# Downcast vs MES NewsFeed

The clearest difference is price: MES NewsFeed at Free against Downcast's $2.99. MES NewsFeed also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 4) and update cadence (daily vs monthly). Downcast's advantage is chart position (#5 vs unranked). On ads, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

MES NewsFeed is free to download; Downcast costs $2.99 up front. Downcast sells 4 one-off in-app purchases. MES NewsFeed asks for nothing beyond the download.

Downcast ships an update monthly, MES NewsFeed daily. The most recent releases landed on October 26, 2026 and October 8, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Downcast | MES NewsFeed |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $2.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | **[4.3 (2.7K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/downcast/id393858566/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **2.7K** | — |
| Positive reviews | 70.8% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Monthly | **Daily** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Best chart rank | **#5** | — |
| Size | 45 MB | 0 MB |
| Requires iOS | **14.7** | 15.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch** | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Jamawkinaw Enterprises LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/393858569) | [JONATHAN I STEINBERG](https://appshunter.io/developer/1881418353) |

## What reviewers say

### Downcast

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/downcast/id393858566)

**Currently charting:** #5 Top Paid · News (US App Store)

Manage and listen to podcasts with a powerful, feature-rich player. Offers extensive download and playback options, including variable speed and CarPlay support. Syncs across devices via iCloud.

**Highlights:** Search, subscribe, and download podcasts, Manual subscription via URL, Automatic downloads and background downloading, Variable playback speed, AirPlay and Google Cast support, iCloud syncing for subscriptions and settings, Smart playlist creation

**Features:** Siri integration, Apple Watch app

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Encouraging Tip | $2.99 | one-time |
| Motivating Tip | $5.99 | one-time |
| Galvanizing Tip | $8.99 | one-time |
| Inspiring Tip | $11.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Powerful features
- 👍 Highly customizable
- 💡 Granular podcast management
- 🚀 Reliable performance
- 👍 Great organization and playlists

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Crashes and bugs
- 🔋 Battery drain issues
- 🔍 Subpar search functionality
- 👎 Outdated user interface
- 👎 Syncing problems

**Reported bugs**

- Podcast downloads failing
- Playback position not saved correctly
- Podcast artwork and information mix-ups
- Continuous play issues
- Crashing on startup

**Requested features**

- Bookmark feature
- Playback speed of 1.75x
- Podcast triage/management tools
- Improved CarPlay integration
- Apple Watch app with volume control


### MES NewsFeed

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mes-newsfeed/id6759879412)

Stay informed with live market indexes and top headlines from trusted sources across tech, media, entertainment, and sports. Get up to speed instantly with curated news and financial data.

**Highlights:** Live S&P 500, NASDAQ, DOW indexes, Top tech news from Reuters, NYT, Media & entertainment headlines, Sports business coverage, Trusted news sources, Instant updates

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Downcast free?

Downcast costs $2.99, and also offers in-app purchases.

### Is MES NewsFeed free?

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

### Do Downcast or MES NewsFeed have ads?

Neither Downcast nor MES NewsFeed shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Downcast or MES NewsFeed?

Downcast ships an update monthly, and MES NewsFeed daily. Most recently, Downcast was updated on October 26, 2026 and MES NewsFeed on October 8, 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.*