Popular Science vs Science Now
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Popular Science
Explore the latest innovations in technology, science, and future trends. This app delivers news and in-depth articles on gadgets, robotics, healthcare, and energy, making complex topics accessible for curious minds.
- Latest gadget and software news
- Robotics and defense insights
- Healthcare and energy breakthroughs
- Future innovations and trends
- Understanding big issues
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Popular Science is the magazine for anyone curious about what’s new and next. With a readership of over 6.4 million, Popular Science is a must-have for technology fans, early adopters, and thought leaders. Popular Science puts the latest news in gadgets, software, and robotics in the palm of your hand! Our articles help anyone understand the ideas and people driving the big issues of the day – whether healthcare, energy, robotics, or defense. News and features also provide perspective on the latest breakthroughs in science and technology. Popular Science represents the best hopes for our planet, our lives, our children, and our future. And we reveal those hopes by featuring the innovations today that are laying the groundwork for a better tomorrow. This is a magazine for readers that want the future now. Social Media loves Popular Science: - 3.5 Million Facebook Fans - 1,250,00 Twitter Followers ==== For more information, read our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use: Privacy Policy: https://www.ziffdavis.com/privacy Terms and Conditions: https://www.ziffdavis.com/legal
Science Now
Stay updated with the latest scientific research and discoveries delivered directly to your mobile device. Explore space exploration, technological breakthroughs, and environmental data from leading organizations.
- Latest scientific research and discoveries
- Space exploration and innovation news
- Technological breakthroughs
- Radiation readings and space weather
- Data and imagery from NASA, NIST, NOAA
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Science Now directs the latest scientific research and discoveries to your mobile device, including information on space exploration, discovery, technology, and innovation from NASA, technical and scientific breakthroughs from NIST, the latest radiation readings from worldwide monitors and space weather from NOAA. All data and imagery is courtesy of NASA, NIST, NOAA, and SafeCast. The Premium Upgrade subscription price of 0.99 USD (in your local currency) will be charged to your iTunes account at confirmation of purchase and, for each renewal, within 24 hours prior to the end of the current month. You can cancel the subscription at any time through your iTunes account settings, but you must do so at least 24 hours before the end of the current month to avoid being charged, and ads will show again at the start of the subsequent month. Terms of use: https://www.kellytechnology.com/privacy/tac.html Privacy policy: https://www.kellytechnology.com/privacy/privacy_policy.html
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is ads: Popular Science at none against Science Now's shown. Popular Science also leads on review sentiment (51% vs 43%) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.0). Science Now's advantage is rating (4.6 vs 4.3). On price, ratings volume, update cadence and in-app purchases 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
Both are free to download. Popular Science sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month and Science Now sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
Science Now holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 4.3. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 135 and 140 respectively. Written reviews complicate that: 51% of Popular Science's written reviews are positive against 43% of Science Now's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.
Popular Science ships an update every 2 months, Science Now every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 23, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Popular Science | Science Now |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.3 (135 ratings) | 4.6 (140 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 50.9% of reviews — better | 42.9% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 135 | 140 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months — better | Every 3 months |
| Ads | No — better | Yes |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Freemium |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 13.0 — better | 15.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 91 MB | 69 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | Ziff Davis | Kelly Technology Inc. |
Customer experience
Popular Science
Science Now
Bugs and requests
Popular Science
Reported bugs
4 issues- App crashes frequently
- Unable to access purchased issues
- Download progress resets unexpectedly
- Compatibility issues with newer iOS versions
Requested features
4 requests- Ability to download issues in the background
- Option to adjust text size and layout
- Improved table of contents and navigation
- Better integration with existing subscriptions
Science Now
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
Popular Science
- 1 Month Subscription$1.991 Month
- 1 Year Subscription$11.991 Year
- April 2010$4.99
- June 2010$4.99
- July 2010$4.99
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- September 2010$4.99
- December 2010$4.99
- January 2011$4.99
- March 2011$4.99
- June 2011$4.99
Science Now
- Premium Upgrade$0.991 Month
- Space Weather$4.99
- Remove Ads$6.99
Questions
Is Popular Science free?
Is Science Now free?
Which has better reviews, Popular Science or Science Now?
Do Popular Science or Science Now have ads?
Which is updated more often, Popular Science or Science Now?
Other comparisons
