# Slate.com vs The Bulwark

The clearest difference is review sentiment: The Bulwark at 92% against Slate.com's 33%. The Bulwark also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 4) and ads (none vs shown). Slate.com's advantage is device support (4 vs 2) and ratings volume (9.1K vs 2.7K). On price, update cadence, monetization model and chart position there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Slate.com sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month. The Bulwark asks for nothing beyond the download.

The Bulwark holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.5. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 9.1K and 2.7K respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 33% of Slate.com's written reviews are positive against 92% of The Bulwark's.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 5 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 16, 2026 and October 15, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Slate.com | The Bulwark |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.5 (9.1K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/slatecom/id357555242/reviews) | **[4.9 (2.7K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-bulwark/id6757498738/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **9.1K** | 2.7K |
| Positive reviews | 33.2% of reviews | **92.2% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 5 weeks | Every 5 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Freemium |
| Best chart rank | #84 | **#54** |
| Size | 60 MB | 27 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.1** | 17.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple TV** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [The Slate Group, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/796274625) | [Center Enterprises, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1867294300) |

## What reviewers say

### Slate.com

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/slatecom/id357555242)

**Currently charting:** #84 Top Grossing · Magazines & Newspapers, #117 Top Grossing · News (US App Store)

Access award-winning daily online magazine content, including in-depth analysis, commentary, and podcasts. Enjoy curated stories, reviews, and advice with options for ad-free reading and exclusive content through a membership.

**Highlights:** Editorially curated stories, Political and legal commentary, Movie and television reviews, Award-winning podcasts, Push notifications, Light/Dark mode reading, Slate Plus membership

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

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Slate Plus | $9.99 | per month |
| Slate Plus | $68.99 | per year |
| Slate Plus | $119.00 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Clean layout, easy to navigate
- 🚀 Great news source
- 🚀 Excellent journalism
- 👍 Informative, insightful content

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Crashes constantly
- 🐛 Buggy, glitchy performance
- 🐛 Unreliable login and sign-in
- 🐛 Slow loading times
- 🐛 Incompatible with newer iOS versions

**Reported bugs**

- Articles not loading properly
- Blank screens and white screens
- Inability to access Slate Plus content
- Podcasts cutting out or not playing correctly

**Requested features**

- Add search functionality
- Improve podcast playback controls
- Implement landscape mode for iPad
- Better identify Slate Plus content


### The Bulwark

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-bulwark/id6757498738)

**Currently charting:** #54 Top Free · Magazines & Newspapers, #99 Top Free · News (US App Store)

Access exclusive news, analysis, and commentary from pro-democracy experts in an ad-free environment. Enjoy features like read-to-me, saved articles, personalized feeds, and audio versions of shows. Engage with a community dedicated to liberal democracy.

**Highlights:** Ad-free reading experience, Listen to articles on the go, Save articles and shows, Personalized 'For You' feed, Audio-only show versions, Adjustable text size and dark mode

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Slate.com free?

Slate.com is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is The Bulwark free?

The Bulwark is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Slate.com or The Bulwark?

The Bulwark is rated higher. Slate.com averages 4.5 out of 5 from 9.1K ratings, while The Bulwark averages 4.9 from 2.7K ratings.

### Do Slate.com or The Bulwark have ads?

Slate.com shows ads; The Bulwark does not.

### Which is updated more often, Slate.com or The Bulwark?

Slate.com ships an update every 5 weeks, and The Bulwark every 5 weeks. Most recently, Slate.com was updated on October 16, 2026 and The Bulwark on October 15, 2026.

### Which is more popular, Slate.com or The Bulwark?

Slate.com currently peaks at #84 in the App Store charts, and The Bulwark at #54. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*