# Phys.org vs Scientific American

The clearest difference is rating: Scientific American at 4.8 against Phys.org's 2.8. Scientific American also leads on review sentiment (49% vs 18%) and ratings volume (10K vs 70). Phys.org's advantage is monetization model (freemium vs subscription) and update cadence (every 5 weeks vs every 5 months). On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Phys.org sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $0.99 per month and Scientific American sells 20 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Scientific American holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 2.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Scientific American has 10K ratings behind it against 70, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 18% of Phys.org's written reviews are positive against 49% of Scientific American's.

Phys.org ships an update every 5 weeks, Scientific American every 5 months. The most recent releases landed on September 25, 2026 and September 26, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Phys.org | Scientific American |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [2.8 (70 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/physorg/id356443503/reviews) | **[4.8 (10K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/scientific-american/id514734550/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 70 | **10K** |
| Positive reviews | 18.5% of reviews | **48.5% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 5 weeks** | Every 5 months |
| Monetization | **Freemium** | Subscription |
| Best chart rank | — | **#99** |
| Size | 7 MB | 19 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) | [Springer Nature America, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/349659425) |

## 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


### Scientific American

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/scientific-american/id514734550)

**Currently charting:** #99 Top Free · Magazines & Newspapers, #192 Top Grossing · Magazines & Newspapers (US App Store)

Access expert insights on groundbreaking science and technology advances. Stay informed with news, commentary, and in-depth features from leading scientists. Explore the modern world through a trusted lens.

**Highlights:** Expert science and technology insights, News and commentary on current events, In-depth features by Nobel laureates, Coverage of important scientific advances, Essential guide to the modern world

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (20)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 1 Month Subscription | $5.99 | per month |
| Scientific American - 1 year Subscription | $34.99 | per year |
| 1 Year Subscription | $49.99 | per year |
| Scientific American October 2012 issue | $5.99 | one-time |
| Scientific American February 2013 issue | $5.99 | one-time |
| Scientific American August 2013 issue | $5.99 | one-time |
| Scientific American September 2013 issue | $5.99 | one-time |
| Scientific American January 2014 issue | $5.99 | one-time |
| Scientific American issue for November 2014 | $5.99 | one-time |
| Scientific American issue for September 2015 | $5.99 | one-time |
| SciAm Oct 2023 | $9.99 | one-time |
| SciAm March 2023 | $9.99 | one-time |
| SciAm May 2023 | $9.99 | one-time |
| SciAm January 2023 | $9.99 | one-time |
| SciAm April 2023 | $9.99 | one-time |
| SciAm Jul/Aug 2023 | $9.99 | one-time |
| SciAm June 2023 | $9.99 | one-time |
| SciAm Sept 2023 | $9.99 | one-time |
| SciAm Nov 2023 | $9.99 | one-time |
| SciAm Dec 2023 | $9.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Great reading experience
- 👍 Intuitive navigation
- 🚀 Fast and responsive
- 👍 Broad range of topics
- 👍 Reliable content

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Subscription issues and login problems
- 🐛 Inconsistent performance and crashes
- 🐛 Buggy downloads and lost content
- 🐛 Lack of offline reading options
- 🐛 Outdated and poor app design

**Reported bugs**

- Frequent login issues and lost subscriptions
- Unreliable downloads and disappearing content
- Crashes and performance problems, especially on newer iOS
- Outdated app design and lack of modern features

**Requested features**

- Dark mode option
- Improved bookmarking and article saving
- Better search and organization tools
- Ability to adjust font size and display settings
- Seamless sync across devices


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Phys.org free?

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

### Is Scientific American free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Phys.org or Scientific American?

Scientific American is rated higher. Phys.org averages 2.8 out of 5 from 70 ratings, while Scientific American averages 4.8 from 10K ratings.

### Do Phys.org or Scientific American have ads?

Neither Phys.org nor Scientific American shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Phys.org or Scientific American?

Phys.org ships an update every 5 weeks, and Scientific American every 5 months. Most recently, Phys.org was updated on September 25, 2026 and Scientific American on September 26, 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.*