# Thirteen Explore vs WETA+ PBS

The clearest difference is rating: Thirteen Explore at 4.8 against WETA+ PBS's 3.9. Thirteen Explore also leads on ratings volume (5.8K vs 10). WETA+ PBS's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (every 2 months vs every 5 months). On price, review sentiment, in-app purchases and device support 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 3.9. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Thirteen Explore has 5.8K ratings behind it against 10, 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 67% of WETA+ PBS's.

Thirteen Explore ships an update every 5 months, WETA+ PBS every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 19, 2026 and October 10, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Thirteen Explore | WETA+ PBS |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (5.8K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/thirteen-explore/id598509773/reviews)** | [3.9 (10 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/weta-plus-pbs/id6740541547/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **5.8K** | 10 |
| Positive reviews | **69.5% of reviews** | 66.7% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 5 months | **Every 2 months** |
| Monetization | Ad-supported | **Free** |
| Size | 21 MB | 45 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) | [GREATER WASHINGTON EDUCATIONAL TELECOMMUNICATIONS ASSOCIATION, INC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1192114870) |

## 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


### WETA+ PBS

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/weta-plus-pbs/id6740541547)

Stream a wide selection of PBS and WETA programs, including popular dramas, documentaries, and live news. Enhance your viewing with an optional PBS Passport membership for extended access to thousands of additional titles.

**Highlights:** On-demand PBS and WETA programs, Live streaming of WETA channels, Access to Masterpiece and Ken Burns films, Documentaries and news programs, PBS Passport integration

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Thirteen Explore free?

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

### Is WETA+ PBS free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Thirteen Explore or WETA+ PBS?

Thirteen Explore is rated higher. Thirteen Explore averages 4.8 out of 5 from 5.8K ratings, while WETA+ PBS averages 3.9 from 10 ratings.

### Do Thirteen Explore or WETA+ PBS have ads?

Thirteen Explore shows ads; WETA+ PBS does not.

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

Thirteen Explore ships an update every 5 months, and WETA+ PBS every 2 months. Most recently, Thirteen Explore was updated on October 19, 2026 and WETA+ PBS on October 10, 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.*