# TIME Magazine vs The National E

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: The National E at none against TIME Magazine's 10. The National E also leads on review sentiment (67% vs 38%) and rating (4.8 vs 4.5). TIME Magazine's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (every 3 months vs every 8 months). On price and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. TIME Magazine sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. The National E asks for nothing beyond the download.

The National E holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: TIME Magazine has 2.5K ratings behind it against 138, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 38% of TIME Magazine's written reviews are positive against 67% of The National E's.

TIME Magazine ships an update every 3 months, The National E every 8 months. The most recent releases landed on October 15, 2026 and October 2, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | TIME Magazine | The National E |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.5 (2.5K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/time-magazine/id369021520/reviews) | **[4.8 (138 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-national-e-reader/id522987896/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **2.5K** | 138 |
| Positive reviews | 38.3% of reviews | **66.7% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 months** | Every 8 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Ad-supported** |
| Best chart rank | **#115** | — |
| Size | 22 MB | 45 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.6** | 17.6 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [TIME](https://appshunter.io/developer/1457280645) | [PressReader Inc](https://appshunter.io/developer/313904714) |

## What reviewers say

### TIME Magazine

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

**Currently charting:** #115 Top Grossing · Magazines & Newspapers, #144 Top Free · Magazines & Newspapers, #161 Top Grossing · News (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


### The National E

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-national-e-reader/id522987896)

Access and read The National Newspaper exactly as it appears in its print edition. Stay informed with the latest news presented in a familiar layout. This application provides a direct digital replica of the physical publication.

**Highlights:** Read print edition replica, Access latest news, Digital newspaper format, Familiar layout

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is TIME Magazine free?

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

### Is The National E free?

The National E is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, TIME Magazine or The National E?

The National E is rated higher. TIME Magazine averages 4.5 out of 5 from 2.5K ratings, while The National E averages 4.8 from 138 ratings.

### Do TIME Magazine or The National E have ads?

The National E shows ads; TIME Magazine does not.

### Which is updated more often, TIME Magazine or The National E?

TIME Magazine ships an update every 3 months, and The National E every 8 months. Most recently, TIME Magazine was updated on October 15, 2026 and The National E on October 2, 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.*