# Thirteen Explore vs TLC GO

Thirteen Explore and TLC GO both sit at 4.8 stars, but that hides the real split: 70% of Thirteen Explore's written reviews are positive against 26% of TLC GO's. Thirteen Explore also leads on monetization model (ad-supported vs free with in-app purchases). TLC GO's advantage is update cadence (every 6 weeks vs every 5 months) and ratings volume (118K vs 6.1K). 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 TLC GO. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: TLC GO has 118K ratings behind it against 6.1K, 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 26% of TLC GO's.

Thirteen Explore ships an update every 5 months, TLC GO every 6 weeks. Both last shipped on October 26, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Thirteen Explore | TLC GO |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (6.1K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/thirteen-explore/id598509773/reviews)** | [4.8 (118K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tlc-go-stream-live-tv/id1101436320/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 6.1K | **118K** |
| Positive reviews | **69.5% of reviews** | 26.1% 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) | [Discovery Communications](https://appshunter.io/developer/325058494) |

## 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


### TLC GO

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tlc-go-stream-live-tv/id1101436320)

Stream live TV and access thousands of on-demand episodes from TLC and up to 14 other networks. New episodes are available the same day they premiere on TV. Requires a pay TV subscription to access content.

**Highlights:** Stream live TV from multiple networks, Access thousands of on-demand episodes, New episodes available same day as TV premiere, Browse by genre, Continue watching across devices, Save shows to My List, Compatible with tvOS and Chromecast

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🤩 Great app to watch favorite shows
- 👍 Easy to use and navigate
- 💕 Convenient to watch shows anywhere

**What reviewers complain about**

- 😡 Excessive and repetitive ads
- 🐛 Frequent app crashes and glitches
- 🤯 Inconsistent login and access issues
- 😓 Doesn't save progress or resume watching

**Reported bugs**

- App freezes during commercials
- Logged in users unable to access content
- Inconsistent episode availability across devices

**Requested features**

- Reduce number of ads and allow skipping
- Improve app stability and reliability
- Add option to download episodes for offline viewing
- Enhance resume watching and progress tracking


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Thirteen Explore free?

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

### Is TLC GO free?

TLC GO is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Thirteen Explore or TLC GO?

Thirteen Explore is rated higher. Thirteen Explore averages 4.8 out of 5 from 6.1K ratings, while TLC GO averages 4.8 from 118K ratings.

### Do Thirteen Explore or TLC GO have ads?

Both Thirteen Explore and TLC GO show ads.

### Which is updated more often, Thirteen Explore or TLC GO?

Thirteen Explore ships an update every 5 months, and TLC GO every 6 weeks. Most recently, Thirteen Explore was updated on October 26, 2026 and TLC GO on October 26, 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.*