# RFE/RL vs PARSTV

The clearest difference is review sentiment: RFE/RL at 68% against PARSTV's 33%. RFE/RL also leads on rating (4.2 vs 4.0) and ratings volume (69 vs 22). PARSTV's advantage is update cadence (monthly vs every 2 months) and iOS requirement (11.2 vs 15.0). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model 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 4.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 69 and 22 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 68% of RFE/RL's written reviews are positive against 33% of PARSTV's.

RFE/RL ships an update every 2 months, PARSTV monthly. The most recent releases landed on October 17, 2026 and October 11, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | RFE/RL | PARSTV |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.2 (69 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/rferl/id475986784/reviews)** | [4.0 (22 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/parstv/id1226175225/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **69** | 22 |
| Positive reviews | **68.4% of reviews** | 33.3% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Monthly** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 68 MB | 10 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | **11.2** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple TV** | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [RFE/RL, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/406810961) | [Sohiel Nikbin](https://appshunter.io/developer/1138590188) |

## What reviewers say

### 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


### PARSTV

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/parstv/id1226175225)

This app provides live Persian news and talk shows from Los Angeles, California. Established in 1987, it reaches millions of viewers globally 24/7, focusing on Iranian culture, history, and beliefs.

**Highlights:** Live Persian news broadcasts, Talk shows, 24/7 global streaming, Focus on Iranian culture and history, Available via website

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is RFE/RL free?

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

### Is PARSTV free?

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

### Which has better reviews, RFE/RL or PARSTV?

RFE/RL is rated higher. RFE/RL averages 4.2 out of 5 from 69 ratings, while PARSTV averages 4.0 from 22 ratings.

### Do RFE/RL or PARSTV have ads?

Neither RFE/RL nor PARSTV shows ads.

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

RFE/RL ships an update every 2 months, and PARSTV monthly. Most recently, RFE/RL was updated on October 17, 2026 and PARSTV on October 11, 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.*