# NWPB vs WABE Public Broadcasting

NWPB and WABE Public Broadcasting both sit at 4.2 stars, but that hides the real split: 66% of NWPB's written reviews are positive against 57% of WABE Public Broadcasting's. On price, rating, ratings volume and update cadence 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 4.1. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 108 and 225 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 66% of NWPB's written reviews are positive against 57% of WABE Public Broadcasting's.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on October 21, 2026 and October 22, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | NWPB | WABE Public Broadcasting |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.2 (108 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nwpb/id472024661/reviews)** | [4.1 (225 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/wabe-public-broadcasting/id567615999/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 108 | **225** |
| Positive reviews | **66.2% of reviews** | 57.3% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | Every 3 months |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 48 MB | 44 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | **14.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 17+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Washington State University](https://appshunter.io/developer/886047261) | [ATLANTA EDUCATIONAL TELECOMMUNICATIONS COLLABORATIVE, INC.](https://appshunter.io/developer/567616002) |

## 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


### WABE Public Broadcasting

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/wabe-public-broadcasting/id567615999)

Stream live radio and TV programming, and access on-demand content from your favorite shows. Features include DVR-like controls for live and on-demand playback, parental controls for kids' content, and a sleep timer.

**Highlights:** Live radio streaming, On-demand TV and radio programs, DVR-like playback controls, PBS Kids content with parental controls, Program schedule access, Sleep timer and alarm clock

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 📻 Reliable access to live stream radio anytime
- 📰 Trusted fact-based news reporting
- 🎵 Excellent classical music programming
- 🎙️ Comprehensive NPR content and podcasts
- 👍 User-friendly and straightforward interface

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent app crashes and freezing
- 🐛 Stream drops after an hour of listening
- 📢 Excessive sponsor ads interrupting stories mid-broadcast
- 📢 Same ads repeating multiple times in succession
- 🔄 Audio loops and repeats content

**Reported bugs**

- App hangs when pressing 'listen live' button
- Continuous looping of 15-30 second audio segments
- Dead air followed by repeated content
- Ads play over stories instead of pausing them
- App crashes when switching between apps

**Requested features**

- Cleaner, less cluttered interface design
- Autoplay feature to resume last stream on opening
- Keyboard shortcuts for launching streams
- Easy in-app donation functionality
- Access to archived/previously aired segments


## Frequently asked questions

### Is NWPB free?

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

### Is WABE Public Broadcasting free?

WABE Public Broadcasting is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, NWPB or WABE Public Broadcasting?

NWPB is rated higher. NWPB averages 4.2 out of 5 from 108 ratings, while WABE Public Broadcasting averages 4.1 from 225 ratings.

### Do NWPB or WABE Public Broadcasting have ads?

Neither NWPB nor WABE Public Broadcasting shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, NWPB or WABE Public Broadcasting?

NWPB ships an update every 3 months, and WABE Public Broadcasting every 3 months. Most recently, NWPB was updated on October 21, 2026 and WABE Public Broadcasting on October 22, 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.*