# The JOY FM vs Magic 949

The clearest difference is ads: The JOY FM at none against Magic 949's shown. The JOY FM also leads on ratings volume (158 vs 21). Magic 949's advantage is update cadence (every 6 weeks vs every 3 months) and review sentiment (80% vs 71%). On price, rating, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

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. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: The JOY FM has 158 ratings behind it against 21, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 71% of The JOY FM's written reviews are positive against 80% of Magic 949's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

The JOY FM ships an update every 3 months, Magic 949 every 6 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 24, 2026 and July 4, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | The JOY FM | Magic 949 |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (158 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-joy-fm/id528252707/reviews)** | [4.5 (21 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/magic-949/id690136183/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **158** | 21 |
| Positive reviews | 71.1% of reviews | **80.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | **Every 6 weeks** |
| Monetization | Ad-supported | Ad-supported |
| Size | 55 MB | 55 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.6 | 16.6 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 12+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Radio Training Network, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/524688457) | [Cox Media Group, Inc](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


### Magic 949

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/magic-949/id690136183)

Listen to Tampa Bay's hit music station live, enter contests for exclusive prizes like concert tickets, and get song alerts. You can also set birthday reminders, dedicate songs, and vote for your favorite tracks.

**Highlights:** Live radio stream, Exclusive prize contests, Song alert notifications, Birthday reminders, Song dedications, View upcoming songs, Vote for music

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is The JOY FM free?

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

### Is Magic 949 free?

Magic 949 is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, The JOY FM or Magic 949?

The JOY FM is rated higher. The JOY FM averages 4.7 out of 5 from 158 ratings, while Magic 949 averages 4.5 from 21 ratings.

### Do The JOY FM or Magic 949 have ads?

Magic 949 shows ads; The JOY FM does not.

### Which is updated more often, The JOY FM or Magic 949?

The JOY FM ships an update every 3 months, and Magic 949 every 6 weeks. Most recently, The JOY FM was updated on September 24, 2026 and Magic 949 on July 4, 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.*