# The JOY FM vs 97.1 The River

The JOY FM and 97.1 The River are too close to call on the numbers: across 10 compared parameters — price, rating, review sentiment and ratings volume among them — neither pulls far enough ahead to decide it. What separates them is feature set and interface, not measurable difference.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

The JOY FM holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.5. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 158 and 144 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 71% of The JOY FM's written reviews are positive against 65% of 97.1 The River's.

The JOY FM ships an update every 3 months, 97.1 The River every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on November 6, 2026 and November 3, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | The JOY FM | 97.1 The River |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (158 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-joy-fm/id528252707/reviews)** | [4.5 (144 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/971-the-river/id665984686/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **158** | 144 |
| Positive reviews | **71.1% of reviews** | 65.2% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | **Every 2 months** |
| Monetization | Ad-supported | Ad-supported |
| Size | 55 MB | 57 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.6 | 16.6 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 12+ | 9+ |
| Developer | [Radio Training Network, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/524688457) | [Cox Media Group](https://appshunter.io/developer/365102482) |

## What reviewers say

### The JOY FM

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-joy-fm/id528252707)

Listen to positive, uplifting Christian music from your favorite artists. Explore various music channels like JOY Worship, Classic JOY, and LF Radio to find more joy in your day.

**Highlights:** Positive uplifting music, Favorite Christian artists, JOY Worship channel, Classic JOY channel, LF Radio channel

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🎶 Uplifting music and content
- ✅ Allows listening to missed talks
- 👍 Great for spiritual upliftment
- 💖 Helps through hard times
- 🌟 Strengthens faith

**What reviewers complain about**

- 👎 App disoriented, hard to find info
- 🐛 App not refreshing, frozen in time
- 👎 Florida version doesn't work
-  repetitive songs
- 🐛 App crashes frequently

**Reported bugs**

- App is disoriented and hard to find information
- App does not refresh and is frozen in time
- Florida version of the app does not work
- App plays the same songs repeatedly
- App crashes frequently

**Requested features**

- Allow state selection in app settings
- Fix battery drain issue
- Improve UI design and layout
- Fix Wi-Fi connection issues
- Allow alarm sound customization


### 97.1 The River

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/971-the-river/id665984686)

Listen to Atlanta's Classic Hits station featuring rock legends. Interact with the station by picking songs for special blocks and win prizes. Get alerts for your favorite songs.

**Highlights:** Listen to classic hits radio, Pick songs for Rock Blocks, Win prizes, Get song alerts, Stream on smartphone

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🎶 Great music selection
- 👍 Easy to use app
- 📻 Good station overall
- ❤️ Love the station
- 🎵 Classic rock focus

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Slow internet error
- 🐛 Spotty service
- 🐛 App not working
- 🐛 Hard to use
- 🐛 Doesn't work often

**Reported bugs**

- Submit form broken/disappeared
- Connection issues with app/website
- Slow internet error message
- App not working for days
- Spotty service on iPhone

**Requested features**

- Bring back alerts
- Restore control center/watch controls
- Fix Janrain site pop-up issue
- Increase music variety
- Restore volume control on app


## Frequently asked questions

### Is The JOY FM free?

The JOY FM is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is 97.1 The River free?

97.1 The River is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, The JOY FM or 97.1 The River?

The JOY FM is rated higher. The JOY FM averages 4.7 out of 5 from 158 ratings, while 97.1 The River averages 4.5 from 144 ratings.

### Do The JOY FM or 97.1 The River have ads?

Both The JOY FM and 97.1 The River show ads.

### Which is updated more often, The JOY FM or 97.1 The River?

The JOY FM ships an update every 3 months, and 97.1 The River every 2 months. Most recently, The JOY FM was updated on November 6, 2026 and 97.1 The River on November 3, 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.*