# RFE/RL vs VOA

The clearest difference is ratings volume: VOA at 731 against RFE/RL's 69. On price, rating, review sentiment 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.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.2 for RFE/RL against 4.3 for VOA. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: VOA has 731 ratings behind it against 69, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 68% of RFE/RL's written reviews are positive against 76% of VOA's.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on September 21, 2026 and September 25, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | RFE/RL | VOA |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.2 (69 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/rferl/id475986784/reviews) | **[4.3 (731 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/voa/id632618796/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 69 | **731** |
| Positive reviews | 68.4% of reviews | **76.2% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 68 MB | 77 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | 15.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple TV** | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [RFE/RL, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/406810961) | [Voice of America](https://appshunter.io/developer/383845348) |

## 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


### VOA

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/voa/id632618796)

Access global news from one of the world's largest international media networks. Enjoy diverse content formats, including photos, videos, audio, and text. Download stories for offline access and share news easily.

**Highlights:** Photos, video, audio, and text content, On-demand podcasts and newscasts, Offline downloading of stories and media, Customizable interface, Multimedia streaming, Social media sharing

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Excellent news coverage
- 🌍 Wide range of international news
- 🔍 Unbiased and factual reporting
- 📱 Simple and easy-to-use app
- 🎶 Good music selection

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Bugs and crashes
- 🔊 Poor audio quality
- 🌙 Lack of dark mode
- 📢 Push notifications not working
- 🤔 Perceived political bias in some reporting

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes when switching languages
- Live streaming not working
- Incompatibility with certain devices
- Unable to access content after update

**Requested features**

- Adjust playback speed
- Ability to comment on articles
- Improved sharing options
- More language support
- Customizable home screen


## Frequently asked questions

### Is RFE/RL free?

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

### Is VOA free?

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

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

VOA is rated higher. RFE/RL averages 4.2 out of 5 from 69 ratings, while VOA averages 4.3 from 731 ratings.

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

Neither RFE/RL nor VOA shows ads.

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

RFE/RL ships an update every 2 months, and VOA every 2 months. Most recently, RFE/RL was updated on September 21, 2026 and VOA on September 25, 2026.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*