Comparison

POLITICO vs Breakdown

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

Head to head
About

POLITICO

Get real-time political news and analysis delivered directly to your phone. This app offers a streamlined way to access breaking news and in-depth stories from a leading political news source.

Highlights
  • Up-to-the-minute insight
  • Political news analysis
  • Breaking news alerts
  • Sleek and navigable design
  • Dynamic stories
Features
Currently charting
Read full description

Stay ahead of the political news driving your day, with POLITICO's redesigned app. We curate the essential politics and policy news breaking in and between the centers of power, and help you understand what it means for you. What's inside: - Driving the Day: curated coverage of what’s shaping politics within and across the world’s power centers - For You: a feed built around what's actually driving your day - Newsletters: all POLITICO newsletters, native to the app - Podcasts: every POLITICO show - People: every lawmaker, staffer and regulator, one search away

About

Breakdown

Engage with your elected officials by tracking their votes and legislation. Cast your own votes on bills and see how your stance aligns with your representatives' records. Stay informed on key issues with real-time updates and detailed profiles.

Highlights
  • Vote on real bills with AI summaries
  • See your agreement score with representatives
  • Track legislation by issue
  • Explore representative profiles and voting records
  • Receive real-time vote notifications
Features
Read full description

Breakdown: Your Voice in Congress Breakdown closes the feedback loop between you and your representatives in Congress. See what they're voting on, vote yourself, and find out where you actually stand with the people representing you — all in one place. As a 501(c)(3) that doesn't accept donations from any political party, Breakdown delivers raw congressional data with no spin, no bias, and no agenda. Key Features Vote on Real Bills: Read AI-generated summaries of actual legislation and cast your own vote — yes or no — so your position is on the record. See your Agreement Score: Find out what percentage you actually agree with your senators and representative, based on real votes — not party labels or media narratives. Track Legislation by Issue: Follow categories like Healthcare, Defense, Climate, Civil Rights, and more. Your feed updates automatically as new bills hit the floor. Explore Representative Profiles: Dig into your reps' voting records, sponsored bills, committee assignments, and career timelines. Real-Time Updates: Get notified as votes happen in the House and Senate so you never miss what matters to you. Breakdown was built to make Congress legible to the people it's supposed to serve. No ads, no paywalls, no political funding — just the information you need to hold your representatives accountable.

Screenshots

POLITICO4 screens
Breakdown4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Breakdown at 100% against POLITICO's 29%. Breakdown also leads on rating (4.9 vs 4.7) and update cadence (every 8 days vs monthly). POLITICO's advantage is ratings volume (49K vs 52) and chart position (#31 vs unranked). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model 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. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Breakdown holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: POLITICO has 49K ratings behind it against 52, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 29% of POLITICO's written reviews are positive against 100% of Breakdown's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

POLITICO ships an update monthly, Breakdown every 8 days. The most recent releases landed on October 30, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 5 level
POLITICO versus Breakdown: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterPOLITICOBreakdown
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.7 (49K ratings)4.9 (52 ratings) — better
Positive reviews29.3% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings49K — better52
Update frequencyMonthlyEvery 8 days — better
AdsYesYes
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationAd-supportedAd-supported
Best chart rank#31 — better—
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS16.4 — better18.2
Further details — not scored
Size88 MB11 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperPOLITICO, LLCBreakdown Incorporated

Customer experience

POLITICO

All ratings49,018 ratings
Positive92.9%
Neutral2.9%
Negative4.3%
Written reviews242 reviews
Positive29.3%
Neutral9.1%
Negative61.6%

Breakdown

All ratings44 ratings
Positive97.7%
Neutral0.0%
Negative2.3%
Written reviews14 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Bugs and requests

POLITICO

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • App freezes and crashes
  • Inability to refresh content
  • Notifications not working properly
  • Compatibility issues with newer devices

Requested features

4 requests
  • Ability to adjust font size
  • Offline reading mode
  • Improved article organization and search
  • More balanced political coverage

Breakdown

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

None

POLITICO

No in-app purchases

None

Breakdown

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is POLITICO free?
POLITICO is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Breakdown free?
Breakdown is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, POLITICO or Breakdown?
Breakdown is rated higher. POLITICO averages 4.7 out of 5 from 49K ratings, while Breakdown averages 4.9 from 52 ratings.
Do POLITICO or Breakdown have ads?
Both POLITICO and Breakdown show ads.
Which is updated more often, POLITICO or Breakdown?
POLITICO ships an update monthly, and Breakdown every 8 days. Most recently, POLITICO was updated on October 30, 2026 and Breakdown on October 24, 2026.

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