# ECNS vs Sixth Tone

The clearest difference is ads: ECNS at none against Sixth Tone's shown. ECNS also leads on monetization model (free vs ad-supported). Sixth Tone's advantage is ratings volume (146 vs 1) and update cadence (every 2 months vs every 3 months). On price, rating, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for ECNS against 4.9 for Sixth Tone. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Sixth Tone has 146 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

ECNS ships an update every 3 months, Sixth Tone every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 12, 2026 and October 8, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | ECNS | Sixth Tone |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ecns/id1107471990/reviews)** | [4.9 (146 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sixth-tone/id1462612037/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 1 | **146** |
| Positive reviews | — | 81.8% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | **Every 2 months** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Ad-supported |
| Size | 17 MB | 28 MB |
| Requires iOS | 11.0 | **9.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [中国新闻社](https://appshunter.io/developer/525692790) | [上海东方报业有限公司](https://appshunter.io/developer/878962721) |

## What reviewers say

### ECNS

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ecns/id1107471990)

Access the latest headlines and original stories about China's political landscape, economic development, society, and culture. Stay informed with comprehensive, insightful, and up-to-date news from extensive global resources, including breaking news and in-depth coverage.

**Highlights:** Latest headlines and original stories, Political and economic development coverage, Societal and cultural insights, Breaking news alerts, In-depth coverage of technology and entertainment, Photo and video resources

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


### Sixth Tone

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sixth-tone/id1462612037)

Access in-depth news, features, and visual storytelling about contemporary China. Explore diverse perspectives, expert opinions, and multimedia content. Stay informed with daily highlights and special projects.

**Highlights:** Daily news highlights, In-depth features, Commentaries and opinions, Visual storytelling, Interviews with key figures, Collaborative projects

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is ECNS free?

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

### Is Sixth Tone free?

Sixth Tone is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, ECNS or Sixth Tone?

ECNS is rated higher. ECNS averages 5.0 out of 5 from 1 ratings, while Sixth Tone averages 4.9 from 146 ratings.

### Do ECNS or Sixth Tone have ads?

Sixth Tone shows ads; ECNS does not.

### Which is updated more often, ECNS or Sixth Tone?

ECNS ships an update every 3 months, and Sixth Tone every 2 months. Most recently, ECNS was updated on October 12, 2026 and Sixth Tone on October 8, 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.*