# TMZ vs TrueShort

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 (#150 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.

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. The most recent releases landed on November 8, 2026 and November 7, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | TMZ | TrueShort |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.8 (215K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tmz/id299948601/reviews) | **[4.9 (19K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/trueshort-stream-true-crime/id6741782158/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **215K** | 19K |
| Positive reviews | 62.8% of reviews | **74.1% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | Monthly | **Every 10 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | **#150** | — |
| Size | 120 MB | 148 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.6** | 16.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple TV, Apple Watch** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 12+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Ehm Productions, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1506775803) | [Humans Anonymous, Inc](https://appshunter.io/developer/1616020894) |

## What reviewers say

### TMZ

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tmz/id299948601)

**Currently charting:** #150 Top Free · News (US App Store)

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.

**Highlights:** Exclusive stories and footage, Breaking news alerts, Home and Lock Screen widget, Candid celebrity interviews, Curated photo galleries, Stream full episodes

**Features:** Apple Watch app, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 First to report breaking news
- 👍 Accurate and reliable information
- 🤩 Entertaining celebrity gossip
- 💯 Trusted news source

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent app crashes and freezes
- 🔍 Inconsistent photo captions
- 🤬 Hateful and toxic comments
- 📢 Too many intrusive ads

**Reported bugs**

- Videos not loading or playing properly
- App redirecting to App Store unexpectedly
- Notifications not working reliably
- Frequent app crashes on iOS devices

**Requested features**

- 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

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/trueshort-stream-true-crime/id6741782158)

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.

**Highlights:** 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

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

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Subscription - $6.99 | $6.99 | per 7 days |
| Subscription - $14.99 | $14.99 | per year |
| Subscription - $14.99 | $14.99 | per month |
| Subscription - $19.99 | $19.99 | per year |
| Subscription - $29.99 | $29.99 | per year |
| Get Annual Access | $29.99 | per year |
| Subscription - $39.99 | $39.99 | per year |
| Subscription - $39.99 | $39.99 | per year |
| Get Annual Access | $39.99 | per year |
| Subscription - $99.99 | $99.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Engaging true crime content
- 🚀 Bite-sized episodes for quick viewing
- 🎥 High-quality storytelling and production
- 🔍 Well-researched true crime cases

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔊 AI voice-over could be improved
- 📱 Compatibility issues with older devices

**Reported bugs**

- Occasional app crashes reported
- Login screen freezing for some users

**Requested features**

- Add more true crime categories and genres
- Introduce a real-person narration option
- Implement a dark mode feature


## Frequently asked questions

### Is TMZ free?

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

### Is TrueShort free?

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

### Which has better reviews, TMZ or TrueShort?

TrueShort is rated higher. TMZ averages 4.8 out of 5 from 215K ratings, while TrueShort averages 4.9 from 19K ratings.

### Do TMZ or TrueShort have ads?

Both TMZ and TrueShort show ads.

### Which is updated more often, TMZ or TrueShort?

TMZ ships an update monthly, and TrueShort every 10 days. Most recently, TMZ was updated on November 8, 2026 and TrueShort 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.*