TV streams from Northwest Public Broadcasting, including NPR and PBS content. Enjoy on-demand shows, news updates, and DVR-like controls for live audio and video. Share content and set alarms with your favorite station.

**Highlights:** Live radio and TV streaming, On-demand shows and clips, DVR-like controls for live audio/video, Program schedules, Local and national news, Shareable content, Sleep timer and alarm clock

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Great content and programming
- 👍 Reliable when it works
- 👍 No ads or pop-ups
- 👍 Good for staying connected while traveling
- 👍 Pleasant interface and design

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent streaming interruptions
- 🐛 App crashes often
- 🐛 Sleep timer issues
- 🐛 Audio skips or stops
- 🐛 App freezes

**Reported bugs**

- Streaming cuts out frequently
- Sleep timer resets or doesn't change
- App randomly closes
- Audio randomly stopping and playing
- System becomes frozen

**Requested features**

- Fix streaming interruptions
- Improve sleep timer functionality
- Allow changing sleep timer without exiting app
- Make app more intuitive for program scheduling
- Add offline download/listening feature


### Jacobs Radio

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/jacobs-radio/id1607172841)

Access a wide variety of American radio stations across multiple genres, from classic rock and country to hip hop and smooth jazz. Enjoy live broadcasts from numerous stations nationwide.

**Highlights:** Classic Rock stations, Country music stations, Classic Hip Hop channels, Smooth Jazz broadcasts, Live radio streaming, Multiple genre options

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is NWPB free?

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

### Is Jacobs Radio free?

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

### Which has better reviews, NWPB or Jacobs Radio?

NWPB is rated higher. NWPB averages 4.2 out of 5 from 108 ratings, while Jacobs Radio averages 4.0 from 13 ratings.

### Do NWPB or Jacobs Radio have ads?

Neither NWPB nor Jacobs Radio shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, NWPB or Jacobs Radio?

NWPB ships an update every 3 months, and Jacobs Radio every 6 months. Most recently, NWPB was updated on October 21, 2026 and Jacobs Radio on October 24, 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.*