Comparison

VG vs J

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

VG

Stay informed with the latest news and updates. Access the mobile-optimized front page and subpages, subscribe to push notifications for various categories, and easily submit tips with photos and text. Get daily weather forecasts.

Highlights
  • Mobile-optimized news display
  • Customizable news alerts
  • Tip submission with media upload
  • Daily weather forecasts
  • Access to VG+ content
Features
Read full description

Hold deg oppdatert - les siste nytt med denne appen! Funksjoner: - Visning av VGs mobiltilpassede forside og undersider - Abonnér på nyhetsvarsler innenfor kategoriene nyheter, sport, rampelys, VG+, Godt og flere - Enkel tilgang til VGs tipstjeneste, med funksjon for å laste opp tekst og bilde. - Dagens vær presentert fra Pent.no Brukervilkår: https://www.vg.no/informasjon/brukervilkar Personvern: https://info.privacy.schibsted.com/no/schibsted-norge-personvernerklaering/

About

J

Access a multimedia platform sharing Japanese culture through articles, podcasts, and videos. Enjoy features like background audio playback, offline caching, and dual-language support for a comprehensive cultural exploration.

Highlights
  • Articles on Japanese culture, lifestyle, and tech
  • Background podcast playback with speed control
  • Video content with bookmarking
  • Offline caching for articles and media
  • Dual-language support (Japanese/English)
  • Dark mode and Apple Sign-In
Features
Read full description

J-Times brings Japanese culture to the world — articles, podcasts, and videos in one app. ■ Read Daily stories on tradition, food, art, and everyday life in Japan. A clean editorial layout with dark mode. Furigana and romaji overlays help if you're learning Japanese. ■ Listen Podcasts organized by series. Background playback, lock-screen controls, sleep timer, and playback speed. ■ Watch Short videos and series. Swipe vertically to keep going. ■ Your Library Likes, bookmarks, and history sync across devices. Build playlists and download episodes for offline listening. ■ More • Switch between English and Japanese • Voice search • Push notifications for new content • Sign in with Apple or Google (all content is available without signing in) • iPhone, iPad, and Mac Japan, in your language.

Screenshots

VG4 screens
J4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: J at 100% against VG's 63%. J also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 2) and ads (none vs shown). On price, update cadence, device support and iOS requirement 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. VG sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 per 7 days. J asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

VG ships an update every 10 days, J fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and November 5, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
VG versus J: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterVGJ
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.7 (504 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews62.5% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings504 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 10 days — betterFortnightly
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, Apple TV — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS17.017.0
Further details — not scored
Size85 MB9 MB
Age rating+124+
DeveloperSchibsted Media ASKo Takahashi

Customer experience

VG

All ratings504 ratings
Positive93.1%
Neutral3.4%
Negative3.6%
Written reviews16 reviews
Positive62.5%
Neutral12.5%
Negative25.0%

J

Written reviews1 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

2 purchases

VG

Subscriptions2
  • VG+ Uke$5.997 Days
  • VG+ Måned$10.991 Month
None

J

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is VG free?
VG is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is J free?
J is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do VG or J have ads?
VG shows ads; J does not.
Which is updated more often, VG or J?
VG ships an update every 10 days, and J fortnightly. Most recently, VG was updated on November 1, 2026 and J on November 5, 2026.

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