# theSkimm vs Ad Age

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Ad Age at none against theSkimm's 2. theSkimm's advantage is ratings volume (13K vs 328) and update cadence (every 2 months vs every 8 months). On price, rating, ads and monetization model there is nothing between them.

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

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.8 for theSkimm against 4.8 for Ad Age. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: theSkimm has 13K ratings behind it against 328, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 41% of theSkimm's written reviews are positive against 30% of Ad Age's.

theSkimm ships an update every 2 months, Ad Age every 8 months. The most recent releases landed on November 6, 2026 and November 3, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | theSkimm | Ad Age |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.8 (13K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/theskimm/id1034995058/reviews) | **[4.8 (328 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ad-age/id1537790720/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **13K** | 328 |
| Positive reviews | **40.7% of reviews** | 30.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 months** | Every 8 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Freemium |
| Best chart rank | **#43** | — |
| Size | 33 MB | 124 MB |
| Requires iOS | **14.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 17+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [theSkimm](https://appshunter.io/developer/1034995057) | [Crain Communications, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/563390291) |

## What reviewers say

### theSkimm

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

**Currently charting:** #43 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


### Ad Age

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ad-age/id1537790720)

Stay informed with breaking news, in-depth analysis, and insights on marketing, advertising, media, and creative trends. Receive real-time alerts to keep you ahead of industry changes. Access limited content for free, with subscription options for full features.

**Highlights:** Breaking news alerts, In-depth analysis, Industry insights, Creative work showcases, Podcasts and videos, Exclusive data reports

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is theSkimm free?

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

### Is Ad Age free?

Ad Age is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, theSkimm or Ad Age?

Ad Age is rated higher. theSkimm averages 4.8 out of 5 from 13K ratings, while Ad Age averages 4.8 from 328 ratings.

### Do theSkimm or Ad Age have ads?

Neither theSkimm nor Ad Age shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, theSkimm or Ad Age?

theSkimm ships an update every 2 months, and Ad Age every 8 months. Most recently, theSkimm was updated on November 6, 2026 and Ad Age 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.*