# Popular Science vs BBC Science Focus Magazine

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.

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.

## The numbers

| Metric | Popular Science | BBC Science Focus Magazine |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.3 (135 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/popular-science/id364049283/reviews) | **[4.7 (82 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bbc-science-focus-magazine/id458036083/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **135** | 82 |
| Positive reviews | 50.9% of reviews | **52.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 91 MB | 51 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 16.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Ziff Davis](https://appshunter.io/developer/6792869834) | [Our Media Limited](https://appshunter.io/developer/1702229453) |

## 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


### BBC Science Focus Magazine

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bbc-science-focus-magazine/id458036083)

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.

**Highlights:** Latest issue access, Back issue archive, Expert interviews, Q&A section, Adjustable text size, Bookmark features, Search tool

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (13)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| BBC Focus Magazine Apple News | $4.99 | per month |
| 1-Month Subscription | $5.49 | per month |
| 3-Month Subscription | $12.99 | per 3 months |
| 6-Month Subscription | $28.49 | per 6 months |
| Discounted Annual Subscription | $39.99 | per year |
| BBC Focus  Magazine Apple News | $42.99 | per year |
| 12-Month Subscription Bundle | $45.99 | per year |
| 12-Month Subscription | $47.99 | per year |
| World in Motion: England's Story | Free | one-time |
| August 2014 | $4.99 | one-time |
| September 2024 | $5.99 | one-time |
| Summer 2024 | $5.99 | one-time |
| Complete Your Collection | $59.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- ⭐ Excellent magazine
- 💡 Great interactive features
- 👍 Informative and well-presented content

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Crashes and stability issues
- 🔍 Poor user interface and navigation
- 💸 Subscription and purchase problems

**Reported bugs**

- Inability to access purchased content
- Frequent crashes and freezes
- Compatibility issues with iOS updates

**Requested features**

- Dark mode option
- Offline reading support
- Better optimization for newer devices


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Popular Science free?

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

### Is BBC Science Focus Magazine free?

BBC Science Focus Magazine is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Popular Science or BBC Science Focus Magazine?

BBC Science Focus Magazine is rated higher. Popular Science averages 4.3 out of 5 from 135 ratings, while BBC Science Focus Magazine averages 4.7 from 82 ratings.

### Do Popular Science or BBC Science Focus Magazine have ads?

BBC Science Focus Magazine shows ads; Popular Science does not.

### Which is updated more often, Popular Science or BBC Science Focus Magazine?

Popular Science ships an update every 2 months, and BBC Science Focus Magazine every 2 months. Most recently, Popular Science was updated on November 1, 2026 and BBC Science Focus Magazine on November 1, 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.*