Sixth Tone vs South APP
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
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.
South APP
This app provides authoritative news and stories about China, with a focus on Guangdong Province and the Greater Bay Area. It serves as an international media gateway for global audiences to access information from South China's News Network.
- Authoritative news on China
- Focus on Guangdong Province
- Greater Bay Area coverage
- International media gateway
- Mobile news platform
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The South APP, Guangdong's Flagship International Media Gateway operated by Nanfang Media Group (Nanfang Daily), serves as the mobile news platform and media outlet to South China's News Network (www.newsgd.com). Positioned as Guangdong's leading international communication platform, it acts as the primary global window for audiences worldwide to access authoritative news and stories about China, with a special focus on Guangdong Province and the Greater Bay Area (Hong Kong, Macao, and surrounding regions).
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is ads: South APP at none against Sixth Tone's shown. South APP also leads on review sentiment (100% vs 82%) and monetization model (free vs ad-supported). Sixth Tone's advantage is iOS requirement (9.0 vs 12.0). On price, update cadence, in-app purchases and device support 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. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
Sixth Tone ships an update every 2 months, South APP monthly. Both last shipped on November 3, 2026.
| Parameter | Sixth Tone | South APP |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.9 (147 ratings) — better | — |
| Positive reviews | 81.8% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 147 — better | — |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | Monthly — better |
| Ads | Yes | No — better |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Ad-supported | Free — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better |
| Requires iOS | 9.0 — better | 12.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 28 MB | 76 MB |
| Age rating | 17+ | 4+ |
| Developer | 上海东方报业有限公司 | 广东南方网络信息科技有限公司 |
Customer experience
Sixth Tone
South APP
In-app purchases
Sixth Tone
No in-app purchases
South APP
No in-app purchases








