Comparison

TidBITS News vs TechPulse by CNET Group

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

TidBITS News

Access the latest news and product updates for Mac and iOS devices from a long-standing internet publication. Read full articles with graphics and embedded videos, and follow links to external resources. Content is downloaded for offline reading.

Highlights
  • Headline and summary display
  • Pull-to-refresh functionality
  • Full article reading with graphics and video
  • Adjustable font sizes
  • In-app web browsing
  • Offline content access
Read full description

Stay up to date with the latest news and products in the Mac and iOS worlds with TidBITS (tidbits.com), the oldest Internet-only publication on the planet! The award-winning publication was founded in 1990 by Adam Engst, regularly voted one of the most influential figures in the Macintosh industry. Displays headlines and summaries for the most recent TidBITS stories. At the top of the headline screen, pull to refresh the list. Tap to read the full text of any recent TidBITS article, complete with graphics and embedded movies. Choose among font sizes for reading articles. Follow links to referenced Web sites and other Internet resources in Safari. All headlines and articles are downloaded to your iPad, iPhone, or iPod touch so you can catch up on TidBITS while on the subway or on an iPad/iPod touch that's out of range of a Wi-Fi network.

About

TechPulse by CNET Group

Stay informed with the latest tech news, expert reviews, and product recommendations. Make smarter purchasing decisions with in-depth analysis and video guides. Get breaking alerts and discover the best deals on technology.

Highlights
  • Featured tech stories
  • Latest technology news coverage
  • Product review galleries
  • Breaking news alerts
  • Extensive product reviews
  • Best product recommendations
  • Product search functionality
  • Video product reviews
Features
Currently charting
Read full description

TechPulse helps tech enthusiasts follow trusted industry insights with a customizable, algorithm-free feed. Welcome to the new CNET app. TechPulse gathers world-class journalism from the internet’s most respected technology and lifestyle publishers. Instead of managing multiple sources or fighting unpredictable feeds, you can customize your daily dashboard to display exactly what matters to you. Stay informed with unbiased video, analysis, news and reviews curated by human experts. Main features: • Filter the publication sources you want to appear in your unified feed for easy navigation. • Make tech buying easy with lab-tested reviews from CNET and PCMag experts. • Get the latest breaking tech news from reporters who share objective takes on what you need to know. • Stay ahead of internet innovations with trending digital culture and entertainment news from Mashable. • Streamline your daily routine and unlock practical hacks and science-based productivity tips from Lifehacker. • Track disruptive professional tech breakthroughs and emerging industry trends from ZDNET. • Get the most from your tech and gadgets with CNET’s product updates and troubleshooting guides. TechPulse is built for readers who value journalistic integrity and direct sources over cluttered news streams. Backed by decades of independent editorial experience from trusted industry names, TechPulse is built for readers who value journalistic integrity and direct sources over cluttered news streams. Your feed remains transparent, accurate and free of bias. Download TechPulse today to control your technology news and explore what matters to you. Our Privacy Policy: https://www.ziffdavis.com/ztg-privacy-policy Our Terms of Use: https://www.ziffdavis.com/terms-of-use

Screenshots

TidBITS News2 screens
TechPulse by CNET Group4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: TidBITS News at 64% against TechPulse by CNET Group's 17%. TidBITS News also leads on ads (none vs shown) and monetization model (free vs ad-supported). TechPulse by CNET Group's advantage is rating (4.3 vs 3.8) and ratings volume (3.4K vs 6). On price 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

TechPulse by CNET Group holds the better App Store score, 4.3 against 3.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: TechPulse by CNET Group has 3.4K ratings behind it against 6, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 64% of TidBITS News's written reviews are positive against 17% of TechPulse by CNET Group's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

TidBITS News ships an update every 4 months, TechPulse by CNET Group monthly. The most recent releases landed on October 14, 2026 and October 20, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard9 real differences · 2 level
TidBITS News versus TechPulse by CNET Group: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterTidBITS NewsTechPulse by CNET Group
PriceFreeFree
Rating3.8 (6 ratings)4.3 (3.4K ratings) — better
Positive reviews64.3% of reviews — better17.0% of reviews
Number of ratings63.4K — better
Update frequencyEvery 4 monthsMonthly — better
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFree — betterAd-supported
Best chart rank—#92 — better
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple TV — better
Requires iOS26.015.1 — better
Further details — not scored
Size2 MB53 MB
Age rating4+17+
DeveloperMatt NeuburgCNET Media, Inc.

Customer experience

TidBITS News

All ratings6 ratings
Positive66.7%
Neutral0.0%
Negative33.3%
Written reviews42 reviews
Positive64.3%
Neutral2.4%
Negative33.3%

TechPulse by CNET Group

All ratings3,443 ratings
Positive83.0%
Neutral3.7%
Negative13.2%
Written reviews182 reviews
Positive17.0%
Neutral13.2%
Negative69.8%

Bugs and requests

TidBITS News

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

TechPulse by CNET Group

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • Crashes and freezes frequently
  • Notifications don't lead to the correct article
  • Videos fail to load consistently
  • Login issues and account syncing problems

Requested features

4 requests
  • Ability to filter content by category
  • Improved search functionality
  • Better organization and navigation
  • Syncing of bookmarked articles across devices

In-app purchases

None

TidBITS News

No in-app purchases

None

TechPulse by CNET Group

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is TidBITS News free?
TidBITS News is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is TechPulse by CNET Group free?
TechPulse by CNET Group is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, TidBITS News or TechPulse by CNET Group?
TechPulse by CNET Group is rated higher. TidBITS News averages 3.8 out of 5 from 6 ratings, while TechPulse by CNET Group averages 4.3 from 3.4K ratings.
Do TidBITS News or TechPulse by CNET Group have ads?
TechPulse by CNET Group shows ads; TidBITS News does not.
Which is updated more often, TidBITS News or TechPulse by CNET Group?
TidBITS News ships an update every 4 months, and TechPulse by CNET Group monthly. Most recently, TidBITS News was updated on October 14, 2026 and TechPulse by CNET Group on October 20, 2026.

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