# TIME Magazine vs Houston Chronicle

The clearest difference is monetization model: TIME Magazine at free with in-app purchases against Houston Chronicle's subscription. TIME Magazine also leads on ads (none vs shown). Houston Chronicle's advantage is update cadence (fortnightly vs every 3 months) and ratings volume (15K vs 2.6K). On price, rating, review sentiment and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. TIME Magazine sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month and Houston Chronicle sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $14.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.5 for TIME Magazine against 4.5 for Houston Chronicle. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Houston Chronicle has 15K ratings behind it against 2.6K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 38% of TIME Magazine's written reviews are positive against 32% of Houston Chronicle's.

TIME Magazine ships an update every 3 months, Houston Chronicle fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on November 6, 2026 and November 8, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | TIME Magazine | Houston Chronicle |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.5 (2.6K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/time-magazine/id369021520/reviews) | **[4.5 (15K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/houston-chronicle/id453564805/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 2.6K | **15K** |
| Positive reviews | **38.3% of reviews** | 32.1% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | **Fortnightly** |
| Monetization | **Free with in-app purchases** | Subscription |
| Best chart rank | #160 | **#38** |
| Size | 22 MB | 106 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 12+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [TIME](https://appshunter.io/developer/1457280645) | [Hearst Newspapers](https://appshunter.io/developer/397018366) |

## What reviewers say

### TIME Magazine

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/time-magazine/id369021520)

**Currently charting:** #160 Top Grossing · Magazines & Newspapers, #194 Top Free · Magazines & Newspapers (US App Store)

Access award-winning articles and photography covering global issues, politics, health, and technology. Stay informed with breaking news and in-depth analysis from experts. Experience news events through personal accounts and inspiring features.

**Highlights:** Award-winning articles, Eye-opening photography, Global issue coverage, Health breakthroughs, Political analysis, Tech advances

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 1 Month Subscription | $2.99 | per month |
| 1 Month Subscription | $2.99 | per month |
| 1 Year Subscription | $29.99 | per year |
| 1 Year Subscription | $29.99 | per year |
| April 12, 2010 | $4.99 | one-time |
| TIME 100, 2010 | $4.99 | one-time |
| December 27, 2010 | $4.99 | one-time |
| May 20, 2011 | $4.99 | one-time |
| October 17, 2011 | $4.99 | one-time |
| March 04, 2013 | $4.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Great app
- 🚀 Intuitive and user-friendly
- 💡 Innovative features
- 🚀 Beautifully designed
- 👍 Excellent content

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes
- 🐛 Subscription issues
- 🐛 Inability to download current issues
- 🐛 Poor customer support
- 🐛 Confusing layout and navigation

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes on startup
- Subscription not recognized
- Unable to download latest issues
- Login issues and account problems
- Compatibility problems with iOS updates

**Requested features**

- Add audio playback for articles
- Implement bookmarking and note-taking
- Improve syncing and offline access
- Provide better customization options
- Integrate social sharing features


### Houston Chronicle

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/houston-chronicle/id453564805)

**Currently charting:** #38 Top Grossing · Magazines & Newspapers, #48 Top Grossing · News, #107 Top Free · Magazines & Newspapers (US App Store)

Stay informed with trusted journalism about Houston and Texas. Receive news alerts, sports coverage, and in-depth analysis. Access a digital replica of the newspaper and enjoy exclusive content and puzzles.

**Highlights:** Customizable news alerts, Local and Texas news coverage, Sports and politics podcasts, Digital newspaper replica (e-Edition), Puzzles and exclusive guides, Text-to-audio story feature

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

**In-app purchases (5)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Houston Chronicle | $14.99 | per month |
| Houston Chronicle Monthly | $14.99 | per month |
| Houston Chronicle for iPad | $14.99 | per month |
| Houston Chronicle | $14.99 | per month |
| Houston Chronicle for iPad | $59.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Easy to navigate and read
- 👍 Enjoyable and informative
- 👍 Great local coverage
- 👍 Excellent investigative reporting

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Crashes constantly
- 🐛 Glitchy and unreliable app
- 🔒 Poor login experience
- 🔍 Lacking in national/world news coverage
- 📰 Biased and one-sided reporting

**Reported bugs**

- Articles not loading properly
- Frequent log-out issues
- Inconsistent content availability between app and website

**Requested features**

- Ability to save, listen, or share articles
- Improved search functionality
- Seamless integration between print and digital subscriptions
- More balanced and objective reporting


## Frequently asked questions

### Is TIME Magazine free?

TIME Magazine is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Houston Chronicle free?

Houston Chronicle is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, TIME Magazine or Houston Chronicle?

Houston Chronicle is rated higher. TIME Magazine averages 4.5 out of 5 from 2.6K ratings, while Houston Chronicle averages 4.5 from 15K ratings.

### Do TIME Magazine or Houston Chronicle have ads?

Houston Chronicle shows ads; TIME Magazine does not.

### Which is updated more often, TIME Magazine or Houston Chronicle?

TIME Magazine ships an update every 3 months, and Houston Chronicle fortnightly. Most recently, TIME Magazine was updated on November 6, 2026 and Houston Chronicle on November 8, 2026.

### Which is more popular, TIME Magazine or Houston Chronicle?

TIME Magazine currently peaks at #160 in the App Store charts, and Houston Chronicle at #38. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

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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.*