# SFX magazine vs Essential Sci

The clearest difference is ads: SFX magazine at none against Essential Sci's shown. SFX magazine also leads on rating (5.0 vs 4.5) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 16.6). Essential Sci's advantage is update cadence (every 6 weeks vs every 3 months). On price, ratings volume, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. SFX magazine sells 17 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month and Essential Sci sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

SFX magazine holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.5. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 24 and 33 respectively.

SFX magazine ships an update every 3 months, Essential Sci every 6 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 21, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | SFX magazine | Essential Sci |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[5.0 (24 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sfx-magazine/id451462977/reviews)** | [4.5 (33 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/essential-sci-fi-channel/id1635437392/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 24 | **33** |
| Positive reviews | 41.0% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | **Every 6 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 38 MB | 8 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 16.6 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple TV** |
| Age rating | 17+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Future plc](https://appshunter.io/developer/378460265) | [MacMillan Interactive Communications, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/820481297) |

## What reviewers say

### SFX magazine

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sfx-magazine/id451462977)

Access a digital library of science fiction, fantasy, and horror content. Explore in-depth features, interviews, and reviews of TV shows, movies, books, comics, and games. Enjoy exclusive genre universe content in a beautifully designed digital magazine experience.

**Highlights:** In-depth features and interviews, Behind-the-scenes scoops, Expert reviews of releases, Fantasy and horror book coverage, Comic and graphic novel insights, Game and fandom culture updates

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

**In-app purchases (17)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 1 Month Subscription | $4.99 | per month |
| 3 Month Subscription | $11.99 | per 3 months |
| 6 Month Subscription | $19.99 | per 6 months |
| 1 Year Subscription | $39.99 | per year |
| Issue 373 | $3.99 | one-time |
| Issue 392 | $3.99 | one-time |
| Issue 382 | $3.99 | one-time |
| Issue 380 | $3.99 | one-time |
| Issue 406 | $5.99 | one-time |
| Issue 399 | $5.99 | one-time |
| May 2012 | $5.99 | one-time |
| Summer 2012 | $5.99 | one-time |
| August 2012 | $5.99 | one-time |
| September 2012 | $5.99 | one-time |
| December 2012 | $5.99 | one-time |
| January 2014 | $5.99 | one-time |
| All SFX Magazine back issues | $39.99 | one-time |


### Essential Sci

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/essential-sci-fi-channel/id1635437392)

Stream a vast library of science fiction movies and TV shows for free. Subscribe monthly to enjoy an ad-free viewing experience and access premium content.

**Highlights:** Hundreds of hours of sci-fi content, Free streaming, Monthly ad-free subscription, Watch on Apple TV, iPhone, iPad, iPod

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Essential Sci-Fi Subscription | $5.99 | per month |
| Essential Sci-Fi Yearly Sub | $69.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is SFX magazine free?

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

### Is Essential Sci free?

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

### Which has better reviews, SFX magazine or Essential Sci?

SFX magazine is rated higher. SFX magazine averages 5.0 out of 5 from 24 ratings, while Essential Sci averages 4.5 from 33 ratings.

### Do SFX magazine or Essential Sci have ads?

Essential Sci shows ads; SFX magazine does not.

### Which is updated more often, SFX magazine or Essential Sci?

SFX magazine ships an update every 3 months, and Essential Sci every 6 weeks. Most recently, SFX magazine was updated on October 24, 2026 and Essential Sci on October 21, 2026.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*