# theSkimm vs Longform Reader

The clearest difference is rating: theSkimm at 4.8 against Longform Reader's 3.8. theSkimm also leads on ratings volume (13K vs 4) and chart position (#30 vs unranked). Longform Reader's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 2) and review sentiment (67% vs 41%). On price, ads, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. theSkimm sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. Longform Reader asks for nothing beyond the download.

theSkimm holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 3.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: theSkimm has 13K ratings behind it against 4, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 41% of theSkimm's written reviews are positive against 67% of Longform Reader's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

## The numbers

| Metric | theSkimm | Longform Reader |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (13K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/theskimm/id1034995058/reviews)** | [3.8 (4 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/longform-reader/id1524522355/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **13K** | 4 |
| Positive reviews | 40.7% of reviews | **66.7% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | — |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Best chart rank | **#30** | — |
| Size | 33 MB | 2 MB |
| Requires iOS | 14.0 | **13.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 17+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [theSkimm](https://appshunter.io/developer/1034995057) | [Stand Up Apps, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/344006549) |

## What reviewers say

### theSkimm

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/theskimm/id1034995058)

**Currently charting:** #30 Top Grossing · News (US App Store)

Stay informed with daily news summaries, in-depth articles on career, health, and finance, and engaging podcasts. Discover personalized recommendations and integrate events into your calendar to live smarter.

**Highlights:** Daily news summaries, In-depth articles, Podcasts, Personalized calendar integration, Curated recommendations, Career, health, and finance topics

**Features:** Siri integration, iMessage stickers, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| theSkimm Monthly | $2.99 | per month |
| theSkimm Yearly | $29.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 📰 Concise and informative news
- 🗓️ Helpful calendar integration
- 🎧 Useful audio content
- 👍 Easy to stay informed
- 🤗 Entertaining and engaging

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🤑 Paid subscription required
- 🗣️ Perceived political bias
- 🔗 Accidental link clicks while scrolling
- 🚫 Limited content for non-US users

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes and freezes
- Issues with 'Do Not Sell My Information' feature

**Requested features**

- Offline content access
- More international news coverage
- Customizable news preferences
- Ability to remove ads for paid subscribers


### Longform Reader

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/longform-reader/id1524522355)

Access curated long-form articles from top publications. Enjoy a clean reading experience with features like dark mode and automatic reader view for linked content.

**Highlights:** Access Longform.org articles, Fast load times, Dark Mode support, Automatic Reader View, Curated from top publications

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is theSkimm free?

theSkimm is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Longform Reader free?

Longform Reader is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, theSkimm or Longform Reader?

theSkimm is rated higher. theSkimm averages 4.8 out of 5 from 13K ratings, while Longform Reader averages 3.8 from 4 ratings.

### Do theSkimm or Longform Reader have ads?

Neither theSkimm nor Longform Reader shows ads.

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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.*