Hot 101.9 vs The River 97.9
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Hot 101.9
Stream live radio and engage with on-air personalities and other listeners. Share comments, photos, and audio clips in real-time. Discover what's playing, preview songs, and rate them.
- Live radio streaming
- Real-time DJ interaction
- Listener comments and posts
- Photo and audio clip sharing
- Song preview and rating
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Listen live or join the conversation on the go with the new Hot 101.9 app! We’ve worked hard to bring you an awesome mobile experience. Yes, you can listen to Hot 101.9 on go. You can also post comment, photos and audio clips. Interact in real-time with DJs and other listeners. See what we’ve played, preview songs and even give them a thumbs up or down. It’s easy and fun. What are you waiting for?! It take just a few seconds to download.
The River 97.9
Stay informed with local news, weather, and traffic updates. Listen live to the station, interact with hosts, and receive instant alerts for breaking news and contests. Save articles for later and share content easily.
- Live radio streaming
- Local news and weather updates
- Traffic information
- Interactive host communication
- Breaking news alerts
- Article saving for offline reading
- Social media sharing
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Get the latest news and information, weather coverage and traffic updates in the Great Falls area with the The River 97.9 app! Listen to the station live and interact with the hosts – you can direct message and call the show directly from the app. Receive alerts about breaking news, contests, and more before anyone else. Save articles and viral stories for reading later, and share on Facebook and Twitter. Key Features: • Listen to our shows, plus receive weather and traffic updates live from The River 97.9 Radio • Read the latest news, watch videos, view photo galleries & listen to audio content • Submit Photos/Videos directly from the app • Participate in contests and giveaways, plus get exclusive access to station scavenger hunts • Apple CarPlay lets you to stay focused on the road while listening • Get the latest weather for your area plus a 5-day forecast • Do not disturb modes for alerts (weekend and after hours) • Save articles for reading later (supports offline viewing) • Instant Alerts for breaking news, weather, contests, shows and more • Featured full multi-tasking with background audio and controls • Share the latest news on Facebook & Twitter • Supports AirPlay for wireless streaming to your compatible devices • 3D Touch for iOS Devices This is the latest version of the The River 97.9 app, and many more features are already planned. Please share your feedback from within the The River 97.9 app by clicking the “Send App Feedback” link in the menu.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is ads: Hot 101.9 at none against The River 97.9's shown. Hot 101.9 also leads on ratings volume (379 vs 3) and monetization model (free vs ad-supported). The River 97.9's advantage is rating (5.0 vs 4.7) and update cadence (every 2 months vs every 6 months). On price, in-app purchases and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
The River 97.9 holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Hot 101.9 has 379 ratings behind it against 3, so its average is the more settled of the two.
Hot 101.9 ships an update every 6 months, The River 97.9 every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 17, 2026 and October 4, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Hot 101.9 | The River 97.9 |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.7 (379 ratings) | 5.0 (3 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 75.0% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 379 — better | 3 |
| Update frequency | Every 6 months | Every 2 months — better |
| Ads | No — better | Yes |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free — better | Ad-supported |
| Devices | iPhone | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better |
| Requires iOS | 16.6 | 15.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 17 MB | 80 MB |
| Age rating | 12+ | 12+ |
| Developer | BE DIGITAL MEDIA SOLUTIONS LLC | Townsquare Media, LLC |
Customer experience
Hot 101.9
The River 97.9
Bugs and requests
Hot 101.9
Reported bugs
3 issues- Chat feature not working
- App needs update for latest iOS
- Alarm feature not working
Requested features
2 requests- Add font size adjustment
- Play more Skrillex
The River 97.9
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
Hot 101.9
No in-app purchases
The River 97.9
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Hot 101.9 free?
Is The River 97.9 free?
Which has better reviews, Hot 101.9 or The River 97.9?
Do Hot 101.9 or The River 97.9 have ads?
Which is updated more often, Hot 101.9 or The River 97.9?
Other comparisons
