# Phys.org vs 9to5Mac

The clearest difference is rating: 9to5Mac at 4.7 against Phys.org's 2.8. 9to5Mac also leads on ratings volume (4.8K vs 70) and review sentiment (41% vs 18%). Phys.org's advantage is update cadence (every 5 weeks vs every 3 months) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 17.6). On price, ads, 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 9to5Mac sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $1.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

9to5Mac holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 2.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: 9to5Mac has 4.8K 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 41% of 9to5Mac's.

Phys.org ships an update every 5 weeks, 9to5Mac every 3 months. Both last shipped on September 25, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Phys.org | 9to5Mac |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [2.8 (70 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/physorg/id356443503/reviews) | **[4.7 (4.8K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/9to5mac-breaking-tech-news/id955138289/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 70 | **4.8K** |
| Positive reviews | 18.5% of reviews | **40.9% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 5 weeks** | Every 3 months |
| Monetization | Freemium | Freemium |
| Size | 7 MB | 34 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 17.6 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 17+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Omicron Tech Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/356443506) | [Seth Weintraub](https://appshunter.io/developer/955138288) |

## 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


### 9to5Mac

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/9to5mac-breaking-tech-news/id955138289)

Stay informed with the latest news for Apple devices and other tech. Enjoy an ad-free reading experience with a clean layout and push notifications for breaking stories. An optional premium subscription offers enhanced features.

**Highlights:** Latest Apple news, Ad-free reading, Push notifications, Dark Theme, Optimized layout, Access to network sites

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Premium Subscription | $1.99 | per month |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Informative content
- 📱 Great app for Apple news
- 🌓 Useful dark mode
- 👍 Modern design

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔒 Paywall restricts access
- 🐛 Crashes and bugs
- ⏱️ Slow content loading
- 💸 Expensive subscription
- 🔍 Lack of search functionality

**Reported bugs**

- Subscription issues
- Inconsistent dark mode support
- Unreliable push notifications
- Crashes when opening articles
- Broken Disqus login functionality

**Requested features**

- Dark mode icon support
- Improved notifications
- In-app commenting
- Yearly subscription option
- Faster content updates


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Phys.org free?

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

### Is 9to5Mac free?

9to5Mac is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Phys.org or 9to5Mac?

9to5Mac is rated higher. Phys.org averages 2.8 out of 5 from 70 ratings, while 9to5Mac averages 4.7 from 4.8K ratings.

### Do Phys.org or 9to5Mac have ads?

Neither Phys.org nor 9to5Mac shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Phys.org or 9to5Mac?

Phys.org ships an update every 5 weeks, and 9to5Mac every 3 months. Most recently, Phys.org was updated on September 25, 2026 and 9to5Mac on September 25, 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.*