TMZ vs TrueShort
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
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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
TrueShort
Experience real, shocking true crime cases condensed into bite-sized, 60-second episodes. Optimized for mobile with vertical video and fast pacing, this app offers addictive, bingeable documentary series for true crime enthusiasts.
- 60-second true crime episodes
- Original documentary series
- Vertical video optimized for mobile
- Fast-paced gripping narration
- New series added regularly
- Watch full seasons in 20 minutes
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Bite-sized true crime. Built for your phone. TrueShort is the ultimate true crime app for binge watchers. We turn real, shocking true crime cases into short-form original documentary series—each episode just 60 seconds long. Fast. Bingeable. Addictive. From mysterious disappearances to corporate murders, every story is optimized for mobile: vertical video, fast cuts, gripping narration, and cliffhangers in every episode. Think Netflix meets TikTok, but real and true. WHY USERS LOVE TRUESHORT: • True crime, short & sweet: Episodes are just 60 seconds • Real stories, real drama—no fluff • Watch full seasons in 20 minutes • Original series only available on TrueShort • New series added regularly • Built for mobile: vertical video, tap to watch Whether you have 2 minutes or 20, there's always time for a story. Join the new wave of true crime fans who crave real thrills in short bursts. Start your first series now. One episode and you’ll be hooked. trueshort.com/terms trueshort.com/privacy support@trueshort.com This app requires payment to view all paid content
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is in-app purchases: TMZ at none against TrueShort's 10. TMZ also leads on ratings volume (215K vs 19K) and chart position (#147 vs unranked). TrueShort's advantage is update cadence (every 10 days vs monthly) and review sentiment (74% vs 63%). On price, rating, ads and monetization model 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. TrueShort sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $6.99 per 7 days. TMZ asks for nothing beyond the download.
On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.8 for TMZ against 4.9 for TrueShort. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: TMZ has 215K ratings behind it against 19K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 63% of TMZ's written reviews are positive against 74% of TrueShort's.
TMZ ships an update monthly, TrueShort every 10 days. Both last shipped on November 7, 2026.
| Parameter | TMZ | TrueShort |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.8 (215K ratings) | 4.9 (19K ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 62.8% of reviews | 74.1% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 215K — better | 19K |
| Update frequency | Monthly | Every 10 days — better |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | #147 — better | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple TV, Apple Watch — better | iPhone |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 — better | 16.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 120 MB | 148 MB |
| Age rating | 12+ | 12+ |
| Developer | Ehm Productions, Inc. | Humans Anonymous, Inc |
Customer experience
TMZ
TrueShort
User reviews
TMZ
From 215K 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
TrueShort
From 19K App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 👍 Engaging true crime content
- 🚀 Bite-sized episodes for quick viewing
- 🎥 High-quality storytelling and production
- 🔍 Well-researched true crime cases
Room to improve
- 🔊 AI voice-over could be improved
- 📱 Compatibility issues with older devices
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
TrueShort
Reported bugs
2 issues- Occasional app crashes reported
- Login screen freezing for some users
Requested features
3 requests- Add more true crime categories and genres
- Introduce a real-person narration option
- Implement a dark mode feature
In-app purchases
TMZ
No in-app purchases
TrueShort
- Subscription - $6.99$6.997 Days
- Subscription - $14.997 Days trial$14.991 Year
- Subscription - $14.99$14.991 Month
Show 7 moreShow fewer
- Subscription - $19.997 Days trial$19.991 Year
- Subscription - $29.997 Days trial$29.991 Year
- Get Annual Access3 Days trial$29.991 Year
- Subscription - $39.997 Days trial$39.991 Year
- Subscription - $39.993 Days trial$39.991 Year
- Get Annual Access1 Month trial$39.991 Year
- Subscription - $99.997 Days trial$99.991 Year
