Comparison

TechPulse by CNET Group vs DeepBrief

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

Head to head
About

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.

Highlights
  • 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
Features
Read full description

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

About

DeepBrief

Features
Read full description

Understand today without reading all day. DeepBrief turns the news into five essential stories a day — not fifty, not an endless scroll. Each story starts with the gist: a clear headline, one sentence, one visual. From there, you decide how deep to go. THE GIST FIRST Open the app and see today's five stories in under a minute. No feed to scroll through, no algorithm chasing your attention — just what actually happened. CONTEXT ON YOUR TERMS Tap into any story to branch further: why it matters, who it affects, what happens next. Go five levels deep into a single story and jump back to the headline in one tap. Depth is optional, not mandatory. A REAL FINISH LINE Every briefing is finite. Read your five stories and you're caught up — genuinely, not "for now." BUILT FOR CURIOSITY, NOT ADDICTION DeepBrief personalizes tomorrow's briefing to what you care about, without turning news into a slot machine. Follow developing stories, save what you want to revisit, and pick up any story exactly where you left off across devices. WHAT YOU GET • Five stories a day, chosen for what actually matters • Branching context — facts, impact, and background on demand • Visualizations that make numbers and timelines easy to read at a glance • Follow developing stories as they unfold • Sign in with Apple or Google to save your progress across devices DeepBrief is designed for the moment between "I should know what's happening" and "I have time to read about it." Start small. Keep your place. Follow the thread.

Screenshots

TechPulse by CNET Group4 screens
DeepBrief4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is ads: DeepBrief at none against TechPulse by CNET Group's shown. DeepBrief also leads on update cadence (every 3 days vs monthly). On price, in-app purchases, device support 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

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

UpkeepUpdate frequency

TechPulse by CNET Group ships an update monthly, DeepBrief every 3 days. The most recent releases landed on October 14, 2026 and October 3, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
TechPulse by CNET Group versus DeepBrief: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterTechPulse by CNET GroupDeepBrief
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.3 (3.4K ratings) — better—
Positive reviews17.2% of reviews—
Number of ratings3.4K — better—
Update frequencyMonthlyEvery 3 days — better
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationAd-supported—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple TV — betteriPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS15.115.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size53 MB38 MB
Age rating17+12+
DeveloperCNET Media, Inc.Sharath Ravindran

Bugs and requests

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

DeepBrief

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

None

TechPulse by CNET Group

No in-app purchases

None

DeepBrief

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is TechPulse by CNET Group free?
TechPulse by CNET Group is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is DeepBrief free?
DeepBrief is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do TechPulse by CNET Group or DeepBrief have ads?
TechPulse by CNET Group shows ads; DeepBrief does not.
Which is updated more often, TechPulse by CNET Group or DeepBrief?
TechPulse by CNET Group ships an update monthly, and DeepBrief every 3 days. Most recently, TechPulse by CNET Group was updated on October 14, 2026 and DeepBrief on October 3, 2026.

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