# X vs Medium

The clearest difference is ads: Medium at none against X's shown. Medium also leads on review sentiment (63% vs 45%) and rating (4.8 vs 4.6). X's advantage is ratings volume (11M vs 157K) and update cadence (every 3 days vs weekly). On price, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. X sells 25 in-app purchases, starting at $1.00 per month and Medium sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Medium holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: X has 11M ratings behind it against 157K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 45% of X's written reviews are positive against 63% of Medium's.

X ships an update every 3 days, Medium weekly. Both last shipped on October 15, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | X | Medium |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.6 (11M ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/x/id333903271/reviews) | **[4.8 (157K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/medium-read-and-write-stories/id828256236/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **11M** | 157K |
| Positive reviews | 44.5% of reviews | **62.5% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 days** | Weekly |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Freemium |
| Best chart rank | **#1** | #17 |
| Size | 624 MB | 242 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 18.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple TV** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 17+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [X Corp.](https://appshunter.io/developer/296415947) | [A Medium Corporation](https://appshunter.io/developer/828256239) |

## What reviewers say

### X

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/x/id333903271)

**Currently charting:** #1 Top Free · News, #1 Top Grossing · News, #34 Top Free, #38 Top Grossing (US App Store)

Connect with a global community in real-time for breaking news, live events, and conversations. Share your thoughts, discover trending topics, and engage with diverse perspectives. Features include an AI assistant, live audio/video, and private messaging.

**Highlights:** Real-time breaking news updates, Post thoughts, photos, and videos, AI assistant for news summaries, Live audio and video streaming, Direct messaging with connections, Community building around interests

**Features:** Apple Wallet, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (25)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| @FatKidDeals Subscription | $1.00 | per month |
| @Rainmaker1973 Subscription | $2.00 | per month |
| @pulte Subscription | $2.99 | per month |
| @Zirksee Subscription | $2.99 | per month |
| @TheBabylonBee Subscription | $3.00 | per month |
| @jacksonhinklle Subscription | $3.00 | per month |
| @DataRepublican Subscription | $3.00 | per month |
| @elonmusk Subscription | $4.00 | per month |
| X Premium Basic (Monthly) | $4.00 | per month |
| @stevewilldoit Subscription | $5.00 | per month |
| @robbystarbuck Subscription | $5.00 | per month |
| @MikeBenzCyber Subscription | $5.00 | per month |
| @RealAlexJones Subscription | $5.00 | per month |
| @C__Herridge Subscription | $7.00 | per month |
| @shellenberger Subscription | $9.00 | per month |
| @shreyas Subscription | $9.99 | per month |
| X Premium (Monthly) | $11.00 | per month |
| @Jake__Wujastyk Subscription | $14.00 | per month |
| @Banana3Stocks Subscription | $40.00 | per month |
| X Premium Basic (Annual) | $42.00 | per year |
| X Premium Plus (Monthly) | $50.00 | per month |
| X Premium (Annual) | $114.99 | per year |
| X Premium Plus (Annual) | $490.00 | per year |
| Promote Post for $25 | $25.00 | one-time |
| Promote Post for $50 | $50.00 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Fast and efficient platform
- 💡 Diverse range of content and discussions
- 👍 Useful for news and information sharing
- 🌐 Global connectivity and exchange of ideas

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Bugs and technical issues
- 🤖 Proliferation of bots and spam accounts
- 🔒 Concerns over censorship and lack of free speech
- 💰 Paywalled features and monetization efforts

**Reported bugs**

- Account suspension and lockout issues
- Inconsistent app performance and UI changes
- Unreliable notification system
- Inability to view deleted or suspended accounts

**Requested features**

- Edit tweet option
- Improved content moderation and enforcement of rules
- Customizable feed and better user control over content
- Enhanced privacy and data protection measures


### Medium

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/medium-read-and-write-stories/id828256236)

**Currently charting:** #17 Top Grossing · News, #54 Top Free · News (US App Store)

Access a vast collection of human stories, expert advice, and inspiring insights. Discover new topics, follow your interests, and connect with a global community of readers and writers. Publish your own work and reach a wide audience.

**Highlights:** Distraction-free reading, Curated content on tech, culture, news, Unlimited story access with membership, Personalized reading library, Community engagement (claps, comments), Publishing platform for writers, Audio versions of stories (Member feature)

**In-app purchases (5)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Medium Membership | $4.99 | per month |
| Medium Membership | $4.99 | per month |
| Friend Membership | $14.99 | per month |
| Medium Membership | $49.99 | per year |
| Friend Membership | $149.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 📚 Excellent content and writing quality
- 🌐 Wide variety of topics and perspectives
- 🧠 Thought-provoking and informative articles
- 🤓 Useful for learning and personal growth
- 🎨 Clean and minimalist design

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔒 Paywall limits access to content
- 📥 Difficulty finding and accessing past articles
- 🔍 Lack of effective search and filtering options
- 🤖 Concerns about AI-generated content
- 🖥️ Suboptimal experience on larger screens

**Reported bugs**

- Frequent app crashes and freezes
- Login and authentication issues
- Syncing and data loss problems
- Compatibility problems with newer OS versions
- Unreliable push notifications

**Requested features**

- Offline reading mode
- Better organization and navigation of content
- Improved personalization and recommendation system
- Integration with other platforms and services
- Enhanced writing and publishing tools


## Frequently asked questions

### Is X free?

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

### Is Medium free?

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

### Which has better reviews, X or Medium?

Medium is rated higher. X averages 4.6 out of 5 from 11M ratings, while Medium averages 4.8 from 157K ratings.

### Do X or Medium have ads?

X shows ads; Medium does not.

### Which is updated more often, X or Medium?

X ships an update every 3 days, and Medium weekly. Most recently, X was updated on October 15, 2026 and Medium on October 15, 2026.

### Which is more popular, X or Medium?

X currently peaks at #1 in the App Store charts, and Medium at #17. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

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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.*