Head-to-head
ESPN vs theScore
ESPN
60
Winner
theScore
theScore
80
theScore is generally preferred for quick, reliable scores and news, while ESPN offers more comprehensive content, including live streaming, but struggles with app stability and subscription value.
theScore is lauded for its speed and accuracy in delivering scores and news, making it ideal for casual to serious sports fans. ESPN, despite its vast content and streaming capabilities, faces significant criticism regarding app performance, intrusive ads, and the value of its paid subscriptions.
Head to head
ESPN ESPN is praised for its comprehensive sports coverage, including live scores, breaking news, highlights, and in-depth analysis, with some users calling it the 'best app' for sports needs and a 'must have' R5R29. However, users complain about missing coverage for certain leagues like professional softball R3, and a lack of specific content filtering options for sports they don't care about R31.
theScore theScore is highly valued for providing quick scores, stats, and news, with users appreciating its ability to track favorite teams and keep up with major news R71. Some users, however, note missing coverage for specific sports like Tour de France, NCAA Softball, Rugby, and UFL scores . There are also complaints about too much gambling-related content and auto-playing videos with ads R76R82.
ESPN ESPN's interface is described as clean and intuitive by some R5, and users appreciate the ease of finding scores and information . However, many find the app difficult to navigate, especially when trying to find specific matches or replays R16R37. There are also requests for a table of contents at the beginning R8 and better organization of content.
theScore theScore is praised for being easy to use and providing quick access to scores and stats R98. Users like the ability to customize favorite teams and layouts R71. However, some recent updates have made the app feel clunky with too many features, leading to a less streamlined experience . There are also complaints about the new football timeline making it harder to quickly check goals and scorers .
ESPN ESPN faces significant issues with reliability and performance. Users frequently report the app crashing R9R10R18, slow loading times R34, and articles not loading or displaying blank screens R10R13. Streaming often stops working R1R34, and some content is unavailable after a short period R19.
theScore theScore is generally considered reliable for real-time scores R83. However, recent updates have introduced performance issues, including the app being slow , crashing , and draining battery tremendously fast . Some users also report blank scoreboards and live activities not updating on the lock screen .
ESPN ESPN is a free app with in-app purchases, but many users express dissatisfaction with the value of subscriptions. They report paying for subscriptions (e.g., $29.99 for Wimbledon) but still encountering numerous ads, even during replays R1R19R33R34. Some also complain about multiple paywalls and required subscriptions for full content .
ESPN ESPN users frequently complain about receiving unwanted notifications for sports they don't follow or care about, despite attempts to turn them off R12R28R30. There's a desire for more granular control over content and notifications R31.
theScore theScore allows users to follow favorite teams and receive notifications . However, some users report issues with notification settings, such as live activities not updating on the lock screen and receiving unwanted notifications despite explicit settings . There are also complaints about missing comment notifications after recent updates .
Pick ESPN if
you need comprehensive sports coverage, including live streaming and in-depth analysis, and are willing to tolerate potential app performance issues and ads even with a subscription R5.
Evidence note: Both apps are free to download, but ESPN has IAP for subscriptions, which users often find don't eliminate ads. theScore's monetization appears to be primarily through ads, which are a major point of contention for its users. Recent reviews for both apps highlight significant performance and ad-related issues.
Frequently asked
Does ESPN's subscription remove ads?
Is theScore good for live scores?
Why do users complain about ESPN's app performance?
What reviewers actually said
Built only from these 120 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.
- [R3] ESPN No AUSL coverage?: Recent update still doesn’t show professional softball league scores or as an option to add as a favorite. It’s been a league for at least 2 years and you haven’t added it?!
- [R5] ESPN The greatness of ESPN: Dear ESPN, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ The ESPN app delivers an outstanding sports experience with a clean, intuitive interface and exceptionally reliable coverage. Live scores update seamlessly, breaking news is timely and comprehensive, and the personalized features make it effortless to follow my favorite teams and leagues. The streaming quality is consistently excellent, and the app strikes
- [R29] ESPN Great: This is great for all your sports needs
- [R31] ESPN Lazy: Unlike other apps where you can choose the content direction and stay in the area of sports that you are attracted to this app continually hammers you with content “they” think is best. II have know and will not change my opinion the WNBA and their NBA enablers suck. STOP
- [R8] ESPN Table of contents: Put the table of contents at the beginning.
- [R16] ESPN The worst: Downloaded this to watch Wimbledon and have found it incredibly frustrating to find the matches I want to see or navigate all the noise. Plus the amount and repetition of ads is crazy making.
- [R37] ESPN Horrendous User Experience: I'm an ESPN Unlimited subscriber and your coverage in the app of Wimbledon, especially Men's singles replays is awful. You lump every single match in the On Demand section (who actually cares about wading through Girls and Boys matches in a main feed? Ridiculous) but leave out the matches I actually want to watch. You really should study how HBO handled Roland Garros. T
- [R1] ESPN Worst App: I bought the subscription for a month to see Wimbledon. The streaming stopped working so many times. I reset everything and I still have the same problem. I wish I could rated 0 star. Let me mention that the other apps on my Samsung TV work fine.
- [R9] ESPN App Crashing: I like the app, and it’s easy to use. The issue with it though is that it will randomly crash while I’m reading an article. Happens too often and I don’t experience this with my other apps. If it weren’t for this I’d give it 5 stars.
- [R10] ESPN Broken app: Every time I try and read article, or anything else, I get about five sentences in and the app tries to break itself. It will either send me to the home page, switch to some random article, or gray screen. The app has been completely unusable for the last month. I’ve had the app for multiple years and just uninstalled it.
- [R13] ESPN Can’t read stories: Over past few weeks I am not able to read stories details, get a blank screen- my iPhone and iPad.
- [R19] ESPN Do not waste your money on subscriptions: I subscribed to ESPN specifically to watch the Wimbledon 2026 men’s and women’s singles matches in the US. Because of the time difference, the matches are played while I’m at work, so I expected to watch the replays in the evening. Instead, I paid for a subscription that still includes a lot of advertising, and by the time I get home, many of the matches
- [R33] ESPN 29.99 for adds: Purchased the app to watch Wimbledon matches. I think for 29.99$ I don’t have to watch 2 min ads every time I want to fast forward the video. Those ads are so annoying!
- [R34] ESPN The buffering and ads: The buffering, awful, the load time for the app, awful. The ads will work perfectly though, dumb. This app and in its entirety, AWFUL.
- [R12] ESPN Just one little tweak: All espn has to do is stop notifying people about the sports they didn’t pick I’m a Christian American why do I care about soccer when the nba and nfl offseason are going on
- [R28] ESPN Notifications: Every time I turn the notifications off somehow they come back on
- [R30] ESPN Idk: To many Notifications
- [R52] ESPN Commercials: I pay for espn unlimited I should get no commercials. They throw in commercials in the middle of matches when the announcers are explaining something important. Just let me watch without a damn commercial, I’m not gonna buy whatever is on there because I saw a commercial on here.
- [R71] theScore Best app for following live sports: I’ve found this to be the best app for following live sports, tracking your favorite teams, and keeping up to date with major news of the day. I love that the developers are constantly updating it with new features and improved user interface. Whether following a game play by play or customizing your home teams page to your preferred layout, this is #1 in my boo
- [R83] theScore Review: Gives me the correct score in real time I like that.
- [R98] theScore Great Option!: theScore gives you the scores quickly. There are many options that you can choose from them.
- [R101] theScore Hands Down Best Sports Score App: I will never go back to ESPN or CBS apps for sports scores. I am a sports obsessed nut and theScore is ideal. College baseball regular season scores are the only thing I’ve ever had to look elsewhere for, but I can’t imagine that would be a deal breaker for too many people.
- [R18] ESPN App Issues: App keeps crashing
- [R69] theScore Political Ads: Love the App but these Trump Ads need to go!
- [R70] theScore terrible ads: Every time I open the app there's inappropriate ads and if I accidentally click on it, it takes me to the app store to download the app connected to the ad. I would leave zero stars if I could.
- [R76] theScore Was great until videos and ads: Great app, until recently they decided to auto play videos with ads so it shuts off my music when I’m checking scores. Apple sports is better
- [R82] theScore Lame app. Junk bet site!!: Started out great, then the greed took over, now Full of ads and spamming! Dismal user interface! App is so cluttered with ads that app is useless!! Should change name to thebet.
Synthesized from 120 recent App Store reviews · updated July 2026 · View on the App Store