The Information vs TechPulse by CNET Group
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
The Information
Access exclusive, in-depth technology and business reporting from a leading publication. Stay informed with daily briefings, founder profiles, and data analyses on VC deals and emerging fields.
- Exclusive tech and business reporting
- Daily news analysis
- Founder profiles and company deep dives
- Investor relations and VC deal data
- Access to subscriber-only directory and forum
- Tech industry events calendar
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Before it's everywhere, it's in The Information. The Information is the most trusted source for original tech news and business reporting — read first thing every morning by the founders, CEOs, venture capital investors, and operators who move the industry. We break the stories the rest of the internet spends the next 24 hours catching up to. If you care about getting the news first and trusting the source, this is your app. While other outlets aggregate and republish, our reporters develop original scoops you won't find anywhere else: deep investigations into Big Tech, profiles of the founders building the next generation of companies, and rigorous analysis of the deals, fundings, and power shifts shaping technology and business. WHAT WE COVER - AI news — Anthropic, Google, Microsoft, xAI, and the LLM and AI agents race - Semiconductor and AI data center news — Nvidia, chips, and the infrastructure powering the AI boom - Venture capital and startup funding — VC rounds, valuations, and the firms writing the checks - Crypto and fintech — markets, regulation, and the companies redefining money - EV and battery technology — Tesla and the future of transportation - Big Tech — Apple, Amazon, AWS, and Meta - Deals — M&A, private equity, and IPO coverage for people who need the details - Plus enterprise software, cybersecurity, robotics, quantum computing, and the creator economy APP FEATURES - For You: a personalized home feed that surfaces the tech and business news that matters most to you - Breaking news alerts: push notifications the moment a story breaks — read it here before it hits your inbox or your feed - TITV: live and on-demand video, including interviews and analysis with our reporters and the people in the news - Text-to-audio: listen to any article hands-free, on your commute or at the gym - Deep Research: our AI-powered tool to go deeper on any company, topic, or trend - Bookmarking: save articles to read later, across all your devices - Dark mode: a comfortable reading experience, day or night - Org Charts: 30+ exclusive org charts, from Airbnb to YouTube, mapping who really runs the biggest companies - Newsletters: manage subscriptions including The Briefing, Dealmaker, Creator Economy, and more - Podcasts: deep dives on startups, venture capital, and the tech industry with our reporters and guests - Directory & Forum: connect with other subscribers — investors, founders, and operators - Events Calendar: track the biggest moments in tech, from earnings and IPOs to product launches IS THE INFORMATION RIGHT FOR YOU? Our readers also follow Bloomberg, Forbes, The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, and TechCrunch — the outlets that often spend the next day catching up to the stories we break first. The real question isn't whether you'll get the news. It's when. Get it here, first. The Information is more than a publication — it's the daily edge for people who can't afford to be last to know on AI, venture capital, crypto, and the deals shaping tech and business. Subscribe in the app and read the news that's first, and most trusted. Questions? support@theinformation.com (or engineering@theinformation.com for technical issues). Terms of Service: theinformation.com/terms Privacy Policy: theinformation.com/privacy
TechPulse by CNET Group
Stay informed with the latest tech news, expert reviews, and product recommendations. Make smarter purchasing decisions with in-depth analysis and video guides. Get breaking alerts and discover the best deals on technology.
- Featured tech stories
- Latest technology news coverage
- Product review galleries
- Breaking news alerts
- Extensive product reviews
- Best product recommendations
- Product search functionality
- Video product reviews
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TechPulse helps tech enthusiasts follow trusted industry insights with a customizable, algorithm-free feed. Welcome to the new CNET app. TechPulse gathers world-class journalism from the internet’s most respected technology and lifestyle publishers. Instead of managing multiple sources or fighting unpredictable feeds, you can customize your daily dashboard to display exactly what matters to you. Stay informed with unbiased video, analysis, news and reviews curated by human experts. Main features: • Filter the publication sources you want to appear in your unified feed for easy navigation. • Make tech buying easy with lab-tested reviews from CNET and PCMag experts. • Get the latest breaking tech news from reporters who share objective takes on what you need to know. • Stay ahead of internet innovations with trending digital culture and entertainment news from Mashable. • Streamline your daily routine and unlock practical hacks and science-based productivity tips from Lifehacker. • Track disruptive professional tech breakthroughs and emerging industry trends from ZDNET. • Get the most from your tech and gadgets with CNET’s product updates and troubleshooting guides. TechPulse is built for readers who value journalistic integrity and direct sources over cluttered news streams. Backed by decades of independent editorial experience from trusted industry names, TechPulse is built for readers who value journalistic integrity and direct sources over cluttered news streams. Your feed remains transparent, accurate and free of bias. Download TechPulse today to control your technology news and explore what matters to you. Our Privacy Policy: https://www.ziffdavis.com/ztg-privacy-policy Our Terms of Use: https://www.ziffdavis.com/terms-of-use
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is in-app purchases: TechPulse by CNET Group at none against The Information's 4. TechPulse by CNET Group also leads on ratings volume (3.4K vs 83) and device support (4 vs 2). The Information's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and rating (4.7 vs 4.3). On price, update cadence and iOS requirement 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 Information sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $39.99 per month. TechPulse by CNET Group asks for nothing beyond the download.
The Information holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: TechPulse by CNET Group has 3.4K ratings behind it against 83, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 28% of The Information's written reviews are positive against 17% of TechPulse by CNET Group's.
The Information ships an update every 3 weeks, TechPulse by CNET Group monthly. Both last shipped on November 7, 2026.
| Parameter | The Information | TechPulse by CNET Group |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.7 (83 ratings) — better | 4.3 (3.4K ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 28.4% of reviews — better | 16.9% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 83 | 3.4K — better |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks — better | Monthly |
| Ads | No — better | Yes |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | Subscription | Ad-supported — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple TV — better |
| Requires iOS | 16.4 | 15.1 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 57 MB | 53 MB |
| Age rating | 12+ | 17+ |
| Developer | The Information | CNET Media, Inc. |
Customer experience
The Information
TechPulse by CNET Group
User reviews
The Information
From 83 App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 📰 High-quality, original tech journalism
- 🎯 In-depth reporting and insider knowledge
- 📱 Clean and elegant app interface
- ⚡ Fast content delivery and updates
- 🏆 Best-in-class tech news coverage
Room to improve
- 💰 Expensive subscription pricing ($300-$400/year)
- 🐛 Frequent app crashes and freezes
- 🌙 No dark mode support
- 📱 No native iPad app (portrait-only on iPad)
- 🔐 Poor authentication and login issues
TechPulse by CNET Group
From 3.4K App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 🚀 Great source for tech news and reviews
- 👍 Reliable and trustworthy content
- 🚀 Excellent for researching tech products
Room to improve
- 🐛 Buggy and unstable app
- 🤔 Too many non-tech related articles
- 🤔 Constant requests to update the app
- 🤔 Ads make the app unusable
- 🤔 Outdated and repeating content
Bugs and requests
The Information
Reported bugs
10 issues- Magic link login doesn't work reliably
- App sends login link but then rejects it
- Session logs out after reading one article
- App crashes when emailing articles
- Screen goes blank requiring app reboot
Show 5 moreShow fewer
- Scrolling performance is laggy
- Font sizing affects all system apps
- Password authentication fails between app and website
- Notifications don't work despite being enabled
- iPad app displays only in portrait mode
Requested features
10 requests- Dark mode/night mode for reading
- Native iPad app with landscape support
- Bookmark/save articles for later reading
- Read aloud functionality for articles
- Push notifications for breaking news
Show 5 moreShow fewer
- Offline reading capability
- App widgets for home screen headlines
- Better font sizing controls
- Native video player
- Account management within app
TechPulse by CNET Group
Reported bugs
4 issues- Crashes and freezes frequently
- Notifications don't lead to the correct article
- Videos fail to load consistently
- Login issues and account syncing problems
Requested features
4 requests- Ability to filter content by category
- Improved search functionality
- Better organization and navigation
- Syncing of bookmarked articles across devices
In-app purchases
The Information
- The Information - Monthly$39.991 Month
- The Information - Monthly$59.991 Month
- The Information - Annual$399.001 Year
Show 1 moreShow fewer
- The Information - Pro1 Year trial$999.001 Year
TechPulse by CNET Group
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is The Information free?
Is TechPulse by CNET Group free?
Which has better reviews, The Information or TechPulse by CNET Group?
Do The Information or TechPulse by CNET Group have ads?
Which is updated more often, The Information or TechPulse by CNET Group?
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