Popular Science vs BBC Science Focus Magazine
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
BBC Science Focus Magazine
Explore the latest discoveries and breakthroughs in science and technology. This app offers in-depth articles, expert interviews, and answers to your burning questions. Enjoy interactive features like text adjustment, bookmarking, and multimedia content.
- Latest issue access
- Back issue archive
- Expert interviews
- Q&A section
- Adjustable text size
- Bookmark features
- Search tool
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Enjoy BBC Science Focus Magazine, the UK's leading science and technology monthly, on your iPhone and iPad. Dive into the latest issue, download the entire back issue collection and save more with a subscription. From space travel to brain science, BBC Science Focus Magazine will give you the lowdown on the latest discoveries and the big breakthroughs affecting our future. Interviews with leading scientists and world-leading experts will provide you with thoughtful, accurate analysis, helping you to understand what's going on in the fast-moving world of science. Plus, all your burning questions will be answered in the popular Q&A section. Our App makes it easy to read and enjoy each issue with helpful features like text adjust, allowing you to amend the font size for clear reading on any device size. You can also bookmark your favourite features to revisit, and browse our archive of content with the handy search tool. Plus, you'll find stunning video and audio inside which bring each issue to life. **Reality Check Our team investigates the science behind the headlines. We pore over the research and talk to world-leading experts to find answers to questions like: How can you protect yourself from air pollution? Is screen time bad for you? Are all plastics bad for the planet? **Features Every month, the best science writers in the world explore the big mysteries of our time. From the inner workings of our brains to the cosmic machinations of our Universe, each issue is full of surprises. **Radar We share the best science TV, books, podcasts and radio of the month ahead. PLUS tech experts help us find the best gadgets that money can buy. Terms and Conditions: Customers can buy single issues and subscriptions using In App Purchase Subscriptions are available on monthly or annual terms & will unlock all premium content on the BBC Science Focus Magazine Apple News channel. • Your subscription automatically renews unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24 hours before the end of the current subscription period • You will be charged for renewal within 24 hours prior to the end of the current period, for the same duration and at the current subscription rate for that product • You can manage your subscriptions and turn off auto-renewal by going to your Account Settings after purchase • No cancellation of the current subscription is allowed during active subscription period. This does not affect your statutory rights • Any unused portion of a free trial period, if offered, will be forfeited when you purchase a subscription • The app may offer a free trial. At the end of the free trial period, the full price of the subscription will be charged thereafter. Cancellations must occur 24 hours before the end of the subscription period to avoid being charged. Visit http://support.apple.com/kb/ht4098 for more information. The subscription will include the current issue if you do not already own it and subsequently published future issues. Payment will be charged to your iTunes Account at confirmation of purchase. If you would like more information or support please visit our App support page https://www.ourmediaapps.co.uk/apps-faqs/ Our Media Ltd Privacy Policy and Terms of Use: https://policies.ourmedia.co.uk/privacy-policy/ https://policies.ourmedia.co.uk/website-terms-and-conditions/ **Please note: this digital edition does not include the covermount gifts or supplements you would find with printed copies
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is ads: Popular Science at none against BBC Science Focus Magazine's shown. Popular Science also leads on iOS requirement (13.0 vs 16.0). BBC Science Focus Magazine's advantage is rating (4.7 vs 4.3). On price, review sentiment, ratings volume and update cadence 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 BBC Science Focus Magazine sells 13 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
BBC Science Focus Magazine holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.3. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 135 and 82 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 51% of Popular Science's written reviews are positive against 52% of BBC Science Focus Magazine's.
Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 2 months. Both last shipped on November 1, 2026.
| Parameter | Popular Science | BBC Science Focus Magazine |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.3 (135 ratings) | 4.7 (82 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 50.9% of reviews | 52.0% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 135 — better | 82 |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | Every 2 months |
| Ads | No — better | Yes |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 13.0 — better | 16.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 91 MB | 51 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Ziff Davis | Our Media Limited |
Customer experience
Popular Science
BBC Science Focus Magazine
User reviews
Popular Science
From 135 App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 🚀 Excellent use of iPad technology
- 👍 Innovative and interesting design
- 🖼️ Stunning visuals and photography
- 📚 Great content and informative articles
Room to improve
- 🐛 Buggy and unstable app
- 🤔 Confusing and unintuitive navigation
- 💰 Overpriced issues compared to print
- 📥 Slow and problematic downloads
- 🔒 Issues with restoring purchases
BBC Science Focus Magazine
From 82 App Store ratingsWhat we love
- ⭐ Excellent magazine
- 💡 Great interactive features
- 👍 Informative and well-presented content
Room to improve
- 🐛 Crashes and stability issues
- 🔍 Poor user interface and navigation
- 💸 Subscription and purchase problems
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
BBC Science Focus Magazine
Reported bugs
3 issues- Inability to access purchased content
- Frequent crashes and freezes
- Compatibility issues with iOS updates
Requested features
3 requests- Dark mode option
- Offline reading support
- Better optimization for newer devices
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
Show 5 moreShow fewer
- September 2010$4.99
- December 2010$4.99
- January 2011$4.99
- March 2011$4.99
- June 2011$4.99
BBC Science Focus Magazine
- BBC Focus Magazine Apple News$4.991 Month
- 1-Month Subscription$5.491 Month
- 3-Month Subscription$12.993 Months
Show 5 moreShow fewer
- 6-Month Subscription$28.496 Months
- Discounted Annual Subscription$39.991 Year
- BBC Focus Magazine Apple News1 Month trial$42.991 Year
- 12-Month Subscription Bundle$45.991 Year
- 12-Month Subscription1 Year trial$47.991 Year
- World in Motion: England's StoryFree
- August 2014$4.99
- September 2024$5.99
Show 2 moreShow fewer
- Summer 2024$5.99
- Complete Your Collection$59.99
Questions
Is Popular Science free?
Is BBC Science Focus Magazine free?
Which has better reviews, Popular Science or BBC Science Focus Magazine?
Do Popular Science or BBC Science Focus Magazine have ads?
Which is updated more often, Popular Science or BBC Science Focus Magazine?
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