# Newsweek vs Reason

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Reason at 100% against Newsweek's 23%. Reason also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 10) and rating (4.8 vs 4.5). Newsweek's advantage is ratings volume (1.6K vs 284). On price, update cadence, ads and chart position there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Newsweek sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. Reason asks for nothing beyond the download.

Reason holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Newsweek has 1.6K ratings behind it against 284, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 23% of Newsweek's written reviews are positive against 100% of Reason's.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 4 months. The most recent releases landed on October 21, 2026 and October 18, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Newsweek | Reason |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.5 (1.6K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/newsweek/id370903329/reviews) | **[4.8 (284 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/reason/id6480322558/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **1.6K** | 284 |
| Positive reviews | 23.1% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 4 months | Every 4 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Best chart rank | **#119** | #135 |
| Size | 29 MB | 27 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | 17.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 12+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Newsweek Publishing LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/347960016) | [Reason](https://appshunter.io/developer/340034132) |

## What reviewers say

### Newsweek

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/newsweek/id370903329)

**Currently charting:** #119 Top Free · Magazines & Newspapers (US App Store)

Access trustworthy, high-quality journalism with live coverage, in-depth analysis, podcasts, and videos. Enjoy the weekly magazine and subscribe to newsletters for daily briefings. Stay informed with breaking news notifications.

**Highlights:** Live and breaking news coverage, In-depth analysis of trending topics, Podcasts on various subjects, Daily briefing newsletter, Curated video content, Weekly magazine access, Customizable newsletter subscriptions, Breaking news notifications

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

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Newsweek - 1 month | $2.99 | per month |
| Newsweek | $3.99 | per month |
| Newsweek - 1 year | $24.99 | per year |
| Newsweek | $39.99 | per year |
| June 28 & July 5, 2010 | $0.99 | one-time |
| August 23 & 30, 2010 | $0.99 | one-time |
| Sept 27, 2010 | $0.99 | one-time |
| September 5, 2011 | $0.99 | one-time |
| Newsweek January 23, 2012 issue | $1.99 | one-time |
| Newsweek August 27, 2012 issue | $4.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Great journalism
- 🚀 Curated news coverage
- 💡 Balanced reporting with alternative views

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent app crashes
- 🐛 Issues with downloading/accessing issues
- 🐛 Outdated content
- 🔒 Poor customer support
- 👎 Buggy app updates

**Reported bugs**

- App not recognizing active subscriptions
- Inability to download/access latest issues
- Frequent crashes and freezes
- Outdated content remaining stuck in the app

**Requested features**

- Ability to change font size
- Landscape mode support
- Offline reading mode
- Search functionality
- Improved navigation and issue management


### Reason

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/reason/id6480322558)

**Currently charting:** #135 Top Free · Magazines & Newspapers (US App Store)

Access accurate and honest news, ideas, videos, and podcasts from a libertarian perspective. Personalize notifications and stream exclusive content, including documentaries and newsletters.

**Highlights:** Libertarian news and ideas, Exclusive videos and documentaries, Podcast streaming, Personalized news notifications, Newsletter access, Reason Plus subscription for early magazine access

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Newsweek free?

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

### Is Reason free?

Reason is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Newsweek or Reason?

Reason is rated higher. Newsweek averages 4.5 out of 5 from 1.6K ratings, while Reason averages 4.8 from 284 ratings.

### Do Newsweek or Reason have ads?

Neither Newsweek nor Reason shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Newsweek or Reason?

Newsweek ships an update every 4 months, and Reason every 4 months. Most recently, Newsweek was updated on October 21, 2026 and Reason on October 18, 2026.

### Which is more popular, Newsweek or Reason?

Newsweek currently peaks at #119 in the App Store charts, and Reason at #135. 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.*