STAR 94.5 vs HOT97 OFFICIAL
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
STAR 94.5
Listen live to Orlando's premier R&B station 24/7. Engage with the station by voting for music, sending voice messages to play on air, and setting custom alarms with DJ greetings. Enjoy the hottest R&B hits from top artists.
- Live 24/7 R&B radio streaming
- Vote on music selection
- Record and send "Open Mic" messages
- Set custom alarms with DJ greetings
- Hear music from top R&B artists
Read full descriptionHide full description
Your direct connection to Orlando’s only R&B Station, with the hottest music from artists like Beyoncé, Charlie Wilson, Mary J Blige, Maxwell, Alicia Keys & New Edition. This app allows you to hear STAR 94.5 live 24/7, vote on the music that you want to hear from your favorite STAR artists, record a message to play on air with our “Open Mic” feature, set up reminders/alarms with custom recorded messages from your favorite STAR DJ’s & Artists, and more! We appreciate your loyalty to the station that loves R&B music as much as you do, STAR 94.5 – Orlando’s only R&B.
HOT97 OFFICIAL
Stream the nation's top hip hop radio station live, anywhere. Access exclusive content, videos, and podcasts from your favorite personalities and DJs. Stay updated on hip hop news and culture, and get access to contests and live chat features.
- Live hip hop radio streaming
- Exclusive content and videos
- Podcast library
- DJ mixes
- Contests and prizes
- Live chat with personalities
- Live video access
Read full descriptionHide full description
Take the legendary hip hop brand HOT 97 with you anywhere you go! The new & improved HOT 97 app allows you to listen to the hottest hip hop station wherever you are in the country. Catch up with your favorite HOT 97 personalities, and legendary DJ’s. The HOT 97 app will keep you up-to-date on the latest in hip hop and culture, with breaking news and exclusive content and videos from Ebro, Laura Stylez, & Rosenberg, Funk Flex, Nessa and many more! Listen on-the-go to our library of podcasts, including “Ebro in the Morning,” “Tap In With TT,” along with mixes from your favorite DJs. You’ll also be first in line for access to great contests and prizes! Live chat with your favorite HOT 97 Personalities + access to exclusive live-video only available on the app! Download the HOT 97 app now! Connect with the HOT 97 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HOT97OFFICIAL Twitter: https://twitter.com/hot97 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hot97/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/hot97
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: STAR 94.5 at 4.7 against HOT97 OFFICIAL's 3.6. STAR 94.5 also leads on review sentiment (81% vs 48%) and ratings volume (211 vs 15). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases 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.
STAR 94.5 holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 3.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: STAR 94.5 has 211 ratings behind it against 15, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 81% of STAR 94.5's written reviews are positive against 48% of HOT97 OFFICIAL's.
STAR 94.5 ships an update every 2 months, HOT97 OFFICIAL every 5 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 20, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | STAR 94.5 | HOT97 OFFICIAL |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.7 (211 ratings) — better | 3.6 (15 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 81.3% of reviews — better | 47.7% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 211 — better | 15 |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | Every 5 weeks — better |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Ad-supported | Ad-supported |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 16.6 — better | 17.6 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 55 MB | 128 MB |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Cox Media Group | MediaCo Holding Inc. |
Customer experience
STAR 94.5
HOT97 OFFICIAL
User reviews
STAR 94.5
From 211 App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 🎶 Great music selection
- ❤️ Favorite radio station
- 👍 App works well normally
- 📻 Good for listening anywhere
- 😊 Makes commute enjoyable
Room to improve
- 🐛 Frequent glitches
- ⚠️ App not working recently
- 🚫 Won't open/load
- 📺 Too many commercials
- 🤔 App starts without user input
HOT97 OFFICIAL
From 15 App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 🎶 Great music selection
- 🎤 Excellent hosts and shows
- 👍 Easy to use interface
- 🔥 High-quality content
- 📻 Reliable live streaming
Room to improve
- 📢 Excessive advertisements
- 🔇 Low volume levels
- 🐛 Buggy and glitchy performance
- 🔌 Bluetooth connectivity issues
- 🔄 Frequent app crashes
Bugs and requests
STAR 94.5
Reported bugs
7 issues- App has a lot of glitches
- App not working recently
- Only Abercrombie commercial plays
- Pop up states slow internet connection
- App not working giving error code 633
Show 2 moreShow fewer
- Won't load, says no internet connection
- App starts without user pressing anything
Requested features
2 requests- App needs to be updated
- Add an on/off switch for auto-play
HOT97 OFFICIAL
Reported bugs
14 issues- App crashes on launch
- Video tab doesn't work
- Disabled Apple CarPlay
- Disconnects from Bluetooth speakers
- Randomly goes out for seconds
Show 9 moreShow fewer
- Audio is trash, barely hear
- App crashes when certain songs play
- Doesn't update song names
- Doesn't resume after interruption
- Links aren't tappable
- App crashes or never loads
- Closes after 10-15 minutes initially
- App restarts with startup advertisement
- Busy app when accessing shows
Requested features
13 requests- Bring back Ebro for rush hour
- Option to listen to live streams
- Archive section with classic interviews
- Pause, fast forward, rewind for podcasts
- Paid version with no ads
Show 8 moreShow fewer
- Access to 'drops' from Ebro in the Morning
- Promos for out-of-state New Yorkers
- Update Funkmaster Flex mixes
- More music variety, less repetition
- Fix non-tappable links
- Improve mix feed freshness
- Add dark mode option
- Allow pausing/playing from lock screen
In-app purchases
STAR 94.5
No in-app purchases
HOT97 OFFICIAL
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is STAR 94.5 free?
Is HOT97 OFFICIAL free?
Which has better reviews, STAR 94.5 or HOT97 OFFICIAL?
Do STAR 94.5 or HOT97 OFFICIAL have ads?
Which is updated more often, STAR 94.5 or HOT97 OFFICIAL?
Other comparisons
