# Thirteen Explore vs WPKN

The clearest difference is review sentiment: WPKN at 100% against Thirteen Explore's 70%. WPKN also leads on rating (5.0 vs 4.8). Thirteen Explore's advantage is ratings volume (5.8K vs 6) and update cadence (every 5 months vs every 18 months). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

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

WPKN holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Thirteen Explore has 5.8K ratings behind it against 6, 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 100% of WPKN's.

Thirteen Explore ships an update every 5 months, WPKN every 18 months. The most recent releases landed on October 17, 2026 and September 23, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Thirteen Explore | WPKN |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.8 (5.8K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/thirteen-explore/id598509773/reviews) | **[5.0 (6 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/wpkn/id6741170209/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **5.8K** | 6 |
| Positive reviews | 69.5% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 5 months** | Every 18 months |
| Monetization | Ad-supported | Ad-supported |
| Size | 21 MB | 12 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 18.2 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple TV** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Thirteen/WNET](https://appshunter.io/developer/446797258) | [Brendan Toller](https://appshunter.io/developer/1793416235) |

## 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


### WPKN

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/wpkn/id6741170209)

Listen to a diverse range of free-form programming, including music, news, and arts & culture, from an independent community radio station. This non-profit organization supports local artists and provides a platform for volunteers interested in broadcasting.

**Highlights:** Live radio streaming, Eclectic programming mix, News and public affairs, Arts and culture content, Support for local artists, Volunteer opportunities

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, 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 WPKN free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Thirteen Explore or WPKN?

WPKN is rated higher. Thirteen Explore averages 4.8 out of 5 from 5.8K ratings, while WPKN averages 5.0 from 6 ratings.

### Do Thirteen Explore or WPKN have ads?

Both Thirteen Explore and WPKN show ads.

### Which is updated more often, Thirteen Explore or WPKN?

Thirteen Explore ships an update every 5 months, and WPKN every 18 months. Most recently, Thirteen Explore was updated on October 17, 2026 and WPKN on September 23, 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.*