Comparison

Science Now vs Columbian

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

Head to head
About

Science Now

Stay updated with the latest scientific research and discoveries delivered directly to your mobile device. Explore space exploration, technological breakthroughs, and environmental data from leading organizations.

Highlights
  • Latest scientific research and discoveries
  • Space exploration and innovation news
  • Technological breakthroughs
  • Radiation readings and space weather
  • Data and imagery from NASA, NIST, NOAA
Features
Read full description

Science Now directs the latest scientific research and discoveries to your mobile device, including information on space exploration, discovery, technology, and innovation from NASA, technical and scientific breakthroughs from NIST, the latest radiation readings from worldwide monitors and space weather from NOAA. All data and imagery is courtesy of NASA, NIST, NOAA, and SafeCast. The Premium Upgrade subscription price of 0.99 USD (in your local currency) will be charged to your iTunes account at confirmation of purchase and, for each renewal, within 24 hours prior to the end of the current month. You can cancel the subscription at any time through your iTunes account settings, but you must do so at least 24 hours before the end of the current month to avoid being charged, and ads will show again at the start of the subsequent month. Terms of use: https://www.kellytechnology.com/privacy/tac.html Privacy policy: https://www.kellytechnology.com/privacy/privacy_policy.html

About

Columbian

Features
Read full description

The Columbian-Progress is a locally owned and operated news outlet in Columbia, Mississippi. For over 100 years, The Columbian-Progress has been covering the news, events, and people important to the various communities within Marion County. Free to download, the Columbian-Progress app allows users to continue supporting local journalism. They receive a mobile browsing/reading experience, complete with the following features: • Relevant, local news from the community • Various categorized sections, including Crime, Obituaries, Politics, Sports, and more. • Social posting features, allowing for Friends, Groups, Neighborhoods, and more to add user content (Photos, Videos, etc). • State, National, and International news coverage. • Daily Comic Strips and Political Cartoons. • Emailed newsletters and toggled notifications, to keep up to date with the latest stories. • New features and experimental updates, building the app into a powerful source of information for the local community. The Columbian-Progress app provides various digital subscription options, user content tools, and numerous advertising opportunities. BY DOWNLOADING THE COLUMBIAN-PROGRESS APP, users agree to: • The Columbian-Progress Terms of Service: https://www.columbianprogress.com/terms-of-service • The Columbian-Progress Privacy Policy: https://www.columbianprogress.com/privacy-policy-1

Screenshots

Science Now4 screens
Columbian4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Columbian at none against Science Now's 3. Columbian also leads on ads (none vs shown) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.0). Science Now's advantage is update cadence (every 3 months vs every 21 months). On price 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. Science Now sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month. Columbian asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Science Now ships an update every 3 months, Columbian every 21 months. The most recent releases landed on September 24, 2026 and October 4, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
Science Now versus Columbian: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterScience NowColumbian
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.6 (140 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews42.9% of reviews—
Number of ratings140 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 3 months — betterEvery 21 months
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFreemium—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS15.013.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size69 MB4 MB
Age rating12+17+
DeveloperKelly Technology Inc.Emmerich Newspapers, Inc

In-app purchases

3 purchases

Science Now

Subscriptions1
  • Premium Upgrade$0.991 Month
One-time2
  • Space Weather$4.99
  • Remove Ads$6.99
None

Columbian

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Science Now free?
Science Now is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Columbian free?
Columbian is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Science Now or Columbian have ads?
Science Now shows ads; Columbian does not.
Which is updated more often, Science Now or Columbian?
Science Now ships an update every 3 months, and Columbian every 21 months. Most recently, Science Now was updated on September 24, 2026 and Columbian on October 4, 2026.

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