# ARD Mediathek vs WDR 5

ARD Mediathek and WDR 5 both sit at 4.8 stars, but that hides the real split: 92% of WDR 5's written reviews are positive against 42% of ARD Mediathek's. WDR 5 also leads on iOS requirement (15.6 vs 17.0). ARD Mediathek's advantage is ratings volume (2K vs 7). On price, rating, update cadence 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.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.8 for ARD Mediathek against 4.7 for WDR 5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: ARD Mediathek has 2K ratings behind it against 7, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 42% of ARD Mediathek's written reviews are positive against 92% of WDR 5's.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and November 3, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | ARD Mediathek | WDR 5 |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (2K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ard-mediathek/id981496660/reviews)** | [4.7 (7 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/wdr-5/id1460138818/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **2K** | 7 |
| Positive reviews | 41.7% of reviews | **92.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | Every 3 weeks |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 78 MB | 92 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **15.6** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, Vision Pro** | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 12+ | +12 |
| Developer | [Sudwestrundfunk, Anstalt des offentlichen Rechts](https://appshunter.io/developer/610313722) | [WDR](https://appshunter.io/developer/728414655) |

## What reviewers say

### ARD Mediathek

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ard-mediathek/id981496660)

Stream a wide variety of German public broadcasting content, including news, documentaries, series, films, shows, and live TV channels. Create profiles for personalized recommendations, watchlists, and seamless cross-device viewing. Includes a dedicated, safe children's profile.

**Highlights:** Stream news, documentaries, series, and films, Watch live ARD TV channels, Personalized user profiles, Continue watching across devices, Create watchlists, Dedicated children's profile

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Good media library
- 🚀 Smooth playback
- 🌍 Useful for expats
- 💡 Great for staying connected to German culture

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔒 Content blocked outside of Germany
- 🐛 Frequent crashes and bugs
- 🔍 Lack of content availability
- 🤯 Unreliable performance after updates

**Reported bugs**

- Playback issues (audio/video desync, freezing, loading problems)
- Compatibility problems with older devices and platforms
- Unreliable streaming and downloading

**Requested features**

- Improve content availability for international users
- Enhance stability and reliability
- Add more playback options (e.g., full-screen, background audio)


### WDR 5

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/wdr-5/id1460138818)

Listen to live radio streams with program information and the ability to rewind up to two hours. Access on-demand audio content, curated recommendations, and personalized collections of favorite shows and podcasts. Search for specific content and interact with the WDR 5 team.

**Highlights:** Live radio stream, Up to two hours rewind, On-demand audio content, Curated recommendations, Personalized collections, Search functionality, Direct contact options

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is ARD Mediathek free?

ARD Mediathek is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is WDR 5 free?

WDR 5 is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, ARD Mediathek or WDR 5?

ARD Mediathek is rated higher. ARD Mediathek averages 4.8 out of 5 from 2K ratings, while WDR 5 averages 4.7 from 7 ratings.

### Do ARD Mediathek or WDR 5 have ads?

Neither ARD Mediathek nor WDR 5 shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, ARD Mediathek or WDR 5?

ARD Mediathek ships an update every 3 weeks, and WDR 5 every 3 weeks. Most recently, ARD Mediathek was updated on November 1, 2026 and WDR 5 on November 3, 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.*