# The Loop Radio vs Magic 98

The clearest difference is rating: The Loop Radio at 3.4 against Magic 98's 3.0. Magic 98's advantage is update cadence (every 2 months vs every 4 months). On price, review sentiment, ratings volume and ads there is nothing between them.

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

The Loop Radio holds the better App Store score, 3.4 against 3.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 5 and 5 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 7% of The Loop Radio's written reviews are positive against 0% of Magic 98's.

The Loop Radio ships an update every 4 months, Magic 98 every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on September 14, 2026 and September 21, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | The Loop Radio | Magic 98 |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[3.4 (5 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-loop-radio/id864139160/reviews)** | [3.0 (5 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/magic-98/id929561629/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 5 | 5 |
| Positive reviews | **6.7% of reviews** | 0.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 4 months | **Every 2 months** |
| Monetization | Ad-supported | Ad-supported |
| Size | 59 MB | 55 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.1** | 16.6 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Cumulus Media](https://appshunter.io/developer/513445338) | [Mid-West Family Broadcasting Group](https://appshunter.io/developer/449266945) |

## What reviewers say

### The Loop Radio

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-loop-radio/id864139160)

Listen to a classic rock radio station dedicated to the Chicago Loop. Stream your favorite rock hits anytime, anywhere.

**Highlights:** Classic rock music, Chicago Loop focus, Live radio streaming, Mobile listening

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


### Magic 98

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/magic-98/id929561629)

Stream your favorite radio station live from anywhere. Access news, weather, and station schedules. Features an alarm clock to wake up to your station and a sleep timer.

**Highlights:** Live radio streaming, Current and recently played songs, Station and local news, Alarm clock with reminder, Sleep timer, Weekly show schedules, Real-time weather, Car Mode

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is The Loop Radio free?

The Loop Radio is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Magic 98 free?

Magic 98 is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, The Loop Radio or Magic 98?

The Loop Radio is rated higher. The Loop Radio averages 3.4 out of 5 from 5 ratings, while Magic 98 averages 3.0 from 5 ratings.

### Do The Loop Radio or Magic 98 have ads?

Both The Loop Radio and Magic 98 show ads.

### Which is updated more often, The Loop Radio or Magic 98?

The Loop Radio ships an update every 4 months, and Magic 98 every 2 months. Most recently, The Loop Radio was updated on September 14, 2026 and Magic 98 on September 21, 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.*