# Thirteen Explore vs Cascade PBS

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Thirteen Explore at 70% against Cascade PBS's 18%. Thirteen Explore also leads on rating (4.8 vs 3.6) and ratings volume (5.8K vs 29). Cascade PBS's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (every 2 months 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 3.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Thirteen Explore has 5.8K ratings behind it against 29, 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 18% of Cascade PBS's.

Thirteen Explore ships an update every 5 months, Cascade PBS every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on September 28, 2026 and September 1, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Thirteen Explore | Cascade PBS |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (5.8K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/thirteen-explore/id598509773/reviews)** | [3.6 (29 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cascade-pbs/id1578709872/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **5.8K** | 29 |
| Positive reviews | **70.4% of reviews** | 17.9% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 5 months | **Every 2 months** |
| Monetization | **Ad-supported** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 21 MB | 46 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 16.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple TV** | iPhone, iPad, Apple TV |
| Age rating | 12+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Thirteen/WNET](https://appshunter.io/developer/446797258) | [KCTS TELEVISION](https://appshunter.io/developer/1295747545) |

## 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


### Cascade PBS

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cascade-pbs/id1578709872)

Stream prestige dramas, landmark documentaries, inspiring nature, and science programs. Access PBS favorites, local original series, and international content from a nonprofit streaming service for the Pacific Northwest. Enhance your viewing with an extended library through membership.

**Highlights:** Prestige dramas, Landmark documentaries, Nature and science programming, Local original series, International programming, Extended library with membership

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Thirteen Explore free?

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

### Is Cascade PBS free?

Cascade PBS is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Thirteen Explore or Cascade PBS?

Thirteen Explore is rated higher. Thirteen Explore averages 4.8 out of 5 from 5.8K ratings, while Cascade PBS averages 3.6 from 29 ratings.

### Do Thirteen Explore or Cascade PBS have ads?

Thirteen Explore shows ads; Cascade PBS does not.

### Which is updated more often, Thirteen Explore or Cascade PBS?

Thirteen Explore ships an update every 5 months, and Cascade PBS every 2 months. Most recently, Thirteen Explore was updated on September 28, 2026 and Cascade PBS on September 1, 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.*