# RFE/RL vs Bouwen.app

The clearest difference is ads: RFE/RL at none against Bouwen.app's shown. RFE/RL also leads on update cadence (every 2 months vs every 20 months). On price, in-app purchases, device support and iOS requirement 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 ships an update every 2 months, Bouwen.app every 20 months. The most recent releases landed on October 17, 2026 and October 16, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | RFE/RL | Bouwen.app |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.2 (69 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/rferl/id475986784/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **69** | — |
| Positive reviews | 68.4% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 months** | Every 20 months |
| Monetization | Free | — |
| Size | 68 MB | 49 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | **14.0** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple TV** | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [RFE/RL, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/406810961) | [bouwen.app](https://appshunter.io/developer/1294580841) |

## 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


### Bouwen.app

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bouwenapp/id1493969356)

**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 Bouwen.app free?

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

### Do RFE/RL or Bouwen.app have ads?

Bouwen.app shows ads; RFE/RL does not.

### Which is updated more often, RFE/RL or Bouwen.app?

RFE/RL ships an update every 2 months, and Bouwen.app every 20 months. Most recently, RFE/RL was updated on October 17, 2026 and Bouwen.app 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.*