# Thirteen Explore vs MeTV App

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Thirteen Explore at 70% against MeTV App's 24%. Thirteen Explore also leads on rating (4.8 vs 2.6) and ratings volume (5.8K vs 689). MeTV App's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (every 6 weeks vs every 5 months). On price, in-app purchases, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

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

Thirteen Explore holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 2.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Thirteen Explore has 5.8K ratings behind it against 689, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 70% of Thirteen Explore's written reviews are positive against 24% of MeTV App's.

Thirteen Explore ships an update every 5 months, MeTV App every 6 weeks. Both last shipped on September 20, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Thirteen Explore | MeTV App |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (5.8K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/thirteen-explore/id598509773/reviews)** | [2.6 (689 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/metv-app/id1079958817/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **5.8K** | 689 |
| Positive reviews | **70.4% of reviews** | 24.3% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 5 months | **Every 6 weeks** |
| Monetization | Ad-supported | **Free** |
| Size | 21 MB | 22 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 15.6 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple TV** | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 12+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Thirteen/WNET](https://appshunter.io/developer/446797258) | [ME-TV National Limited Partnership](https://appshunter.io/developer/1079958816) |

## 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


### MeTV App

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/metv-app/id1079958817)

Explore classic television shows and relive television nostalgia. This app provides information about your favorite programs from America's #1 classic television network.

**Highlights:** Classic television network content, Information on favorite shows, Nostalgia features, iPhone and iPad compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 💫 Best old TV shows
- 🎶 Great music
- 👍 Enjoyable and informative content

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Buggy app with frequent crashes
- 🚫 Can't watch live TV or stream shows
- 🤔 Confusing and non-intuitive interface
- 🚫 Not available in Canada

**Reported bugs**

- Sign-up page with unreadable text
- Inconsistent live stream functionality
- Freezing and repeated playback issues
- Incorrect program scheduling information

**Requested features**

- Live streaming option
- More frequent quiz updates
- Ability to remove/change favorite shows
- Improved accessibility for visually impaired users


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Thirteen Explore free?

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

### Is MeTV App free?

MeTV App is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Thirteen Explore or MeTV App?

Thirteen Explore is rated higher. Thirteen Explore averages 4.8 out of 5 from 5.8K ratings, while MeTV App averages 2.6 from 689 ratings.

### Do Thirteen Explore or MeTV App have ads?

Thirteen Explore shows ads; MeTV App does not.

### Which is updated more often, Thirteen Explore or MeTV App?

Thirteen Explore ships an update every 5 months, and MeTV App every 6 weeks. Most recently, Thirteen Explore was updated on September 20, 2026 and MeTV App on September 20, 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.*