# Thirteen Explore vs Watch OWN

Thirteen Explore and Watch OWN both sit at 4.8 stars, but that hides the real split: 70% of Thirteen Explore's written reviews are positive against 47% of Watch OWN's. Thirteen Explore also leads on monetization model (ad-supported vs free with in-app purchases). Watch OWN's advantage is update cadence (every 6 weeks vs every 5 months) and ratings volume (41K vs 5.8K). On price, rating, ads and in-app purchases 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 — 4.8 for Thirteen Explore against 4.8 for Watch OWN. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Watch OWN has 41K ratings behind it against 5.8K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 70% of Thirteen Explore's written reviews are positive against 47% of Watch OWN's.

Thirteen Explore ships an update every 5 months, Watch OWN every 6 weeks. Both last shipped on October 17, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Thirteen Explore | Watch OWN |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.8 (5.8K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/thirteen-explore/id598509773/reviews) | [4.8 (41K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/watch-own/id1044871992/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 5.8K | **41K** |
| Positive reviews | **69.5% of reviews** | 47.4% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 5 months | **Every 6 weeks** |
| Monetization | **Ad-supported** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 21 MB | 96 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | **14.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple TV | iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple TV |
| Age rating | 12+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Thirteen/WNET](https://appshunter.io/developer/446797258) | [OWN LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1044871991) |

## What reviewers say

### Thirteen Explore

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/thirteen-explore/id598509773)

Stream full episodes of popular PBS and THIRTEEN programs, including Masterpiece, Nature, and Frontline, directly to your iPhone and iPad. Access New York-centric shows and livestream THIRTEEN if you're in the NYC metro area. Cast content to your TV using Apple TV and Chromecast.

**Highlights:** Stream full episodes, Masterpiece, Nature, Frontline, New York-centric shows, Livestream THIRTEEN (NYC), Cast to TV

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Quality entertainment and education
- 👍 Variety of programming
- 👍 Reliable and trustworthy content
- 👍 Ability to watch missed episodes

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Buggy app with login and playback issues
- 🤔 Lack of user-friendly features (e.g., episode tracking, Chromecast support)
- 🤔 Limited content availability for Passport members

**Reported bugs**

- Login screen freezes or doesn't work
- Playback issues, such as app crashing or getting kicked out
- Incompatibility with certain devices (e.g., Firestick)

**Requested features**

- Add episode tracking and resume playback functionality
- Improve Chromecast support with features like closed captions
- Expand Passport content library to include more archived shows


### Watch OWN

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/watch-own/id1044871992)

Stream OWN shows and content from up to 14 additional networks, including TLC, HGTV, and ID. Access new episodes the same day they air on TV and enjoy thousands of on-demand episodes. Continue watching across devices and save favorites to your list.

**Highlights:** Stream OWN and 14+ networks live, Access thousands of on-demand episodes, New episodes same day as TV premiere, Browse by genre, Continue watching across devices, Save shows to My List

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🌟 Inspiring and empowering content
- 📺 Convenient access to favorite shows
- ❤️ Commitment to diverse voices and personal growth

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🤯 Excessive and repetitive commercials
- 🐛 Glitches, crashes, and login issues
- 🤔 Lack of features like rewind/fast-forward and episode tracking

**Reported bugs**

- App freezes during commercial breaks
- Inability to log in with certain cable providers
- Inconsistent performance across devices

**Requested features**

- Reduce commercial frequency and duration
- Implement better episode navigation and resume functionality
- Expand provider options and improve login experience


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Thirteen Explore free?

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

### Is Watch OWN free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Thirteen Explore or Watch OWN?

Thirteen Explore and Watch OWN are both rated 4.8 out of 5 on the App Store, from 5.8K and 41K ratings respectively.

### Do Thirteen Explore or Watch OWN have ads?

Both Thirteen Explore and Watch OWN show ads.

### Which is updated more often, Thirteen Explore or Watch OWN?

Thirteen Explore ships an update every 5 months, and Watch OWN every 6 weeks. Most recently, Thirteen Explore was updated on October 17, 2026 and Watch OWN on October 17, 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.*