Comparison

Phys.org vs BehindTheBallot

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

Head to head
About

Phys.org

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
Read full description

Daily spotlight science and technology news stories from Phys.org. This includes stories in the fields of physics, nanotechnology, electronics, space and earth sciences, biology, chemistry, computer sciences, engineering, mathematics, etc. Readers may bookmark and share favorite stories from the app. The Phys.org app is ads-free. Free app content is limited to selected spotlight stories. Access to Phys.org's full content is available with the monthly subscription plan for just $0.99. Your first subscription week is free. Monthly subscription options: - Unlimited digital access on any device for $0.99 per month. You will be charged in your local currency at the prevailing exchange rate as defined by App Store. - The app offers 7 days trial. At the end of the free trial period, the full price of the subscription will be charged thereafter. Cancellations must occur 24 hours before the end of the subscription period to avoid being charged. - Payment will be charged to iTunes Account at confirmation of purchase. - Subscription automatically renews unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24-hours before the end of the current period. - Account will be charged for renewal within 24-hours prior to the end of the current period, and identify the cost of the renewal. - Subscriptions may be managed by the user and auto-renewal may be turned off by going to the user's Account Settings after purchase. - No cancellation of the current subscription is allowed during active subscription period. Privacy policy can be found at http://sciencex.com/help/privacy/ Terms of use: https://sciencex.com/help/terms/ Feedback and comments: https://sciencex.com/help/feedback/

About

BehindTheBallot

Features
Read full description

Get ready for California's November 2026 general election with everything you need to vote with confidence, all in one place. CA Ballot Guide 2026 gives you a personalized, nonpartisan look at what's actually on your ballot — statewide races including Governor and other constitutional offices, your local and legislative contests, and every ballot proposition explained in plain language, with arguments for and against. What you'll find: Your complete sample ballot based on your address, candidate profiles and statements, proposition summaries with fiscal impact and pro/con arguments, key dates including registration and vote-by-mail deadlines, your polling place or drop box locations, and the ability to save your choices and bring them with you to vote. Whether you vote by mail, drop off early, or head to the polls on Election Day, CA Ballot Guide 2026 helps you walk in prepared and vote for what matters to you. Nonpartisan. Fact-checked. Built for California voters.

Screenshots

Phys.org4 screens
BehindTheBallot4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: BehindTheBallot at none against Phys.org's 1. Phys.org's advantage is iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.1). On price, ads and device support 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. Phys.org sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $0.99 per month. BehindTheBallot asks for nothing beyond the download.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
Phys.org versus BehindTheBallot: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterPhys.orgBehindTheBallot
PriceFreeFree
Rating2.8 (71 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews18.5% of reviews—
Number of ratings71 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 5 weeks—
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFreemium—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS13.0 — better15.1
Further details — not scored
Size7 MB189 MB
Age rating17+4+
DeveloperOmicron Tech LtdDEEPAK RAJAN

Bugs and requests

Phys.org

Reported bugs

14 issues
  • App crashes when trying to view saved articles
  • App crashes on startup
  • App crashes after iOS updates
  • Login issues
  • Subscription not working
Show 9 more
  • Blank screen for content
  • Flickering articles
  • SSL errors
  • Favorites bug (crashes when accessing)
  • Tech feed not working
  • Dark blue hyperlinks unreadable in dark mode
  • Side swipe gesture reloads article
  • Orientation change reloads article and loses scroll position
  • No data connection error

Requested features

10 requests
  • Add search functionality
  • Sync ScienceX account for saved articles
  • Improve dark mode readability
  • Add Stage Manager support for iPadOS
  • Add Apple Watch compatibility
Show 5 more
  • Consolidate updates into an 'All' tab
  • Allow offline reading of more than a few articles
  • Add audio narration or video summaries
  • Allow toggling light/dark mode independently of OS
  • Filter articles by specific science subjects

BehindTheBallot

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

1 purchases

Phys.org

Subscriptions1
  • All access$0.991 Month
None

BehindTheBallot

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Phys.org free?
Phys.org is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is BehindTheBallot free?
BehindTheBallot is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Phys.org or BehindTheBallot have ads?
Neither Phys.org nor BehindTheBallot shows ads.

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