KALW vs SFGATE
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
KALW
Access live radio streams and on-demand content from a public media station. Stay informed with local news, music, and culture shows, and enjoy features like DVR-like controls for live broadcasts. The app also offers podcasts and direct communication with the station.
- Live radio streaming
- On-demand listening
- Local news and culture
- Podcast library
- DVR-like controls for live stream
- Alarm clock functionality
- Direct messaging to station
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KALW App: The KALW App brings the full KALW Public Media experience to your phone and car. Play the livestream or listen on-demand to your favorite news, music and culture shows from KALW and NPR. Stay up to date on the latest Bay Area headlines and upcoming events, as well as KALW’s on-air program schedule and the latest playlists from our music programmers. App Features: * DVR-like controls: You can pause the live stream to have a conversation and pick up right where you left off — or rewind to catch something you just missed. * KALW on the go: Listen to KALW’s live stream in your car and while you’re traveling. * Wake the FM up to KALW with the Alarm * Talk to us: Send the station a voicemail or video message via the Talk to KALW feature * Sign up for KALW’s newsletters * Listen to all KALW podcasts, as well as a curated library of NPR, BBC and local indie shows * Read and listen to local news and culture stories from KALW * You make it possible: Donate right from the app KALW Public Media is an NPR-affiliate based in the Bay Area. The KALW App is brought to you by the folks at KALW Public Media Inc. and Public Media Apps. We work to provide our valued listeners with great mobile solutions. https://www.kalw.org/ http://www.publicmediaapps.com
SFGATE
Access in-depth Bay Area news and culture with an ad-free reading experience. Unlock exclusive content and connect with the places that matter most to you.
- Ad-free reading experience
- In-depth news coverage
- Bay Area culture insights
- Exclusive content for members
- Connect with local places
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An ad-free reading experience, plus a handful of extras designed to bring you closer to the places you care about. The stories behind them, too. Become a Friend of SFGATE to unlock it all.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is update cadence: SFGATE at weekly against KALW's every 2 months. SFGATE also leads on chart position (#140 vs unranked). KALW's advantage is rating (4.8 vs 4.6). On price, review sentiment, ratings volume and ads there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
KALW holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.6. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 93 and 176 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 78% of KALW's written reviews are positive against 76% of SFGATE's.
KALW ships an update every 2 months, SFGATE weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 30, 2026 and November 5, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | KALW | SFGATE |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.8 (93 ratings) — better | 4.6 (176 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 78.3% of reviews — better | 76.5% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 93 | 176 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | Weekly — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Best chart rank | — | #140 — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | 15.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 47 MB | 39 MB |
| Age rating | 17+ | 12+ |
| Developer | KALW Public Media, Inc. | Hearst Newspapers |
Customer experience
KALW
SFGATE
In-app purchases
KALW
No in-app purchases
SFGATE
No in-app purchases
