# MacHash News vs MacFormat

The clearest difference is ads: MacFormat at none against MacHash News's shown. MacHash News's advantage is review sentiment (76% vs 48%) and ratings volume (1.7K vs 87). On price, rating, update cadence and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. MacHash News sells 3 one-off in-app purchases and MacFormat sells 11 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.6 for MacHash News against 4.6 for MacFormat. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: MacHash News has 1.7K ratings behind it against 87, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 76% of MacHash News's written reviews are positive against 48% of MacFormat's.

MacHash News ships an update every 2 months, MacFormat every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on October 15, 2026 and October 17, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | MacHash News | MacFormat |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.6 (1.7K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/machash-news/id407673940/reviews) | [4.6 (87 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/macformat/id451439182/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **1.7K** | 87 |
| Positive reviews | **75.6% of reviews** | 47.7% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 months** | Every 3 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 21 MB | 24 MB |
| Requires iOS | 13.1 | **13.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [GlassWave LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/391637976) | [Future plc](https://appshunter.io/developer/378460265) |

## What reviewers say

### MacHash News

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/machash-news/id407673940)

Stay updated on Apple, Mac, and iPhone news and rumors. This app curates top stories, reviews, and discussions into a streamlined feed. It includes a full-screen browser with reader and dark modes, plus robust sharing options.

**Highlights:** Curated news feed, Full-screen web browser, Reader mode, Dark mode, RSS feeds, Sharing options, Accessibility features

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

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Kind Tip | $9.99 | one-time |
| Generous Tip | $24.99 | one-time |
| Amazing Tip | $69.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Great app for Apple news
- 🚀 Comprehensive and up-to-date content
- 💡 Useful feature to customize news sources

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes and connection issues
- 📢 Intrusive and excessive ads
- 🔍 Poor navigation and article browsing experience

**Reported bugs**

- App freezes and fails to load content
- Broken links and 500 error messages
- Background activity draining battery

**Requested features**

- Add push notifications for breaking news
- Implement a dark mode option
- Improve article sharing capabilities


### MacFormat

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/macformat/id451439182)

Access in-depth reviews, expert advice, and tutorials for Mac, iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch. Discover new apps and accessories to enhance your Apple device experience. Get more value from your technology.

**Highlights:** Apple device reviews, Expert technical advice, App and accessory recommendations, Tutorials and tips, In-depth content, Digital magazine issues

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

**In-app purchases (11)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 1 Month Subscription | $4.99 | per month |
| 3 Month Subscription | $9.99 | per 3 months |
| 6 Month Subscription | $18.99 | per 6 months |
| 1 Year Subscription | $34.99 | per year |
| The complete guide to the new iPhone | $0.99 | one-time |
| The complete guide to the new iPad | $0.99 | one-time |
| February 2012 | $6.99 | one-time |
| August 2012 | $6.99 | one-time |
| September 2012 | $6.99 | one-time |
| December 2013 | $6.99 | one-time |
| All MacFormat back issues | $24.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Fast and responsive app
- 📚 Excellent magazine content
- 💻 Well-designed for iPad
- 👍 Interactive and engaging format

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Crashes and stability issues
- ⏱️ Slow download speeds
- 📱 Compatibility problems on newer devices
- 💰 Expensive subscription price

**Reported bugs**

- Unable to exit/navigate out of magazine issues
- Subscription management problems
- Inconsistent performance after updates

**Requested features**

- Bookmark feature to save progress
- Font size adjustment options
- Offline reading mode
- Notifications for new issues


## Frequently asked questions

### Is MacHash News free?

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

### Is MacFormat free?

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

### Which has better reviews, MacHash News or MacFormat?

MacHash News and MacFormat are both rated 4.6 out of 5 on the App Store, from 1.7K and 87 ratings respectively.

### Do MacHash News or MacFormat have ads?

MacHash News shows ads; MacFormat does not.

### Which is updated more often, MacHash News or MacFormat?

MacHash News ships an update every 2 months, and MacFormat every 3 months. Most recently, MacHash News was updated on October 15, 2026 and MacFormat on October 17, 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.*