Washington Post vs Substack
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Washington Post
Access award-winning global reporting and expert coverage from journalists. Stay informed with a 24/7 news feed, curated recommendations, and multimedia content. Enjoy a limited number of free stories or opt for unlimited digital access.
- 24/7 news feed
- Morning briefing (The 7)
- Customizable alerts
- Podcasts and audio articles
- Curated recommendations (My Post)
- Multimedia content (graphics, video, AR)
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Get award-winning global reporting from The Washington Post. The app is free to download and keeps you informed with expert coverage from Post journalists. PRODUCT FEATURES • Stay informed with the 24/7 feed of today’s news. • Wake up with The 7, a better morning briefing on the day’s most important and interesting stories. • Customize your alerts to be the first to know when news is breaking. • Catch up with today’s stories by listening to original podcasts and audio articles. • Discover something new in My Post, a curated feed with recommendations just for you. • Dive deeper into Post journalism with innovative graphics, video, and augmented reality exclusives. SUBSCRIPTION DETAILS • Options: Download the free app and subscribe to get unlimited access. • Extras: Your subscription to The Washington Post lets you access The Post from all your devices, on the web and in the app. Premium subscribers also enjoy three extra accounts to share. • Payment: Payment will be charged to your iTunes account with the confirmation of your purchase. • Auto-renewal: Your subscription will auto-renew unless you cancel 24 hours before the end of the current subscription period. The auto-renewal can be turned off at any time in the Account Settings section of the App Store. Please note, you will be unable to cancel your current subscription during an active subscription period. • Free trial: Any unused portion of a free trial period, if offered, will be forfeited when the user purchases a subscription to that publication, where applicable. • Privacy policy: https://www.washingtonpost.com/privacy-policy/2011/11/18/gIQASIiaiN_story.html • App Privacy information displayed below applies to users on iOS 14.5 or higher • Terms of service: https://www.washingtonpost.com/terms-of-service/2011/11/18/gIQAldiYiN_story.html • CA notice of collection: https://www.washingtonpost.com/privacy-policy/2011/11/18/gIQASIiaiN_story.html#CALIFORNIA • Do not sell my info (CA residents): https://www.washingtonpost.com/my-post/privacy-settings/
Substack
Discover creators, ideas, and communities through videos, writing, and podcasts. Subscribe for free or upgrade to access exclusive content and connect directly with creators. Enjoy ad-free media and participate in live events.
- Subscribe to creators
- Ad-free video and podcasts
- Live streams and group chats
- Explore independent ideas
- Read aloud articles
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Substack is a new media app that connects you with the creators, ideas, and communities you care about most. - Support the creators you love: Subscribe for free or upgrade to view original work and connect directly with your favorite writers, artists, and podcasters. - Enjoy ad-free videos and podcasts: Access short-form clips, video episodes, and read-aloud articles without interruptions. - Connect in real time: Join livestreams and live group chats, where top creators bring their biggest supporters into their world. - Explore independent ideas: Discover bold opinions and engaging views across food, sports, politics, fashion, comedy, finance, and more. How it works: 1. Download the Substack app. 2. Claim your handle. 3. Explore the feed to enjoy notes, videos, and clips from creators. 4. Subscribe to your favorites for free, tune into their livestreams and join private group chats.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is ads: Substack at none against Washington Post's shown. Substack also leads on review sentiment (72% vs 48%) and rating (4.9 vs 4.7). On price, ratings volume, update cadence 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. Washington Post sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $7.99 per month and Substack sells 18 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
Substack holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.7. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 639K and 550K respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 48% of Washington Post's written reviews are positive against 72% of Substack's.
Washington Post ships an update every 9 days, Substack weekly. Both last shipped on October 14, 2026.
| Parameter | Washington Post | Substack |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.7 (639K ratings) | 4.9 (550K ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 47.9% of reviews | 72.3% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 639K — better | 550K |
| Update frequency | Every 9 days | Weekly — better |
| Ads | Yes | No — better |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | #3 — better | #4 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Apple TV | iPhone, iPad, Apple TV |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | 17.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 125 MB | 229 MB |
| Age rating | 12+ | 17+ |
| Developer | The Washington Post | Substack, Inc. |
Customer experience
Washington Post
Substack
User reviews
Washington Post
From 639K App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 🗞️ High-quality journalism
- 🌍 Comprehensive global coverage
- 🔍 Excellent investigative reporting
- 🤝 Balanced and objective reporting
- 🇺🇸 Insightful coverage of U.S. politics
Room to improve
- 🔍 Biased or slanted reporting
- 💰 Expensive subscription
- 🔍 Lack of diverse political perspectives
- 🤖 Poor performance of text-to-speech feature
- 🔍 Excessive focus on U.S. politics
Substack
From 550K App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 🚀 Stable and functional app
- 🚀 Intuitive and easy to use
- 👍 Variety of great content
- 👍 Supports independent writers
- 👍 Refreshing alternative to mainstream media
Room to improve
- 🐛 Buggy and glitchy
- 🐛 Difficult to manage subscriptions
- 🐛 Inconsistent user experience between app and website
- 🔒 Privacy concerns with data collection
- 💤 Slow performance and loading times
Bugs and requests
Washington Post
Reported bugs
4 issues- Frequent app crashes
- Issues with login and account management
- Inconsistent article formatting
- Unreliable push notifications
Requested features
5 requests- Improved search functionality
- Ability to customize news feed
- Integration of user comments within the app
- Offline reading mode
- Enhanced accessibility features
Substack
Reported bugs
4 issues- Login issues and inability to sign in
- Inconsistent behavior when archiving/deleting posts
- Playback issues with audio content
- Incompatibility with older devices or operating systems
Requested features
5 requests- Add search functionality within app
- Improve notification management
- Allow customization of font size and style
- Implement ability to mark articles as read/unread
- Add option to collapse/expand comment threads
In-app purchases
Washington Post
- Core1 Month trial$7.991 Month
- Core1 Month trial3 variants$13.991 Month
- Premium1 Month trial3 variants$18.991 Month
Show 2 moreShow fewer
- Core1 Year trial3 variants$139.991 Year
- Premium1 Year trial$189.991 Year
- One-Day Pass$3.99
Substack
- Hung Up (Monthly)$4.991 Month
- The Dworkin Report (Monthly)$4.991 Month
- Popular Information (Monthly)$5.991 Month
Show 15 moreShow fewer
- Monthly$5.991 Month
- Isolation Journals (Monthly)$5.991 Month
- Ettingermentum (monthly)$5.991 Month
- What To Cook (Monthly)$5.991 Month
- The Present Age (Monthly)$6.991 Month
- The Message Box (Monthly)$7.991 Month
- House Inhabit (Monthly)$8.991 Month
- Noahpinion (Monthly)$9.991 Month
- Slow Boring (Monthly)$9.991 Month
- Razib Khan (Monthly)$10.991 Month
- House of Strauss (Monthly)$11.991 Month
- The Dworkin Report (Annual)$49.991 Year
- Annual$59.991 Year
- Isolation Journals (Annual)$59.991 Year
- Slow Boring (Annual)$99.991 Year
Questions
Is Washington Post free?
Is Substack free?
Which has better reviews, Washington Post or Substack?
Do Washington Post or Substack have ads?
Which is updated more often, Washington Post or Substack?
Which is more popular, Washington Post or Substack?
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