Comparison

PDI E vs The Philippine Star

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

Head to head
About

PDI E

Access digital versions of top Philippine newspapers, including exact replicas of print editions. Enjoy features like article sharing, smart zoom, offline reading, and automatic bookmarking. Offers a free download with a preview and various subscription options.

Highlights
  • Digital replicas of print newspapers
  • Article sharing via social networks
  • Smartzoom for enhanced reading
  • Offline reading of downloaded issues
  • Automatic bookmarking
  • Complimentary 14-issue preview
Features
Read full description

InquirerPlus is the exciting new home of the digital version of the Philippine Daily Inquirer, Inquirer Libre, Bandera, Cebu Daily News and several other top Inquirer Group titles. InquirerPlus delivers an exact replica of the printed titles with additional features such as article sharing via social networks, Smartzoom, storage of previously downloaded issues for on-the-go reading when wi-fi is not available and automatic-bookmarking of your place. If you are a print subscriber of an Inquirer title with a subscription term of at least six months, contact inquirerdigital@inquirer.com.ph for your complimentary access. The app is free to download and comes with a complimentary 14-issue preview. The Philippine Daily Inquirer offers the following subscriptions for inApp Purchase: Single copy ($0.99 each): any single title Inquirer Plus ($9.99/mo): gives one access to all the titles within the app. Subscription automatically renews unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24-hours before the end of the current period.You may manage your subscriptions by going to your 'Account Settings' after purchase. http://philippinedailyinquirerplus.pressreader.com/help

About

The Philippine Star

Access a leading Filipino news source on your tablet, from breaking news to celebrity updates and lifestyle trends. Enjoy unbiased reporting and diverse opinions, all presented in a familiar page-turning format. Stay informed anytime, anywhere with daily editions.

Highlights
  • Full digital newspaper access
  • Unbiased news reporting
  • Celebrity and trend updates
  • Favorite writer columns
  • Multiple subscription options
  • Daily editions available
Features
Read full description

Everything you love about The Philippine STAR, the top source of news for Filipinos all over the world, can now be accessed on the tablet – from cover to cover. From our unbiased reportage of news and events, to the latest celebrity buzz, to the way we just know what trends are about to hit the streets, to the distinct voices of your favorite writers, editors and columnists – every swipe of your finger will be exactly like turning a page. Read, enjoy, and be informed anytime, anywhere. The Philippine STAR is a daily paper. Find your favourite sections of The PhilippineSTAR: News, Business, Sports, Entertainment, Lifestyle, etc. in our new live format. Truth shall prevail on ink –and on your tablet, too. The Philippine Star provides availability to all editions of the publication by incorporating subscriptions allowing the purchase of a 7 day, one month, 2 months, 3 months, 6 months and a yearly subscription to the paper. The 7 day, monthly and yearly subscriptions are auto-renewing subscriptions. Prices for the subscriptions are $2.99 for 7 days, $7.99 for one month, $14.99 for two months, $21.99 for three months, $43.99 for 6 months and $84.99 for a year. Payment for this subscription will be charged to your iTunes account upon purchase. The subscription will auto-renew within 24 hours of the current subscription expiring. Auto-renewing subscriptions can be managed via Account Settings allowing them to be turned off. No cancellations of the current subscription are allowed during the active subscription period. For any further information see http://subscriber.pagesuite-professional.co.uk/file/Website_Privacy_statement.doc

Screenshots

PDI E4 screens
The Philippine Star4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: PDI E at 4.7 against The Philippine Star's 2.0. PDI E also leads on monetization model (free with in-app purchases vs subscription) and ratings volume (127 vs 4). The Philippine Star's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and review sentiment (25% vs 16%). On price, update cadence, in-app purchases 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. PDI E sells 8 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month and The Philippine Star sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

PDI E holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 2.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: PDI E has 127 ratings behind it against 4, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 16% of PDI E's written reviews are positive against 25% of The Philippine Star's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

PDI E ships an update every 7 months, The Philippine Star every 6 months. The most recent releases landed on September 11, 2026 and September 24, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 4 level
PDI E versus The Philippine Star: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterPDI EThe Philippine Star
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.7 (127 ratings) — better2.0 (4 ratings)
Positive reviews16.1% of reviews25.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings127 — better4
Update frequencyEvery 7 monthsEvery 6 months — better
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases — betterSubscription
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS16.012.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size42 MB117 MB
Age rating12+4+
DeveloperPressReader IncPhilstar Daily Inc.

Customer experience

PDI E

All ratings127 ratings
Positive92.9%
Neutral5.5%
Negative1.6%
Written reviews31 reviews
Positive16.1%
Neutral3.2%
Negative80.6%

The Philippine Star

All ratings4 ratings
Positive25.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative75.0%
Written reviews8 reviews
Positive25.0%
Neutral12.5%
Negative62.5%

In-app purchases

8 purchases

PDI E

Subscriptions7
  • PREMIUM Monthly$3.991 Month
  • ALL ACCESS 1 Month$4.491 Month
  • Philippine Daily$5.991 Month
Show 4 more
  • Philippine Daily Inq. Standard$8.991 Month
  • Philippine Daily Inquirer Plus$15.991 Month
  • PREMIUM 12 Month$39.991 Year
  • ALL ACCESS 12 Month$44.991 Year
One-time1
  • Single Copy$0.99
6 purchases

The Philippine Star

Subscriptions6
  • Philippine STAR - 1 Week$2.997 Days
  • Philippine STAR - 1 Month$8.991 Month
  • Philippine STAR$14.992 Months
Show 3 more
  • Philippine STAR - 3 Month$24.993 Months
  • Philippine STAR - 6 Month$39.996 Months
  • Philippine STAR - 1 Year$69.991 Year

Questions

Is PDI E free?
PDI E is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is The Philippine Star free?
The Philippine Star is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, PDI E or The Philippine Star?
PDI E is rated higher. PDI E averages 4.7 out of 5 from 127 ratings, while The Philippine Star averages 2.0 from 4 ratings.
Do PDI E or The Philippine Star have ads?
PDI E shows ads; The Philippine Star does not.
Which is updated more often, PDI E or The Philippine Star?
PDI E ships an update every 7 months, and The Philippine Star every 6 months. Most recently, PDI E was updated on September 11, 2026 and The Philippine Star on September 24, 2026.

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