# Star vs Newsmax

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Newsmax at none against Star's 7. Newsmax also leads on ads (none vs shown) and ratings volume (176K vs 31). On price, rating, review sentiment and update cadence there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Star sells 7 in-app purchases, starting at $25.99 per month. Newsmax asks for nothing beyond the download.

Newsmax holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Newsmax has 176K ratings behind it against 31, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 50% of Star's written reviews are positive against 45% of Newsmax's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 23, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Star | Newsmax |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.6 (31 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/star-exponent-mobile/id398359461/reviews) | **[4.8 (176K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/newsmax/id878180850/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 31 | **176K** |
| Positive reviews | **50.0% of reviews** | 45.3% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Freemium |
| Best chart rank | — | **#38** |
| Size | 104 MB | 64 MB |
| Requires iOS | 13.0 | 13.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple TV** |
| Age rating | 12+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [BH Media Group](https://appshunter.io/developer/663389623) | [Newsmax Media, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/470606676) |

## What reviewers say

### Star

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/star-exponent-mobile/id398359461)

Access local news, sports, and community updates. Features include personalized topics, breaking news alerts, and multimedia content like podcasts and videos. Subscribers get an ad-free experience.

**Highlights:** Personalized news topics, Breaking news alerts, Exclusive commentary and podcasts, Video updates, Ad-free premium experience for subscribers, Customizable text size, Hourly and 10-day weather forecasts

**In-app purchases (7)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Subscriptions | $25.99 | per month |
| Subscriptions | $38.99 | per month |
| Subscriptions | $42.99 | per month |
| Subscriptions | $50.00 | per year |
| Subscriptions | $249.99 | per year |
| Subscriptions | $314.99 | per year |
| Subscriptions | $349.99 | per year |


### Newsmax

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/newsmax/id878180850)

**Currently charting:** #38 Top Free · News (US App Store)

Access comprehensive news coverage, breaking updates, and real-time information on politics, health, finance, and faith. Offers a premium subscription for exclusive content, expert analysis, and archived shows.

**Highlights:** Comprehensive news coverage, Breaking news and real-time updates, US political life reporting, Health, finance, faith, and freedom news, Newsmax+ premium subscription, Newsmax2 streaming channel, Archived shows and documentaries

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 True news reporting
- 👍 Honest and fair coverage
- 🇺🇸 Patriotic and pro-American
- 📺 Great lineup of shows and personalities

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Technical issues with the app (freezing, crashes, login problems)
- 💸 Paywall for live content
- 🤖 Concerns about bias and spreading misinformation
- 🙄 Repetitive and theatrical presentation

**Reported bugs**

- App freezing and crashing issues
- Login and subscription problems
- Inconsistent video and audio quality

**Requested features**

- Improve app stability and reliability
- Offer more free content options
- Provide audio-only versions of shows
- Update app design and user experience


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Star free?

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

### Is Newsmax free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Star or Newsmax?

Newsmax is rated higher. Star averages 4.6 out of 5 from 31 ratings, while Newsmax averages 4.8 from 176K ratings.

### Do Star or Newsmax have ads?

Star shows ads; Newsmax does not.

### Which is updated more often, Star or Newsmax?

Star ships an update every 2 months, and Newsmax every 2 months. Most recently, Star was updated on October 23, 2026 and Newsmax on October 31, 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.*