# Phys.org vs Science Now

The clearest difference is rating: Science Now at 4.6 against Phys.org's 2.8. Science Now also leads on review sentiment (43% vs 18%). Phys.org's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (every 5 weeks vs every 3 months). On price, ratings volume, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Phys.org sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $0.99 per month and Science Now sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Science Now holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 2.8. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 70 and 140 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 18% of Phys.org's written reviews are positive against 43% of Science Now's.

Phys.org ships an update every 5 weeks, Science Now every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on September 25, 2026 and September 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Phys.org | Science Now |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [2.8 (70 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/physorg/id356443503/reviews) | **[4.6 (140 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/science-now/id428269406/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 70 | **140** |
| Positive reviews | 18.5% of reviews | **42.9% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 5 weeks** | Every 3 months |
| Monetization | Freemium | Freemium |
| Size | 7 MB | 69 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 17+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Omicron Tech Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/356443506) | [Kelly Technology Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/393931941) |

## What reviewers say

### Phys.org

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/physorg/id356443503)

Stay updated with daily science and technology news across various fields like physics, space, biology, and engineering. Bookmark and share articles easily. Access a selection of spotlight stories for free, with an option to subscribe for unlimited content.

**Highlights:** Daily science and technology news, Covers physics, space, biology, engineering, and more, Bookmark favorite stories, Share articles, Ads-free experience, Free spotlight stories

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| All access | $0.99 | per month |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Great content source
- 👍 Informative articles
- 👍 Smooth experience (sometimes)
- 👍 No ads (in some contexts)
- 👍 Well-formatted content

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes when accessing saved articles
- 🐛 App crashes on startup
- 🐛 Unreadable text/links in dark mode
- 🐛 Flickering articles
- 🐛 Login issues

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes when trying to view saved articles
- App crashes on startup
- App crashes after iOS updates
- Login issues
- Subscription not working

**Requested features**

- Add search functionality
- Sync ScienceX account for saved articles
- Improve dark mode readability
- Add Stage Manager support for iPadOS
- Add Apple Watch compatibility


### Science Now

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/science-now/id428269406)

Stay updated with the latest scientific research and discoveries delivered directly to your mobile device. Explore space exploration, technological breakthroughs, and environmental data from leading organizations.

**Highlights:** Latest scientific research and discoveries, Space exploration and innovation news, Technological breakthroughs, Radiation readings and space weather, Data and imagery from NASA, NIST, NOAA

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Premium Upgrade | $0.99 | per month |
| Space Weather | $4.99 | one-time |
| Remove Ads | $6.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Phys.org free?

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

### Is Science Now free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Phys.org or Science Now?

Science Now is rated higher. Phys.org averages 2.8 out of 5 from 70 ratings, while Science Now averages 4.6 from 140 ratings.

### Do Phys.org or Science Now have ads?

Science Now shows ads; Phys.org does not.

### Which is updated more often, Phys.org or Science Now?

Phys.org ships an update every 5 weeks, and Science Now every 3 months. Most recently, Phys.org was updated on September 25, 2026 and Science Now on September 24, 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.*