ABC News vs The Spinoff
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
ABC News
Stay informed with breaking news and in-depth reporting from Australia's trusted news source. Access a wide range of articles, videos, and analysis on national and international events.
- Breaking news alerts
- In-depth articles
- Video and audio content
- National and international news
- User-friendly design
Read full descriptionHide full description
The ABC NEWS app makes it easier for you to stay up to date with the latest news and information from Australia's most trusted news source.
The Spinoff
This app delivers daily news and cultural commentary from Aotearoa. It features a mix of current affairs, humor, and in-depth stories presented through text, podcasts, and video.
- Daily Aotearoa publications
- Current affairs coverage
- Cultural commentary
- Text articles
- Podcasts
- Video content
Read full descriptionHide full description
New Zealand’s home for independent journalism, illuminating perspectives and good times
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: ABC News at 4.7 against The Spinoff's 4.0. ABC News also leads on update cadence (fortnightly vs every 3 months) and ratings volume (212 vs 1). On price, review sentiment, ads and in-app purchases 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.
ABC News holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: ABC News has 212 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 33% of ABC News's written reviews are positive against 35% of The Spinoff's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.
ABC News ships an update fortnightly, The Spinoff every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on November 10, 2026 and November 6, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | ABC News | The Spinoff |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.7 (212 ratings) — better | 4.0 (1 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 32.8% of reviews | 34.9% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 212 — better | 1 |
| Update frequency | Fortnightly — better | Every 3 months |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | 16.4 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 112 MB | 59 MB |
| Age rating | 12+ | 12+ |
| Developer | Australian Broadcasting Corporation | Hex Work Ltd |
Customer experience
ABC News
The Spinoff
Bugs and requests
ABC News
Reported bugs
4 issues- Frequent app crashes and freezes
- Inconsistent behavior when switching networks
- Issues with article loading and refreshing
- Broken universal links and in-app navigation
Requested features
5 requests- Customizable font sizes and themes
- Improved local news and weather coverage
- Ability to save and bookmark articles
- Better notification and alert controls
- Integration with smart home devices
The Spinoff
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
ABC News
No in-app purchases
The Spinoff
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is ABC News free?
Is The Spinoff free?
Which has better reviews, ABC News or The Spinoff?
Do ABC News or The Spinoff have ads?
Which is updated more often, ABC News or The Spinoff?
Other comparisons
