Comparison

EV Builder's Guide vs S3 Magazine

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

Head to head
About

EV Builder's Guide

This publication focuses on the lifestyle and engineering of electric vehicles that have replaced combustion engines. It features in-depth articles, event coverage, and expert insights from certified technicians.

Highlights
  • Electric vehicle lifestyle coverage
  • Engineering explanations
  • Event coverage (e.g., Holley High-Voltage EV fest)
  • Expert insights from certified technicians
  • Purchase current and back issues
  • Subscription options available
Features
Read full description

EV Builder's Guide is a publication based solely on the lifestyle surrounding vehicles that have had a combustion engine removed and replaced with an electric motor. Our editorial team has been given the green light to scour the country in search of the highest quality hot rods that burn 0 miles per gallon. We also travelled across the country to experience the first-ever Holley High-Voltage EV fest in California. To add to our journalistic integrity. We have signed up to become official EV certified technicians through the national EV certification network that Legacy EV has established. With this training, our team will have the core knowledge it takes to explain the engineering and document our discoveries. These are exciting times and we’re proud to be at the forefront of electric vehicle journalism. ---------------------------------------------- This is a free app download. Within the app users can purchase the current issue and back issues. Subscriptions are also available within the application. A subscription will start from the latest regular issue at the time of purchase. -The subscription will renew automatically unless cancelled more than 24 hours before the end of the current period. You will be charged for renewal within 24 hours of the end of the current period, for the same duration and at the current subscription rate for the product. -You may turn off the auto-renewal of subscriptions through your Account Settings, however you are not able to cancel the current subscription during its active period. -Payment will be charged to your iTunes account at confirmation of purchase and any unused portion of a free trial period, if offered, will be forfeited when a subscription to that publication is purchased. -If a subscription offers a free trial, at the end of the trial period, you will be charged the full price of the subscription. You may cancel a subscription during its free trial period via the subscription settings on your iTunes account. This must be done 24 hours before the end of the subscription period to avoid being charged. Users can register for/ login to a pocketmags account in-app. This will protect their issues in the case of a lost device and allow browsing of purchases on multiple platforms. Existing pocketmags users can retrieve their purchases by logging into their account. We recommend loading the app for the first time in a wi-fi area so that all issue data is retrieved. If your app will not load past the splash page after a first install or an update, please delete and reinstall the app from the App Store Help and frequently asked questions can be accessed in-app and on pocketmags. If you have any problems at all please do not hesitate to contact us: help@pocketmags.com -------------------- You can find our privacy policy here: http://www.pocketmags.com/privacy.aspx You can find our terms and conditions here: http://www.pocketmags.com/terms.aspx

About

S3 Magazine

Access uncensored automotive content, including news, vehicle features, videos, and podcasts. This app offers an independent and edgy perspective on car culture, celebrating the diversity of automotive pursuits.

Highlights
  • Uncensored automotive news
  • Vehicle features
  • Videos
  • Project cars
  • Podcasts
  • Motivational content
Features
Read full description

Do you want automotive content that is uncensored & unfiltered? WELCOME TO S3 MAGAZINE S3 was established back in 2003 as an international automotive print magazine, and we’re getting into your pants (or at least the phone in them), by offering this free handy app. Since birth, S3 Magazine has been grounded, independent, kinda edgy, relatable, and genuinely committed to real-life car culture. You might not agree with everything we say every time, but you can trust that we’re saying it from a place of heart & conviction. Besides… perpetual agreement is lukewarm & boring. But DIVERSITY… diversity is what makes automotive culture so magnetic. The fact that we’re all drawn to different vehicles of different capacities, countries, & eras… but for the same pursuits of exhilaration, expression, freedom, and soul-satisfaction. There’s a common ground & camaraderie there, and S3 stays tapped into that. Because if you take car/garage culture & really break it down… it’s borderline nuts lol. To 95% of the people out there, it doesn’t make any sense. They don’t understand; they can’t relate. They’ll tell you to be less obsessed and more sensible. Less impulsive & more practical. S3 is the other 5%. Download the S3 Magazine app for •automotive news with an enthusiast’s bias •vehicle-features •videos •project cars •podcasts •general shenanigans & motivational content

Screenshots

EV Builder's Guide4 screens
S3 Magazine4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: S3 Magazine at 5.0 against EV Builder's Guide's 4.4. S3 Magazine also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 17) and update cadence (every 4 weeks vs every 9 months). On price, ads 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. EV Builder's Guide sells 17 in-app purchases, starting at $11.99 per year. S3 Magazine asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

S3 Magazine holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.4. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 5 and 19 respectively.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

EV Builder's Guide ships an update every 9 months, S3 Magazine every 4 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 27, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 4 level
EV Builder's Guide versus S3 Magazine: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterEV Builder's GuideS3 Magazine
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.4 (5 ratings)5.0 (19 ratings) — better
Positive reviews—100.0% of reviews
Number of ratings519 — better
Update frequencyEvery 9 monthsEvery 4 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS13.011.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size75 MB34 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperEngaged Media Inc.S3 Media LLC

Customer experience

EV Builder's Guide

All ratings5 ratings
Positive80.0%
Neutral20.0%
Negative0.0%

S3 Magazine

All ratings20 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews6 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

17 purchases

EV Builder's Guide

Subscriptions2
  • EV B. Guide All-Access Sub$11.991 Year
  • EV Builder's Guide1 Month trial$11.991 Year
One-time15
  • Winter 2022 (id:691711)$6.99
  • 2025-94 (EVBG-... (pp:1118073)$6.99
  • 2025-92 (EVBG-... (pp:1118075)$6.99
Show 12 more
  • 2025-96 (EVBG-... (pp:1118071)$6.99
  • 2025-75 (Tesla... (pp:1118049)$6.99
  • 2025-98 (EVBG-... (pp:1118047)$6.99
  • Fall 2022 (id:691710)$6.99
  • EVBG-Spring 23 (id:824521)$6.99
  • EVBG-Summer/Fal... (id:824519)$6.99
  • EVBG-Winter 23 (id:824517)$6.99
  • EVBG-Summer 24 (pp:1039732)$6.99
  • EVBG-Spring 24 (pp:1039736)$6.99
  • EVBG-Fall 24 (pp:1039728)$6.99
  • EVBG-Winter 24 (pp:1039720)$6.99
  • Tesla SIP 24 (pp:1039724)$7.99
None

S3 Magazine

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is EV Builder's Guide free?
EV Builder's Guide is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is S3 Magazine free?
S3 Magazine is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, EV Builder's Guide or S3 Magazine?
S3 Magazine is rated higher. EV Builder's Guide averages 4.4 out of 5 from 5 ratings, while S3 Magazine averages 5.0 from 19 ratings.
Do EV Builder's Guide or S3 Magazine have ads?
Neither EV Builder's Guide nor S3 Magazine shows ads.
Which is updated more often, EV Builder's Guide or S3 Magazine?
EV Builder's Guide ships an update every 9 months, and S3 Magazine every 4 weeks. Most recently, EV Builder's Guide was updated on October 27, 2026 and S3 Magazine on October 24, 2026.

Other comparisons