# HOT 977 vs Thunder 98.1

The clearest difference is rating: HOT 977 at 4.8 against Thunder 98.1's 3.0. HOT 977 also leads on ratings volume (11 vs 2). Thunder 98.1's advantage is iOS requirement (15.0 vs 18.0). On price, update cadence, ads 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.

HOT 977 holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 3.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: HOT 977 has 11 ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two.

HOT 977 ships an update every 5 months, Thunder 98.1 every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on July 8, 2026 and September 12, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | HOT 977 | Thunder 98.1 |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (11 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hot-977/id967328775/reviews)** | [3.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/thunder-981/id1226084697/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **11** | 2 |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 5 months | **Every 3 months** |
| Monetization | Ad-supported | Ad-supported |
| Size | 28 MB | 78 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 12+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Beasley Media Group, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1271218151) | [Townsquare Media, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/433762450) |

## What reviewers say

### HOT 977

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hot-977/id967328775)

Listen to today's hit music station and connect with your favorite artists and songs. This app allows you to engage with the station like never before, bringing you closer to the music you love.

**Highlights:** Listen to today's hit music, Connect with artists, Discover favorite songs, Engage with the station

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### Thunder 98.1

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/thunder-981/id1226084697)

Stay informed with local news, weather, and traffic updates. Listen live to radio shows, interact with hosts, and receive instant alerts for breaking news and contests. Save articles for later and share content easily.

**Highlights:** Live radio streaming, Local news and weather updates, Traffic information, Interactive host communication, Breaking news alerts, Article saving for offline reading, Content sharing

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is HOT 977 free?

HOT 977 is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Thunder 98.1 free?

Thunder 98.1 is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, HOT 977 or Thunder 98.1?

HOT 977 is rated higher. HOT 977 averages 4.8 out of 5 from 11 ratings, while Thunder 98.1 averages 3.0 from 2 ratings.

### Do HOT 977 or Thunder 98.1 have ads?

Both HOT 977 and Thunder 98.1 show ads.

### Which is updated more often, HOT 977 or Thunder 98.1?

HOT 977 ships an update every 5 months, and Thunder 98.1 every 3 months. Most recently, HOT 977 was updated on July 8, 2026 and Thunder 98.1 on September 12, 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.*