Caixin Global vs Sixth Tone
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Caixin Global
Access award-winning journalism covering China's economy, finance, and business. Features include in-depth explanations, AI-powered summaries, podcasts, and exclusive subscriber events. Offers a mix of free and premium content for a comprehensive understanding of the Chinese market.
- Exclusive finance & business content
- AI-powered article summaries
- Economic and business podcasts
- Subscriber-only events
- Commentary and analysis
- Video replays of discussions
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Award-winning journalism from China's most respected newsroom. Exclusive finance & business content from Caixin's renowned team of analysts. -Caixin Explains: covering hot topics of significance in economics, finance and China’s business world. -Digest Hub: A sidebar on our article pages offering summaries of multiple lengths tailored by AI, perfect for readers who are short on time. -Caixin Global Podcast: We dissect economic data, business buzzwords and political dynamics, while turning hard news into stories made fast, fair and friendly to your ears. -Subscriber Event: facilitating discussions on China's economic, tech and industry trends -Video: Caixin Media hosts a series of Caixin Roundtables and Webinars. We provide replay videos to let you enjoy the high-quality discussion online. - Commentary & Analysis: Commentary by key opinion-leaders in business, government, and academia. The Caixin app is free to download, and all users can read some free articles, subscribers get unlimited web and app access to real-time tech news portal, featuring 24-hour news, short-form analysis, and business and tech news roundups. Subscription introduction: 1. We offer monthly, yearly and student packages. 2. All subscription prices are based on the order price. 3. Auto-renewal enabled. You can cancel it anytime before the next billing period begins. 4. Please note that this digital subscription is not refundable. Support You need help? Visit http://www.caixinglobal.com/contact Email: helo@caixin.com Privacy Policy: http://www.caixinglobal.com/privacy/ Terms and Conditions: http://ww.caixinglobal.com/terms/
Sixth Tone
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.
- Daily news highlights
- In-depth features
- Commentaries and opinions
- Visual storytelling
- Interviews with key figures
- Collaborative projects
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The Sixth Tone app brings you people-focused news, features, commentaries, and visual storytelling about contemporary China. Main features of the app: Daily Tones are daily news and highlights from across China. News are timely reports on issues and events from across China. Drawing from a vast range of sources, these articles provide insights into the significance of each issue in a wider context. Features are articles that cut to the core of contemporary China. In-depth, informed, and carefully crafted, every piece is carried by the voices of the story’s participants. Voices & Opinion are contributions from individuals with unique perspectives to share. Hear from everyone, from experts and commentators to those whose voices are rarely heard. Multimedia are visual stories that get up close and personal with contemporary China. A mix of short videos, documentaries, photography, and data visualization. Sixth Tone × features translations, cross-publications, and collaborative projects from Sixth Tone’s external partners. Special Projects showcase the collaborative efforts of Sixth Tone’s newsroom on diverse topics. Q & A features in-depth interviews with the minds and makers shaping today’s China. Your questions, answered. Announcements are the latest news about Sixth Tone as well as its events, projects, and other initiatives.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Sixth Tone at none against Caixin Global's 3. Sixth Tone also leads on review sentiment (82% vs 56%) and rating (4.9 vs 4.6). On price, ratings volume, update cadence and ads 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. Caixin Global sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $25.99 per month. Sixth Tone asks for nothing beyond the download.
Sixth Tone holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.6. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 228 and 147 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 56% of Caixin Global's written reviews are positive against 82% of Sixth Tone's.
Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on November 2, 2026 and November 3, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Caixin Global | Sixth Tone |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.6 (228 ratings) | 4.9 (147 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 55.7% of reviews | 81.8% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 228 — better | 147 |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | Every 2 months |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Ad-supported — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 14.0 | 9.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 30 MB | 28 MB |
| Age rating | 17+ | 17+ |
| Developer | Caixin Global Limited | 上海东方报业有限公司 |
Customer experience
Caixin Global
Sixth Tone
Bugs and requests
Caixin Global
Reported bugs
10 issues- Subscription not activated after payment
- App insists subscription doesn't exist
- Constantly logged out
- Subscription sync issues
- Doesn't load entire story
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- Login issues
- Password reset doesn't work
- Payment problems
- App requires subscription during free trial
- Multiple login issues reported
Requested features
12 requests- iPad version supporting
- Simple "continue" subscription button with WeChat payment
- More articles on Chinese government policies and investments
- More in-depth articles about Chinese companies' culture
- Filter more, be more selective
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- Keep exhibition listings up-to-date
- Dark mode option
- Horizontal view option
- Better URL integration for in-app article redirection
- Ability to download editions
- Improve password reset functionality
- Make subscription more reasonable
Sixth Tone
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
Caixin Global
- Monthly Package$25.991 Month
- Student Package$59.991 Year
- Annual Package$249.991 Year
Sixth Tone
No in-app purchases
