# The Strad vs Berliner Philharmoniker

The clearest difference is rating: Berliner Philharmoniker at 4.9 against The Strad's 4.3. Berliner Philharmoniker also leads on review sentiment (85% vs 52%) and update cadence (weekly vs every 7 months). The Strad's advantage is iOS requirement (13.0 vs 18.4). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. The Strad sells 24 in-app purchases, starting at $14.99 per 3 months and Berliner Philharmoniker sells 11 in-app purchases, starting at $19.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Berliner Philharmoniker holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Berliner Philharmoniker has 3K ratings behind it against 38, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 52% of The Strad's written reviews are positive against 85% of Berliner Philharmoniker's.

The Strad ships an update every 7 months, Berliner Philharmoniker weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 23, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | The Strad | Berliner Philharmoniker |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.3 (38 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-strad/id511856633/reviews) | **[4.9 (3K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/berliner-philharmoniker/id554616591/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 38 | **3K** |
| Positive reviews | 52.0% of reviews | **85.5% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 7 months | **Weekly** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 21 MB | 199 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 18.4 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, Apple TV |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Newsquest Specialist Media Limited](https://appshunter.io/developer/511856637) | [Berliner Philharmoniker](https://appshunter.io/developer/1518647270) |

## What reviewers say

### The Strad

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-strad/id511856633)

Access the world's leading string music magazine, featuring interviews, in-depth articles on instruments, and masterclass sheet music. Explore the latest news, commentary, and analysis for makers, musicians, and teachers.

**Highlights:** Interviews with star string players, In-depth articles on instruments, Masterclass sheet music section, News, comment, and analysis, Exclusive videos and audio clips, Interactive links

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

**In-app purchases (24)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| The Strad | $14.99 | per 3 months |
| The Strad | $59.99 | per year |
| June 2012 (id:736861) | $4.99 | one-time |
| September 2012 (id:736003) | $4.99 | one-time |
| May 2013 and De... (id:738002) | $4.99 | one-time |
| February 2014 (id:738506) | $4.99 | one-time |
| December 2013 (id:736381) | $4.99 | one-time |
| November 2013 (id:735750) | $4.99 | one-time |
| March 2016 (id:738737) | $4.99 | one-time |
| May 2020 And De... (id:771419) | $4.99 | one-time |
| December 2017 (id:757689) | $4.99 | one-time |
| December 2024 (pp:1024896) | $4.99 | one-time |
| January 2019 an... (id:762634) | $4.99 | one-time |
| April 2016 (id:745918) | $4.99 | one-time |
| July 2017 (id:757679) | $4.99 | one-time |
| November 2017 (id:757687) | $4.99 | one-time |
| February 2019 (id:766008) | $4.99 | one-time |
| September 2020 (id:771411) | $4.99 | one-time |
| October 2018 (id:762640) | $4.99 | one-time |
| July 2024 (pp:1024926) | $4.99 | one-time |
| January 2025 a... (pp:1110854) | $5.99 | one-time |
| The Strad Magazine 2 back issue bundle | $7.99 | one-time |
| Great Instruments (id:810171) | $14.99 | one-time |
| The Strad | $179.99 | one-time |


### Berliner Philharmoniker

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/berliner-philharmoniker/id554616591)

Experience classical music performances from a world-renowned orchestra, live and on demand. Access hundreds of concert videos, interviews, documentaries, and educational content in high-quality audio and video. Enjoy a 7-day free trial to explore the extensive archive.

**Highlights:** Live concert broadcasts, On-demand concert archive, Interviews and documentaries, Educational concerts, 4K UHD Video and Hi-Res Audio, Chromecast support

**Features:** Siri integration, Vision Pro support, SharePlay

**In-app purchases (11)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly subscription | $19.99 | per month |
| Annual subscription | $199.99 | per year |
| 7 Days | $8.90 | one-time |
| 7 days | $9.99 | one-time |
| 30 Days | $18.90 | one-time |
| 30 days | $19.99 | one-time |
| 12 months | $149.99 | one-time |
| 12 Months | $174.99 | one-time |
| 12 months | $179.99 | one-time |
| 12 months | $184.99 | one-time |
| 12 Months | $194.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🎶 Excellent music quality
- 🎥 Outstanding video production
- 📚 Extensive concert archives
- 🌍 Global accessibility
- 🤩 Captivating performances

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional app crashes
- 🔍 Difficult navigation/search
- 🔇 Lack of surround sound support
- ⏱️ Slow rewind/fast-forward
- 💰 Expensive subscription

**Reported bugs**

- Video playback issues
- Inconsistent performance across devices
- Subscription renewal problems
- Unreliable streaming on some platforms

**Requested features**

- Personalized playlists
- Improved search and browsing
- Surround sound audio
- Seamless Chromecast/AirPlay integration
- Offline concert downloads


## Frequently asked questions

### Is The Strad free?

The Strad is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Berliner Philharmoniker free?

Berliner Philharmoniker is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, The Strad or Berliner Philharmoniker?

Berliner Philharmoniker is rated higher. The Strad averages 4.3 out of 5 from 38 ratings, while Berliner Philharmoniker averages 4.9 from 3K ratings.

### Do The Strad or Berliner Philharmoniker have ads?

Neither The Strad nor Berliner Philharmoniker shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, The Strad or Berliner Philharmoniker?

The Strad ships an update every 7 months, and Berliner Philharmoniker weekly. Most recently, The Strad was updated on October 24, 2026 and Berliner Philharmoniker on October 23, 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.*