# Popular Science vs Science Now

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.

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 26, 2026 and October 23, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Popular Science | Science Now |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.3 (135 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/popular-science/id364049283/reviews) | **[4.6 (140 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/science-now/id428269406/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 135 | **140** |
| Positive reviews | **50.9% of reviews** | 42.9% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 months** | Every 3 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Freemium |
| Size | 91 MB | 69 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Ziff Davis](https://appshunter.io/developer/6792869834) | [Kelly Technology Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/393931941) |

## What reviewers say

### Popular Science

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/popular-science/id364049283)

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.

**Highlights:** Latest gadget and software news, Robotics and defense insights, Healthcare and energy breakthroughs, Future innovations and trends, Understanding big issues

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

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 1 Month Subscription | $1.99 | per month |
| 1 Year Subscription | $11.99 | per year |
| April 2010 | $4.99 | one-time |
| June 2010 | $4.99 | one-time |
| July 2010 | $4.99 | one-time |
| September 2010 | $4.99 | one-time |
| December 2010 | $4.99 | one-time |
| January 2011 | $4.99 | one-time |
| March 2011 | $4.99 | one-time |
| June 2011 | $4.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Excellent use of iPad technology
- 👍 Innovative and interesting design
- 🖼️ Stunning visuals and photography
- 📚 Great content and informative articles

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Buggy and unstable app
- 🤔 Confusing and unintuitive navigation
- 💰 Overpriced issues compared to print
- 📥 Slow and problematic downloads
- 🔒 Issues with restoring purchases

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes frequently
- Unable to access purchased issues
- Download progress resets unexpectedly
- Compatibility issues with newer iOS versions

**Requested features**

- 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

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/science-now/id428269406)

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.

**Highlights:** Latest scientific research and discoveries, Space exploration and innovation news, Technological breakthroughs, Radiation readings and space weather, Data and imagery from NASA, NIST, NOAA

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Premium Upgrade | $0.99 | per month |
| Space Weather | $4.99 | one-time |
| Remove Ads | $6.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Popular Science free?

Popular Science is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Science Now free?

Science Now is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Popular Science or Science Now?

Science Now is rated higher. Popular Science averages 4.3 out of 5 from 135 ratings, while Science Now averages 4.6 from 140 ratings.

### Do Popular Science or Science Now have ads?

Science Now shows ads; Popular Science does not.

### Which is updated more often, Popular Science or Science Now?

Popular Science ships an update every 2 months, and Science Now every 3 months. Most recently, Popular Science was updated on October 26, 2026 and Science Now on October 23, 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.*