# Thirteen Explore vs Emma Stebbins AR

The clearest difference is ads: Emma Stebbins AR at none against Thirteen Explore's shown. Emma Stebbins AR also leads on review sentiment (100% vs 70%) and monetization model (free vs ad-supported). Thirteen Explore's advantage is ratings volume (6.1K vs 2). On price, rating, update cadence 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.

Emma Stebbins AR holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Thirteen Explore has 6.1K ratings behind it against 2, 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 Emma Stebbins AR's.

Thirteen Explore ships an update every 5 months, Emma Stebbins AR every 6 months. The most recent releases landed on October 22, 2026 and October 15, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Thirteen Explore | Emma Stebbins AR |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.8 (6.1K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/thirteen-explore/id598509773/reviews) | **[5.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/emma-stebbins-ar/id6753174606/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **6.1K** | 2 |
| Positive reviews | 69.5% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Every 5 months** | Every 6 months |
| Monetization | Ad-supported | **Free** |
| Size | 21 MB | 138 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | **13.0** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple TV** | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Thirteen/WNET](https://appshunter.io/developer/446797258) | [Khora ApS](https://appshunter.io/developer/1160149010) |

## 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


### Emma Stebbins AR

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/emma-stebbins-ar/id6753174606)

Experience Emma Stebbins's iconic Bethesda Fountain in augmented reality. This location-specific app allows visitors at The Heckscher Museum of Art to view the famous sculpture in AR. Learn about the history of this significant New York City monument.

**Highlights:** Augmented reality fountain viewing, Location-specific experience, Learn about Emma Stebbins, Explore Bethesda Fountain history, Museum exhibition companion

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Thirteen Explore free?

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

### Is Emma Stebbins AR free?

Emma Stebbins AR is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Thirteen Explore or Emma Stebbins AR?

Emma Stebbins AR is rated higher. Thirteen Explore averages 4.8 out of 5 from 6.1K ratings, while Emma Stebbins AR averages 5.0 from 2 ratings.

### Do Thirteen Explore or Emma Stebbins AR have ads?

Thirteen Explore shows ads; Emma Stebbins AR does not.

### Which is updated more often, Thirteen Explore or Emma Stebbins AR?

Thirteen Explore ships an update every 5 months, and Emma Stebbins AR every 6 months. Most recently, Thirteen Explore was updated on October 22, 2026 and Emma Stebbins AR on October 15, 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.*