The New Yorker vs Substack
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
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.
- In-depth reporting
- Political and cultural commentary
- Fiction and poetry
- Audio versions of stories
- Crossword puzzles
- Name Drop quizzes
- Cartoons
- Offline access
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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.
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.
- Subscribe to creators
- Ad-free video and podcasts
- Live streams and group chats
- Explore independent ideas
- Read aloud articles
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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
Verdict
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
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.
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.
The New Yorker ships an update fortnightly, Substack weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 15, 2026 and October 16, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | The New Yorker | Substack |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 3.9 (8.1K ratings) | 4.9 (550K ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 16.5% of reviews | 72.3% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 8.1K | 550K — better |
| Update frequency | Fortnightly | Weekly — better |
| Ads | Yes | No — better |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Freemium | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | #8 | #4 — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, Apple TV |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 — better | 17.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 117 MB | 229 MB |
| Age rating | 12+ | 17+ |
| Developer | Advance Magazine Publishers Inc. | Substack, Inc. |
Customer experience
The New Yorker
Substack
User reviews
The New Yorker
From 8.1K App Store ratingsWhat 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 ratingsWhat 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
The New Yorker
- The New Yorker$5.991 Month
- The New Yorker$8.991 Month
- The New Yorker$9.991 Month
Show 9 moreShow fewer
- 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
Substack
- Hung Up (Monthly)$4.991 Month
- The Dworkin Report (Monthly)$4.991 Month
- Popular Information (Monthly)$5.991 Month
Show 15 moreShow fewer
- 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







