# Phys.org vs DISCOVER Magazine

The clearest difference is rating: Phys.org at 2.8 against DISCOVER Magazine's 1.5. Phys.org also leads on update cadence (every 5 weeks vs every 4 months). DISCOVER Magazine's advantage is review sentiment (42% vs 18%). On price, ratings volume, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Phys.org sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $0.99 per month and DISCOVER Magazine sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $2.49 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Phys.org holds the better App Store score, 2.8 against 1.5. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 70 and 47 respectively. Written reviews complicate that: 18% of Phys.org's written reviews are positive against 42% of DISCOVER Magazine's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Phys.org ships an update every 5 weeks, DISCOVER Magazine every 4 months. The most recent releases landed on September 25, 2026 and September 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Phys.org | DISCOVER Magazine |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[2.8 (70 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/physorg/id356443503/reviews)** | [1.5 (47 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/discover-magazine/id538436293/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **70** | 47 |
| Positive reviews | 18.5% of reviews | **42.3% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 5 weeks** | Every 4 months |
| Monetization | Freemium | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 7 MB | 66 MB |
| Requires iOS | 13.0 | **12.2** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 17+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Omicron Tech Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/356443506) | [Discover Magazine Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1879854604) |

## 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


### DISCOVER Magazine

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/discover-magazine/id538436293)

Explore captivating advancements in science, medicine, technology, and the world. This app offers stunning photography and easy-to-understand articles on complex topics, connecting you with leading scientific ideas and minds.

**Highlights:** Captivating science developments, Spectacular photography, Understandable stories on complex subjects, Latest news in health and medicine, Cutting-edge technology insights, Award-winning editorial content

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

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| DISCOVER Magazine | $2.49 | per month |
| DISCOVER Magazine | $19.99 | per year |
| September 2012 | $5.99 | one-time |
| October 2012 | $5.99 | one-time |
| November 2012 | $5.99 | one-time |
| December 2012 | $5.99 | one-time |
| January 2013 | $5.99 | one-time |
| March 2013 | $5.99 | one-time |
| May 2013 | $5.99 | one-time |
| January 2014 | $5.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 📚 High-quality, informative science content
- 👍 Magazine layout replicates print edition well
- 📖 Accessible science writing for general audiences
- 💰 Affordable subscription pricing
- 🎨 Beautiful photography and visual design

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent app crashes and freezes
- 🔐 Subscription access issues and authentication failures
- 📵 Poor text scaling and readability on iPad
- 🔄 App loses reading position between sessions
- ⚠️ Requires internet connection to read offline content

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes immediately upon opening
- Restore purchases function freezes or fails
- Login fails with valid Apple ID credentials
- Text size changes revert to default
- Page scrolling causes jumping and flickering

**Requested features**

- Bookmark or page position memory feature
- Improved text scaling without layout jumping
- Better archive organization with clear date labels
- Dashboard menu for managing downloaded issues
- Offline reading capability


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Phys.org free?

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

### Is DISCOVER Magazine free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Phys.org or DISCOVER Magazine?

Phys.org is rated higher. Phys.org averages 2.8 out of 5 from 70 ratings, while DISCOVER Magazine averages 1.5 from 47 ratings.

### Do Phys.org or DISCOVER Magazine have ads?

Neither Phys.org nor DISCOVER Magazine shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Phys.org or DISCOVER Magazine?

Phys.org ships an update every 5 weeks, and DISCOVER Magazine every 4 months. Most recently, Phys.org was updated on September 25, 2026 and DISCOVER Magazine 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.*