Comparison

The Advertiser. vs CFSScan

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

Head to head
About

The Advertiser.

Stay informed with breaking news and in-depth stories from South Australia and around the world. Personalize your news feed, receive custom alerts, and access the digital replica of the daily newspaper. Enjoy podcasts and exclusive subscriber content.

Highlights
  • Breaking news updates
  • Personalized news feed
  • Customizable notifications
  • Digital newspaper replica
  • Podcast library
  • Subscriber-only content
Features
Read full description

The Advertiser app delivers the latest news and biggest stories as they happen, from our team of award-winning journalists in South Australia, Australia and the globe. Get a read on today with our breadth of content, award-winning journalism and trusted local perspectives. We are proud to tell the incredible stories every hour of every day with The Advertiser app. Subscribers of The Advertiser (other than Today's Paper digital replica subscribers) will have access to: PERSONALISE YOUR NEWS FEED Set your local news area, follow journalists and topics, plus your favourite sporting codes and teams. All of your customised preferences will appear on the home screen so you can get straight to what matters to you. CUSTOMISED NOTIFICATIONS Receive alerts on the stories that matter most as they happen. Tailor your notifications from a range of topics from breaking news, sport and entertainment to business updates and lifestyle. READ TODAY’S PAPER ON YOUR DEVICE Read the paper on the go with the digital replica of today’s newspaper. Access to the paper anytime, anywhere with the digital replica of the paper, as it’s printed. DISCOVER OUR RANGE OF PODCASTS Explore and listen to a wide range of podcasts from our team of dedicated journalists across the News+ network. The Advertiser app for mobile and tablet is free to download, however to gain full access to the app's content and features simply subscribe for Member-only access. Member-only access gives you full digital access to thousands of subscriber only stories, the digital replica of the paper, puzzles and more of what you love. How to gain full access to the app's content and features: 1) Existing members of The Advertiser (other than subscribers to Today's Paper digital replica) can log in to the app when prompted using their membership details; or, 2) Become a member by subscribing through the app (via iTunes) • Account will be charged for renewal within 24-hours prior to the end of the current period, and identify the cost of the renewal • Subscription automatically renews unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24-hours before the end of the current period • Auto-renewal may be turned off by going to the user's Account Settings after purchase. • Subscriptions may be managed by the user and auto-renewal may be turned off by going to the user's Account Settings after purchase. For full Terms and Conditions please visit https://www.adelaidenow.com.au/more-information/terms-and-conditions and our Privacy Policy, please visit preferences.news.com.au Please note: This app features Nielsen’s proprietary measurement software which will allow you to contribute to market research. Please see www.nielsen.com/digitalprivacy for more information.

About

CFSScan

Access real-time emergency services pager messages with push notifications for custom rules. View detailed incident information, search historical data, and find nearby water points. The app also provides live traffic updates and route planning.

Highlights
  • Real-time push notifications
  • Custom rule alerts
  • Historical incident search
  • Detailed incident information
  • Map point referencing
  • Live pager feed
  • Water point and stand pipe locator
  • Real-time traffic and route planning
Features
Read full description

The CFSScan Official mobile application gives you real time access to the SA GRN Emergency services pager messages. Receive real-time push notifications for your custom rules and perform historical search. Access detailed incident information including map point referencing and agency tasking. Instance access to the Live Pager feed. The feed stays awake while you change pages keeping you up to date. Find all previous incidents with our advanced key word searching algorithms. Manage your account and push notifications directly from the application. Locate your nearest water point and standpipe while on route. Gather Realtime traffic details and plot the best route to the incident.

Screenshots

The Advertiser.4 screens
CFSScan4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: CFSScan at 5.0 against The Advertiser.'s 1.9. CFSScan also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 5) and review sentiment (31% vs 3%). The Advertiser.'s advantage is ads (none vs shown) and ratings volume (128 vs 1). On price, update cadence, monetization model and device support 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. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

CFSScan holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 1.9. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: The Advertiser. has 128 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 3% of The Advertiser.'s written reviews are positive against 31% of CFSScan's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

The Advertiser. ships an update fortnightly, CFSScan every 2 weeks. Both last shipped on October 29, 2026.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
The Advertiser. versus CFSScan: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterThe Advertiser.CFSScan
PriceFreeFree
Rating1.9 (128 ratings)5.0 (1 ratings) — better
Positive reviews3.0% of reviews30.8% of reviews — better
Number of ratings128 — better1
Update frequencyFortnightly — betterEvery 2 weeks
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFreemiumFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS16.0 — better17.0
Further details — not scored
Size160 MB37 MB
Age rating17+17+
DeveloperNews Digital MediaNico VanHaaster

Customer experience

The Advertiser.

Written reviews100 reviews
Positive3.0%
Neutral13.0%
Negative84.0%

CFSScan

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews26 reviews
Positive30.8%
Neutral30.8%
Negative38.5%

Bugs and requests

The Advertiser.

Reported bugs

96 issues
  • App unstable
  • Terrible interface
  • Links take 10 seconds to open
  • Difficult to refresh
  • Comments approved then removed
Show 91 more
  • Never publishes comments
  • Video windows open over the whole screen
  • Whole screen pop-ups appear without warning
  • Screen is 'jittery' when scrolling
  • Main page reloads when exiting article
  • Taken back to the top article when returning from reading
  • Photo captions illegible
  • AI moderators/censors have ultra-left settings
  • Cannot cancel subscription online
  • Controls at top screen too small and not contrasting
  • Hard to locate small arrow in faint grey
  • Unable to make comment or like other people's comments
  • App keeps showing a pop up bar across the bottom of the screen
  • Clues are unavailable
  • App constantly freezes when trying to access the Menu
  • Unable to access explore
  • UI for puzzles section broken
  • App breaks Apple API requirements for display modes
  • Links shown in regular mode in dark mode
  • Numbers no longer appear in number/pencil select bar
  • Font adjustment does not remain in updates
  • Tells user they are not a premium user
  • Some stories don’t open
  • Whole app freezes
  • Cannot use the back button
  • App has removed ability to comment unless premium user
  • Drains battery on iPad through unauthorised audio background activity
  • Inconsistent ability to print articles or games
  • Background activity drains battery even when turned off
  • High iPad battery consumption
  • Crossword clues sitting over the puzzle
  • Login issues, told not a member
  • Cannot read detailed article text, not expandable
  • Crossword section unreliable
  • Radio stops when app opens
  • Notifications for non-breaking news
  • App keeps crashing
  • New story presentation format bad
  • Always logs out
  • Annoying to scroll through just one story at a time
  • Poor layout on top stories page
  • Cannot listen to music and read at the same time
  • Music goes off when app opens
  • No longer able to make comments nor read others comments
  • Subscription not working
  • Hate the new format
  • Crosswords now not working
  • App constantly crashing
  • Saturday Crossquiz unavailable
  • App continues to freeze when attempting to go back to the home page
  • Comics not accessible
  • No search function
  • So many advertisements
  • Only 31-day subscription
  • Small print subscription details
  • Full screen view option button missing
  • Bright white screen when night reading
  • Failure to load comments
  • Quick crossword is cryptic not quick
  • Won't download paper
  • Cannot download to read offline
  • Subscription not recognized
  • Hate the new format
  • Crosswords now not working
  • App constantly crashing
  • Saturday Crossquiz unavailable
  • App continues to disappoint
  • No search bar
  • Too many advertisements
  • Only 31-day subscription
  • Small print subscription details
  • Full screen view missing
  • Needs dark mode
  • Failure to load comments
  • Christmas disappointment crossword
  • Today's paper not refreshing
  • Won't download
  • Can't download to read offline
  • Subscription not working
  • Hate new format
  • Crosswords now not working
  • App constantly crashing
  • Saturday Crossquiz unavailable
  • App continues to disappoint
  • Journalism quality
  • Slow and badly constructed
  • Comics not accessible
  • No search function
  • So many advertisements
  • Only 31-day subscription
  • Small print subscription details

Requested features

42 requests
  • Setting to switch off auto-play video
  • Button to jump to top
  • Improve link opening speed
  • Easier refresh functionality
  • Stop showing disturbing video previews
Show 37 more
  • Add setting to turn off auto-play video
  • Dark mode option
  • Improve comment moderation fairness
  • Fix photo caption legibility
  • Improve subscription restoration
  • Make controls larger and more contrasting
  • Add 'Back' word to controls
  • Change icon colours for low vision
  • Allow comments for all users
  • Remove intrusive ads
  • Fix pop-up bars
  • Improve puzzle UI
  • Fix dark mode implementation
  • Allow music playback while using app
  • Fix app freezing issues
  • Add search function
  • Enable pinch to zoom
  • Improve crossword updating speed
  • Allow offline downloads
  • Fix subscription recognition issues
  • Revert to previous format
  • Fix full-screen view option
  • Improve battery optimization
  • Allow printing of individual games
  • Fix background activity issues
  • Improve app stability
  • Fix subscription login issues
  • Improve content quality control
  • Expand crossword puzzle range
  • Improve font size adjustability
  • Fix radio interruption issue
  • Fix notification settings
  • Improve app performance
  • Fix app crashing
  • Improve story presentation
  • Allow users to choose subscription length
  • Fix comment loading errors

CFSScan

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

None

The Advertiser.

No in-app purchases

None

CFSScan

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is The Advertiser. free?
The Advertiser. is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is CFSScan free?
CFSScan is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, The Advertiser. or CFSScan?
CFSScan is rated higher. The Advertiser. averages 1.9 out of 5 from 128 ratings, while CFSScan averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.
Do The Advertiser. or CFSScan have ads?
CFSScan shows ads; The Advertiser. does not.
Which is updated more often, The Advertiser. or CFSScan?
The Advertiser. ships an update fortnightly, and CFSScan every 2 weeks. Most recently, The Advertiser. was updated on October 29, 2026 and CFSScan on October 29, 2026.

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