TMZ vs Patch
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
TMZ
Stay updated with the latest in entertainment news and celebrity gossip. Get exclusive stories, breaking alerts, and candid footage directly on your device. Access photos and stream full episodes of popular shows.
- Exclusive stories and footage
- Breaking news alerts
- Home and Lock Screen widget
- Candid celebrity interviews
- Curated photo galleries
- Stream full episodes
Read full descriptionHide full description
Your #1 source for breaking entertainment news. Download the free TMZ app to discover breaking stories from the heart of Hollywood. From shocking, exclusive details to hilarious pop culture moments, the TMZ app will always keep you in the know. Features: • EXCLUSIVE STORIES — Whether it's legal drama, compelling photos, or exciting footage, get access to accurate information you won't find anywhere else. • BREAKING ALERTS — Be first to receive breaking news notifications right to your device. • NEWS WIDGET — View the latest stories right from your Home Screen and Lock Screen with the TMZ widget. • CANDID FOOTAGE — Watch exclusive interviews and behind-the-scenes highlights featuring your favorite celebrities and entertainers. • PHOTO GALLERIES — Get lost in endless, curated galleries of memorable celebrity, entertainment, and pop-culture moments. • STREAM EPISODES — Never miss your daily dose of TMZ by streaming full episodes of "TMZ on TV" and "TMZ Live" on demand. We may work with mobile advertising companies and other similar entities that help deliver advertisements tailored to your interests. For more information about such advertising practices, and to opt-out in mobile apps, see http://www.aboutads.info/choices/. You may also download the App Choices app at http://www.aboutads.info/appchoices Privacy: https://www.tmz.com/privacy
Patch
Stay informed about your local community with real-time news, events, and weather updates. Discover schools, homes for sale, jobs, and announcements in a single, easy-to-scroll feed. Receive breaking news alerts and share stories with friends.
- Local news and events for 1,200+ towns
- Breaking news push notifications
- Local weather forecasts and alerts
- Find local jobs and announcements
- One-scroll feed for town happenings
- Bookmark articles for later reading
- Support for following multiple towns
Read full descriptionHide full description
If you're looking for "everything local," Patch is the app for you. Local schools? Check. Breaking news? Check. Homes for sale? We've got those, too. You'll always be in touch with your town with the Patch app. Check out these features: • News and events for 1,200+ Patch Towns, with more towns added every month. • Push notifications as important news breaks — you’ll be the first to get the scoop. • Swipe left or right to view articles faster. • Local weather forecasts and alerts — you'll never be caught without an umbrella or snow boots again. • Find local events, jobs and announcements in your area. • Get everything that is happening in your town in a one-scroll feed! • Share stories to your Facebook friends or email/SMS to a friend! • Patch also has fun iMessage animal stickers to share your emotions with your friends! • Love an article? You can bookmark it to your phone to come back and read it later. • Want to follow multiple towns? No problem, swipe left or right to navigate between your favorite Patch towns. Our new Patch app delivers a beautiful browsing and reading experience for iOS users. Our pages load lightning fast. You'll never be kept waiting to see what's behind that headline. The sleek design provides an in-depth storytelling experience fueled by concise writing and rich imagery. TELL US WHAT YOU THINK: We're eager to hear your feedback and suggestions. How can we make the app even better? What features would you like to see? We aim to be the best news app in the country, and your ideas are crucial. Please email us at Feedback@patch.com Images used under license from Shutterstock.com
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is monetization model: Patch at ad-supported against TMZ's free with in-app purchases. TMZ's advantage is ratings volume (213K vs 26K) and device support (5 vs 3). On price, rating, review sentiment and update cadence 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.
On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.8 for TMZ against 4.7 for Patch. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: TMZ has 213K ratings behind it against 26K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 62% of TMZ's written reviews are positive against 58% of Patch's.
TMZ ships an update monthly, Patch every 2 months. Both last shipped on September 24, 2026.
| Parameter | TMZ | Patch |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.8 (213K ratings) — better | 4.7 (26K ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 61.5% of reviews — better | 58.3% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 213K — better | 26K |
| Update frequency | Monthly — better | Every 2 months |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Ad-supported — better |
| Best chart rank | #122 — better | #166 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple TV, Apple Watch — better | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 | 15.6 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 81 MB | 66 MB |
| Age rating | 12+ | 12+ |
| Developer | Ehm Productions, Inc. | Patch Media |
Customer experience
TMZ
Patch
User reviews
TMZ
From 213K App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 🚀 First to report breaking news
- 👍 Accurate and reliable information
- 🤩 Entertaining celebrity gossip
- 💯 Trusted news source
Room to improve
- 🐛 Frequent app crashes and freezes
- 🔍 Inconsistent photo captions
- 🤬 Hateful and toxic comments
- 📢 Too many intrusive ads
Patch
From 26K App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 🗞️ Informative local news
- 📰 Comprehensive coverage of community events
- 🔍 Useful for staying up-to-date on local happenings
- 🗓️ Timely and relevant information
- 💻 Convenient online/mobile access to local news
Room to improve
- 🔌 App stability and performance issues
- 🔍 Limited ability to customize content and notifications
- 📢 Concerns about removal of reader comments
- 🗺️ Lack of location-specific focus in some areas
- 💲 Paid subscription model for full access
Bugs and requests
TMZ
Reported bugs
4 issues- Videos not loading or playing properly
- App redirecting to App Store unexpectedly
- Notifications not working reliably
- Frequent app crashes on iOS devices
Requested features
4 requests- Bring back comment section with moderation
- Add ability to turn off notification badges
- Improve swipe navigation between articles
- Make app more user-friendly on tablets
Patch
Reported bugs
4 issues- Articles failing to load or open properly
- Notification issues, including duplicate or missing alerts
- Inconsistent app behavior after updates
- Difficulty clearing unread article indicators
Requested features
5 requests- Allow users to select specific news categories of interest
- Improve notification system to be more reliable and customizable
- Restore reader comment functionality
- Enhance location-based targeting and content curation
- Offer more affordable or free access options
In-app purchases
TMZ
No in-app purchases
Patch
No in-app purchases
