Comparison

Ground News vs Substack

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

Head to head
About

Ground News

This app aggregates news from thousands of sources, highlighting media bias, reliability, and ownership. It aims to help users escape echo chambers and understand different perspectives on any story.

Highlights
  • News aggregation from 50K+ sources
  • Media bias and reliability analysis
  • Source ownership transparency
  • Avoid algorithmic echo chambers
  • Compare partisan topic coverage
  • Daily breaking news updates
Features
Read full description

Get all your news in one place on an eye-opening platform that shows you the bias, reliability and ownership of every source you read. Cut through the noise and escape media echo chambers with Ground News. Ground News is the largest news aggregator in the world with over 50K news sources and 60K articles added daily. But we aren’t a typical news aggregator, throwing hundreds of headlines at you that barely skim the surface. Ground frees people from algorithmic restraints, illuminates blindspots and makes media bias explicit with our one-of-a-kind media analysis features. AVOID MANIPULATIVE ALGORITHMS SPOT MEDIA BIAS DISCOVER BLINDSPOTS CHECK THE RELIABILITY OF SOURCES SEE WHO OWNS THE NEWS YOU CONSUME Read daily breaking stories from sources around the world, in real time. Like a modern day newspaper, we show you diverse stories instead of algorithm-driven content that can limit your worldview. News coverage is rarely unbiased, so we give you as much context as possible so you can come to your own conclusions. Compare coverage on partisan topics like politics, and elections. Enjoy our free features, or subscribe for in-depth analysis that will transform the way you look at news. About Your Ground News Subscription: Subscriptions renew monthly and can be managed through your App Store account Payment will be charged to your App Store Account on confirmation of purchase Renewal is automatic unless turned off at least 24-hours before the end of the current period Subscriptions can also be managed through Ground News by going to your Account Settings after purchase See full terms and conditions here: https://ground.news/terms-and-conditions

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

Ground News4 screens
Substack4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Substack at 72% against Ground News's 55%. Substack also leads on rating (4.9 vs 4.7) and ratings volume (537K vs 48K). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model 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. Ground News sells 12 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 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 4.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Substack has 537K ratings behind it against 48K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 55% of Ground News's written reviews are positive against 72% of Substack's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Ground News ships an update every 2 weeks, Substack weekly. Both last shipped on September 25, 2026.

Scorecard4 real differences · 7 level
Ground News versus Substack: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterGround NewsSubstack
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.7 (48K ratings)4.9 (537K ratings) — better
Positive reviews54.9% of reviews72.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings48K537K — better
Update frequencyEvery 2 weeksWeekly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFreemiumFree with in-app purchases
Best chart rank#4 — better#5
DevicesiPhone, iPad, MaciPhone, iPad, Apple TV
Requires iOS17.617.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size96 MB223 MB
Age rating12+17+
DeveloperSnapwise Inc.Substack, Inc.

Customer experience

Ground News

All ratings48,070 ratings
Positive93.5%
Neutral3.2%
Negative3.3%
Written reviews1,373 reviews
Positive54.9%
Neutral11.4%
Negative33.7%

Substack

All ratings536,802 ratings
Positive97.6%
Neutral1.2%
Negative1.1%
Written reviews4,638 reviews
Positive72.0%
Neutral7.0%
Negative21.1%

User reviews

Ground News

From 48K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 👍 Unique and useful news service
  • 👍 Refreshing to see multiple news sources
  • 👍 Factuality checks are helpful
  • 👍 Provides a balanced view of news stories
  • 👍 Excellent news resource

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Subscription issues (e.g. unable to cancel, auto-renewal)
  • 🔍 Too US-centric, lacking international news coverage
  • 💸 Excessive ads and paywalls
  • 🤔 Bias ratings may not always be accurate
  • 🤔 Cluttered user interface

Substack

From 537K 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

Ground News

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Notification issues (e.g. not clearing, inaccurate counts)
  • Subscription recognition problems across devices
  • Compatibility issues on older devices

Requested features

5 requests
  • Ability to customize news feed by region/country
  • Improved navigation and reading experience
  • Sync topics/preferences across devices
  • Built-in news reader mode
  • Ability to filter out paywalled articles

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

Ground News

Subscriptions12
  • Ground News Pro Monthly$0.991 Month
  • Ground News Premium Monthly$3.991 Month
  • Ground News Pro Yearly$9.991 Year
Show 9 more
  • Ground News Vantage Monthly$9.991 Month
  • Ground News Premium Yearly7 Days trial$29.991 Year
  • Ground News Premium Yearly1 Month trial$39.991 Year
  • Ground News Premium Yearly7 Days trial$39.991 Year
  • Ground News Premium Yearly7 Days trial$44.991 Year
  • Ground News Premium Yearly1 Month trial$49.991 Year
  • Ground News Premium Yearly7 Days trial$49.991 Year
  • Ground News Vantage Yearly7 Days trial$71.991 Year
  • Ground News Vantage Yearly$99.991 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 Ground News free?
Ground News 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, Ground News or Substack?
Substack is rated higher. Ground News averages 4.7 out of 5 from 48K ratings, while Substack averages 4.9 from 537K ratings.
Do Ground News or Substack have ads?
Neither Ground News nor Substack shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Ground News or Substack?
Ground News ships an update every 2 weeks, and Substack weekly. Most recently, Ground News was updated on September 25, 2026 and Substack on September 25, 2026.
Which is more popular, Ground News or Substack?
Ground News currently peaks at #4 in the App Store charts, and Substack at #5. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

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