# SGI vs AA Grapevine

The clearest difference is review sentiment: SGI at 96% against AA Grapevine's 30%. SGI also leads on rating (4.9 vs 3.9) and in-app purchases (none vs 2). AA Grapevine's advantage is chart position (#65 vs unranked). On price, ads, monetization model and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. AA Grapevine sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. SGI asks for nothing beyond the download.

SGI holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 3.9. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: SGI has 2.4K ratings behind it against 89, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 96% of SGI's written reviews are positive against 30% of AA Grapevine's.

SGI ships an update every 5 days, AA Grapevine every 4 weeks. Both last shipped on November 7, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | SGI | AA Grapevine |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.9 (2.4K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sgi-usa-publications/id1597978753/reviews)** | [3.9 (89 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/aa-grapevine/id6450056498/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **2.4K** | 89 |
| Positive reviews | **95.7% of reviews** | 30.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 5 days** | Every 4 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | — | **#65** |
| Size | 18 MB | 20 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | 15.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Soka Gakkai International - USA](https://appshunter.io/developer/1158895737) | [AA Grapevine, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1105305231) |

## What reviewers say

### SGI

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sgi-usa-publications/id1597978753)

Access news and encouragement from a global Buddhist community. This app provides subscribers with content from a weekly newspaper and a monthly study magazine, featuring videos, podcasts, and event listings.

**Highlights:** Weekly newspaper content, Monthly study magazine, Video and podcast episodes, Event listings, Language editions

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Positive and uplifting content
- 🎧 Convenient audio feature
- 📱 User-friendly app experience
- 🌐 Accessible on multiple devices
- 💗 Strengthens connection to Sensei and SGI

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Audio playback issues
- 🔄 Delayed publication updates
- 🔍 Difficulty finding content

**Reported bugs**

- April 2024 publications not visible
- Refresh feature not working

**Requested features**

- Improved audio playback functionality
- Faster publication update schedule
- Enhanced search and navigation


### AA Grapevine

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/aa-grapevine/id6450056498)

**Currently charting:** #65 Top Grossing · Magazines & Newspapers, #94 Top Free · Magazines & Newspapers (US App Store)

Access the international journal of Alcoholics Anonymous, featuring articles, a podcast, and a daily quote. Enhance your sobriety journey with a calculator, events calendar, and exclusive spiritual maintenance tools. Share your experiences and connect with a supportive community.

**Highlights:** Monthly magazine access, Article archives, Podcast player, Daily quote, Sobriety calculator, AA events calendar, Spiritual maintenance checklist

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Grapevine Monthly Subscription | $2.99 | per month |
| Grapevine Annual Subscription | $29.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Great app concept
- 👍 Helpful individual stories
- 👍 Content is valuable for recovery
- 👍 Audio is great
- 👍 Easy to use (for some)

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Constant subscription verification issues
- 🐛 App is buggy
- 🐛 Difficult to recommend app
- 🐛 Restore option never works
- 🐛 Cannot access current issue

**Reported bugs**

- Subscription verification issues
- App is buggy
- Restore subscription option never works
- Cannot access current issue
- App repeatedly states user is not subscribed

**Requested features**

- Native iPad version needed
- Improve iPad usability for visually impaired
- Fix app bugs
- Add a way to change password
- Improve archive search functionality


## Frequently asked questions

### Is SGI free?

SGI is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is AA Grapevine free?

AA Grapevine is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, SGI or AA Grapevine?

SGI is rated higher. SGI averages 4.9 out of 5 from 2.4K ratings, while AA Grapevine averages 3.9 from 89 ratings.

### Do SGI or AA Grapevine have ads?

Neither SGI nor AA Grapevine shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, SGI or AA Grapevine?

SGI ships an update every 5 days, and AA Grapevine every 4 weeks. Most recently, SGI was updated on November 7, 2026 and AA Grapevine on November 7, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*