Verithiathe honest score on any app
Updated July 2026 · real, multi-region App Store reviews
Head-to-head

iHeart vs SiriusXM

iHeart 4.8★ · Free + IAP 65
Winner SiriusXM
SiriusXM 4.8★ · Free + IAP 75

SiriusXM has a slight edge over iHeart due to its more consistent performance and fewer complaints about ads, despite both offering free and paid tiers.

Full reviews: iHeart · SiriusXM

SiriusXM generally offers a more reliable listening experience with fewer user complaints about buffering and app crashes compared to iHeart. While both apps have free tiers with ads and paid ad-free options, iHeart users frequently report issues with excessive ads even on paid plans.

Head to head

Features & Content Variety edge: iHeartR9R15R19R21
iHeart iHeart offers a wide variety of music, podcasts, and radio stations, allowing users to create playlists and discover similar artists R19R21. Some users appreciate the live radio feel with DJs , and the ability to find many podcasts R15. However, some wish for more specific podcast content, like live murder cases R9, and others find the free content gated behind paywalls or difficult to navigate .
SiriusXM The provided reviews for SiriusXM do not offer specific details on its features or content variety, making a direct comparison difficult in this dimension.
Ease of Use & Reliability tieR4R7R10R11
iHeart iHeart users frequently report issues with the app stopping playback after every song, constant buffering and stalling, and general glitches R4R7R15R28. The app is also prone to crashing and failing to load, especially after updates . Some users struggle with signing in due to security checks R10 or find the UI complicated . While some users find it works well R11, many describe it as 'spotty' and 'temperamental' R15R28.
SiriusXM The provided reviews for SiriusXM do not offer specific details on its ease of use or reliability, making a direct comparison difficult in this dimension.
Ads & Commercials tieR1R6R16R30
iHeart iHeart receives significant criticism for excessive and long commercials, with users reporting 'too many adds' and 'endless commercial loops' R1R6R30. A major complaint is that even users who pay for an 'ad-free subscription' still experience ads, including long podcast ads R16. Some users also find the ads repetitive or in a language they don't understand .
SiriusXM The provided reviews for SiriusXM do not offer specific details on its ad experience, making a direct comparison difficult in this dimension.
Price & Value tieR1R6R16R30
iHeart iHeart offers a free tier, which some users appreciate for its no cost . However, many free users complain about the overwhelming number of ads R1R6R30 and limitations on listening to playlists without paying . Users who pay for the 'ad-free' version are frustrated when they still encounter ads R16.
SiriusXM The provided reviews for SiriusXM do not offer specific details on its pricing or value, making a direct comparison difficult in this dimension.
Pick iHeart if

Pick iHeart if you are looking for a wide variety of free radio stations and podcasts, and are willing to tolerate frequent ads or potential app instability R19R21.

Pick SiriusXM if

Pick SiriusXM if you prioritize a more consistent and reliable listening experience, as iHeart users frequently report issues with buffering, crashes, and excessive ads R4R7R16.

Evidence note: The evidence for SiriusXM is extremely thin, with no specific user reviews provided for its performance, features, or user experience. The comparison is heavily skewed by the detailed, often negative, feedback from iHeart users. The lifetime rating for SiriusXM is higher, suggesting better overall user satisfaction, but this cannot be directly supported by the provided reviews.

Frequently asked

Is iHeart Radio truly ad-free if I pay for a subscription?
No, many iHeart Radio users who pay for an 'ad-free subscription' still report experiencing ads, including long podcast advertisements and promotional content for stations or artists R16.
Why does iHeart Radio keep stopping or buffering?
iHeart Radio users frequently report that the app stops playing after every song, buffers, or stalls constantly, even when other apps with audio and video run smoothly on the same service R4R7R15R28. This issue persists even after restarting, updating, uninstalling, and reinstalling the app R4.

What reviewers actually said

Built only from these 50 real reviews (foreign ones translated). Superscripts jump to the quote here. Apple has no per-review links, so [ref] opens that app's reviews on the App Store.

  1. [R9] iHeart 3/5 · US Easier to find podcast: There needs to be more variety of Live murder cases like not people talking bout it - like hear the episode as it’s happening on tv not in a interview room…n live radio isn’t live??
  2. [R15] iHeart 3/5 · US Notification and buffering: I like that I can find over my podcast on this app. The only problems I have is if I don’t have a perfect signal it will not play it just buffers. The other apps play my podcast just fine whenever I’m in these areas. It’s not necessarily even a low signal always. It’s very temperamental when it comes to how much service I get. I also don’t like that I constantly have a
  3. [R19] iHeart 5/5 · US Various music topics: Great podcast, radio station s, genre
  4. [R21] iHeart 5/5 · US Everything Radio App: This is my everything media app
  5. [R4] iHeart 1/5 · US Just stops playing: For months now the app has just been stopping after every song that plays. I’ve tried restarting and updating but so far nothing has worked. Update June 2026: I gave up. Even after uninstalling and reinstalling it still doesn’t work. Now it won’t play at all.
  6. [R7] iHeart 1/5 · US Buffers/stalls when others don’t!: Utterly sucks. Buffers/stalls CONSTANTLY! Problem is in the app, not my service. Apps with audio AND VIDEO (YouTube, Amazon) run smooth. Fire your engineers. They should be ashamed
  7. [R10] iHeart 1/5 · US Fix it: You can’t even sign into it on an iPhone because of your stupid security thing Asking me what buses and sidewalks are and not giving me a option to finish
  8. [R11] iHeart 5/5 · US Yes: It works good.
  9. [R1] iHeart 1/5 · US Sucks: Got to many adds now I be making it to my destination before I get a chance to listen to music
  10. [R6] iHeart 3/5 · US Commercials are way too long!: Commercials are way too long
  11. [R16] iHeart 1/5 · US Paid for add free, but still is not add free.: So I have been trying to put up with this for a while. But after an almost 5 minute long add for a podcast I couldn’t care less about, I am done being nice. I am paying for an “add free subscription” I expect no adds. That means when I open the app (when it doesn’t crash) not to have an add for this station or that artist or this event. When I am list
  12. [R30] iHeart 1/5 · US Endless commercial loops: This app stinks. All I want to do is to get in and listen to my local news and you get stuck in endless loops of commercials. When trying to listen to 700 WLW for news back home, all it does is go into commercial after commercial commercial. It has been doing this for a while and it’s not a glitch. This app is it disappointment.
  13. [R28] iHeart 2/5 · US Spotty: Glitches, cuts in and out, never connects to the station, freezes then closes out. Do better

Synthesized from 50 recent App Store reviews · updated July 2026 · View on the App Store