Comparison

The New Yorker vs Substack

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

The New Yorker

Access in-depth reporting, cultural commentary, fiction, and humor from global contributors. Read or listen to top stories, solve puzzles, and enjoy cartoons. Save articles for offline access.

Highlights
  • In-depth reporting
  • Political and cultural commentary
  • Fiction and poetry
  • Audio versions of stories
  • Crossword puzzles
  • Name Drop quizzes
  • Cartoons
  • Offline access
Features
Read full description

The New Yorker app is your digital destination for in-depth reporting, political and cultural commentary, fiction, and humor from New Yorker staff writers and contributors around the world. Stay up to date. Read or listen to top stories from your favorite writers, every day. Turn on notifications so you never miss an important story or your favorite topic. Be transported. News and politics. Books and culture. Fiction and poetry. Discover rich storytelling and rigorous reporting that will sweep you away and introduce you to something new. Go about your day. When your hands are full, listen to featured stories read by world-class narrators. If you need a break, solve a crossword puzzle or Name Drop quiz, and flip through a nearly endless supply of cartoons. And, when you’re on the go, save stories to access them on any device, even offline. The app is free to download. Subscribers receive unlimited access. Most current New Yorker subscribers have unlimited access to the app as part of their existing subscription. Subscribers with a print-only subscription may not have unlimited access. App subscribers have full access to the Web site, including the archive and most recent issue. Users who have trouble accessing stories can e-mail apps@newyorker.com for assistance. Non-subscribers may access the app by starting a free trial. A subscription costs $11.99 a month or $119.99 annually, and includes a 7-day free trial, after which it will automatically renew unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. Account will be charged for renewal within 24 hours prior to the end of the current period and will state the cost of renewal. Any unused portion of a free trial period, if offered, will be forfeited when the user purchases a subscription to that publication, where applicable. Subscriptions may be managed by the user, and auto-renewal may be turned off by updating the user’s App Store Subscription settings after purchase. Payment will be charged to iTunes account at confirmation of purchase. Information about our Terms of Service & Privacy Policy can be found at http://www.condenast.com/privacy-policy.

About

Substack

Discover creators, ideas, and communities through videos, writing, and podcasts. Subscribe for free or upgrade to access exclusive content and connect directly with creators. Enjoy ad-free media and participate in live events.

Highlights
  • Subscribe to creators
  • Ad-free video and podcasts
  • Live streams and group chats
  • Explore independent ideas
  • Read aloud articles
Features
Read full description

Substack is a new media app that connects you with the creators, ideas, and communities you care about most. - Support the creators you love: Subscribe for free or upgrade to view original work and connect directly with your favorite writers, artists, and podcasters. - Enjoy ad-free videos and podcasts: Access short-form clips, video episodes, and read-aloud articles without interruptions. - Connect in real time: Join livestreams and live group chats, where top creators bring their biggest supporters into their world. - Explore independent ideas: Discover bold opinions and engaging views across food, sports, politics, fashion, comedy, finance, and more. How it works: 1. Download the Substack app. 2. Claim your handle. 3. Explore the feed to enjoy notes, videos, and clips from creators. 4. Subscribe to your favorites for free, tune into their livestreams and join private group chats.

Screenshots

The New Yorker4 screens
Substack4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Substack at 72% against The New Yorker's 16%. Substack also leads on rating (4.9 vs 3.9) and ads (none vs shown). The New Yorker's advantage is iOS requirement (15.6 vs 17.0). On price, in-app purchases, monetization model and chart position there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. The New Yorker sells 12 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 per month and Substack sells 18 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Substack holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 3.9. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Substack has 550K ratings behind it against 8.1K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 16% of The New Yorker's written reviews are positive against 72% of Substack's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

The New Yorker ships an update fortnightly, Substack weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 15, 2026 and October 16, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 5 level
The New Yorker versus Substack: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterThe New YorkerSubstack
PriceFreeFree
Rating3.9 (8.1K ratings)4.9 (550K ratings) — better
Positive reviews16.5% of reviews72.3% of reviews — better
Number of ratings8.1K550K — better
Update frequencyFortnightlyWeekly — better
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFreemiumFree with in-app purchases
Best chart rank#8#4 — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, Apple TV
Requires iOS15.6 — better17.0
Further details — not scored
Size117 MB229 MB
Age rating12+17+
DeveloperAdvance Magazine Publishers Inc.Substack, Inc.

Customer experience

The New Yorker

All ratings8,110 ratings
Positive68.8%
Neutral6.0%
Negative25.1%
Written reviews1,015 reviews
Positive16.5%
Neutral14.1%
Negative69.5%

Substack

All ratings549,612 ratings
Positive97.6%
Neutral1.2%
Negative1.2%
Written reviews4,834 reviews
Positive72.3%
Neutral6.8%
Negative20.9%

User reviews

The New Yorker

From 8.1K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🗞️ Great content and journalism
  • 🔍 Convenient for reading on the go
  • 🎨 Sleek and intuitive interface
  • 🔊 Useful audio narration feature

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Frequent sign-out issues
  • 🔍 Unreliable search functionality
  • 📍 Loses reading progress when switching apps
  • 💰 Ads for paid subscribers
  • 🔌 High battery consumption

Substack

From 550K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Stable and functional app
  • 🚀 Intuitive and easy to use
  • 👍 Variety of great content
  • 👍 Supports independent writers
  • 👍 Refreshing alternative to mainstream media

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Buggy and glitchy
  • 🐛 Difficult to manage subscriptions
  • 🐛 Inconsistent user experience between app and website
  • 🔒 Privacy concerns with data collection
  • 💤 Slow performance and loading times

Bugs and requests

The New Yorker

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Subscription not recognized despite active status
  • Crossword progress not saved
  • Embedded audio player issues

Requested features

4 requests
  • Dark mode option
  • Ability to bookmark progress in articles
  • Option to categorize/filter articles
  • Author profile pages

Substack

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • Login issues and inability to sign in
  • Inconsistent behavior when archiving/deleting posts
  • Playback issues with audio content
  • Incompatibility with older devices or operating systems

Requested features

5 requests
  • Add search functionality within app
  • Improve notification management
  • Allow customization of font size and style
  • Implement ability to mark articles as read/unread
  • Add option to collapse/expand comment threads

In-app purchases

12 purchases

The New Yorker

Subscriptions12
  • The New Yorker$5.991 Month
  • The New Yorker$8.991 Month
  • The New Yorker$9.991 Month
Show 9 more
  • The New Yorker1 Month trial$11.991 Month
  • The New Yorker7 Days trial$11.991 Month
  • The New Yorker$11.991 Month
  • The New Yorker$29.991 Year
  • The New Yorker$59.991 Year
  • The New Yorker$89.991 Year
  • The New Yorker1 Month trial$119.991 Year
  • The New Yorker7 Days trial$119.991 Year
  • The New Yorker$119.991 Year
18 purchases

Substack

Subscriptions18
  • Hung Up (Monthly)$4.991 Month
  • The Dworkin Report (Monthly)$4.991 Month
  • Popular Information (Monthly)$5.991 Month
Show 15 more
  • Monthly$5.991 Month
  • Isolation Journals (Monthly)$5.991 Month
  • Ettingermentum (monthly)$5.991 Month
  • What To Cook (Monthly)$5.991 Month
  • The Present Age (Monthly)$6.991 Month
  • The Message Box (Monthly)$7.991 Month
  • House Inhabit (Monthly)$8.991 Month
  • Noahpinion (Monthly)$9.991 Month
  • Slow Boring (Monthly)$9.991 Month
  • Razib Khan (Monthly)$10.991 Month
  • House of Strauss (Monthly)$11.991 Month
  • The Dworkin Report (Annual)$49.991 Year
  • Annual$59.991 Year
  • Isolation Journals (Annual)$59.991 Year
  • Slow Boring (Annual)$99.991 Year

Questions

Is The New Yorker free?
The New Yorker is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Substack free?
Substack is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, The New Yorker or Substack?
Substack is rated higher. The New Yorker averages 3.9 out of 5 from 8.1K ratings, while Substack averages 4.9 from 550K ratings.
Do The New Yorker or Substack have ads?
The New Yorker shows ads; Substack does not.
Which is updated more often, The New Yorker or Substack?
The New Yorker ships an update fortnightly, and Substack weekly. Most recently, The New Yorker was updated on October 15, 2026 and Substack on October 16, 2026.
Which is more popular, The New Yorker or Substack?
The New Yorker currently peaks at #8 in the App Store charts, and Substack at #4. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

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