# NWPB vs KCAW

The clearest difference is rating: KCAW at 5.0 against NWPB's 4.2. KCAW also leads on review sentiment (100% vs 66%). On price, ratings volume, 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.

KCAW holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.2. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 104 and 37 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 66% of NWPB's written reviews are positive against 100% of KCAW's.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on October 17, 2026 and October 5, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | NWPB | KCAW |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.2 (104 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nwpb/id472024661/reviews) | **[5.0 (37 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/kcaw/id6743453014/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **104** | 37 |
| Positive reviews | 66.2% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | Every 3 months |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 48 MB | 41 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) | [KCAW](https://appshunter.io/developer/1802969263) |

## 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


### KCAW

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/kcaw/id6743453014)

Listen to live radio, pause and rewind broadcasts, and access archived content. Easily share stories and send feedback to the station. Enjoy background listening while multitasking.

**Highlights:** Live radio streaming, Pause, rewind, and fast forward live audio, Access archived programs, Integrated program schedules, Share stories and programs, Send feedback via voice, video, or photos

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is NWPB free?

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

### Is KCAW free?

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

### Which has better reviews, NWPB or KCAW?

KCAW is rated higher. NWPB averages 4.2 out of 5 from 104 ratings, while KCAW averages 5.0 from 37 ratings.

### Do NWPB or KCAW have ads?

Neither NWPB nor KCAW shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, NWPB or KCAW?

NWPB ships an update every 3 months, and KCAW every 3 months. Most recently, NWPB was updated on October 17, 2026 and KCAW on October 5, 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.*