Comparison

BBC Science Focus Magazine vs The Week Junior

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

Head to head
About

BBC Science Focus Magazine

Explore the latest discoveries and breakthroughs in science and technology. This app offers in-depth articles, expert interviews, and answers to your burning questions. Enjoy interactive features like text adjustment, bookmarking, and multimedia content.

Highlights
  • Latest issue access
  • Back issue archive
  • Expert interviews
  • Q&A section
  • Adjustable text size
  • Bookmark features
  • Search tool
Features
Read full description

Enjoy BBC Science Focus Magazine, the UK's leading science and technology monthly, on your iPhone and iPad. Dive into the latest issue, download the entire back issue collection and save more with a subscription. From space travel to brain science, BBC Science Focus Magazine will give you the lowdown on the latest discoveries and the big breakthroughs affecting our future. Interviews with leading scientists and world-leading experts will provide you with thoughtful, accurate analysis, helping you to understand what's going on in the fast-moving world of science. Plus, all your burning questions will be answered in the popular Q&A section. Our App makes it easy to read and enjoy each issue with helpful features like text adjust, allowing you to amend the font size for clear reading on any device size. You can also bookmark your favourite features to revisit, and browse our archive of content with the handy search tool. Plus, you'll find stunning video and audio inside which bring each issue to life. **Reality Check Our team investigates the science behind the headlines. We pore over the research and talk to world-leading experts to find answers to questions like: How can you protect yourself from air pollution? Is screen time bad for you? Are all plastics bad for the planet? **Features Every month, the best science writers in the world explore the big mysteries of our time. From the inner workings of our brains to the cosmic machinations of our Universe, each issue is full of surprises. **Radar We share the best science TV, books, podcasts and radio of the month ahead. PLUS tech experts help us find the best gadgets that money can buy. Terms and Conditions: Customers can buy single issues and subscriptions using In App Purchase Subscriptions are available on monthly or annual terms & will unlock all premium content on the BBC Science Focus Magazine Apple News channel. • Your subscription automatically renews unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24 hours before the end of the current subscription period • You will be charged for renewal within 24 hours prior to the end of the current period, for the same duration and at the current subscription rate for that product • You can manage your subscriptions and turn off auto-renewal by going to your Account Settings after purchase • No cancellation of the current subscription is allowed during active subscription period. This does not affect your statutory rights • Any unused portion of a free trial period, if offered, will be forfeited when you purchase a subscription • The app may offer a free trial. At the end of the free trial period, the full price of the subscription will be charged thereafter. Cancellations must occur 24 hours before the end of the subscription period to avoid being charged. Visit http://support.apple.com/kb/ht4098 for more information. The subscription will include the current issue if you do not already own it and subsequently published future issues. Payment will be charged to your iTunes Account at confirmation of purchase. If you would like more information or support please visit our App support page https://www.ourmediaapps.co.uk/apps-faqs/ Our Media Ltd Privacy Policy and Terms of Use: https://policies.ourmedia.co.uk/privacy-policy/ https://policies.ourmedia.co.uk/website-terms-and-conditions/ **Please note: this digital edition does not include the covermount gifts or supplements you would find with printed copies

About

The Week Junior

This app delivers a weekly digital magazine for children aged 8-14, packed with engaging content on science, nature, animals, and role models. It aims to spark curiosity, encourage critical thinking, and boost reading comprehension through interactive puzzles and videos.

Highlights
  • Weekly digital magazine content
  • Interactive puzzles and videos
  • Access to past and latest issues
  • Content on science, nature, animals
  • Focus on role models and places
  • Encourages reading and critical thinking
Features
Read full description

The Week Junior is a multi-award-winning magazine for 8 to 14-year olds written and designed by experts to ignite your child’s curiosity and get them reading and thinking. It’s packed full of science, nature, animals to discover, role models to meet, amazing places, and ideas for things to make and do. It's a brilliant way to: • Spark their natural curiosity in the world around them • Help them see different viewpoints - and form opinions of their own • Boost their confidence as they grow their understanding • Get them reading, talking and thinking - and passionate about sharing what they learn! The Week Junior app contains all of the amazing articles from the print magazine as well as interactive puzzles and videos, in a format that's easy to read anywhere and share with all the family. You can also access past issues and the latest issue before it hits the shops every week.

Screenshots

BBC Science Focus Magazine4 screens
The Week Junior4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is ads: The Week Junior at none against BBC Science Focus Magazine's shown. The Week Junior also leads on review sentiment (84% vs 53%). BBC Science Focus Magazine's advantage is update cadence (every 2 months vs every 13 months) and rating (4.7 vs 4.5). On price, ratings volume, in-app purchases and monetization model 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. BBC Science Focus Magazine sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month and The Week Junior sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

BBC Science Focus Magazine holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.5. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 82 and 76 respectively. Written reviews complicate that: 53% of BBC Science Focus Magazine's written reviews are positive against 84% of The Week Junior's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

BBC Science Focus Magazine ships an update every 2 months, The Week Junior every 13 months. The most recent releases landed on November 8, 2026 and November 7, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
BBC Science Focus Magazine versus The Week Junior: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterBBC Science Focus MagazineThe Week Junior
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.7 (82 ratings) — better4.5 (76 ratings)
Positive reviews53.0% of reviews84.4% of reviews — better
Number of ratings82 — better76
Update frequencyEvery 2 months — betterEvery 13 months
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS16.016.0
Further details — not scored
Size51 MB18 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperOur Media LimitedFuture plc

Customer experience

BBC Science Focus Magazine

All ratings78 ratings
Positive92.3%
Neutral3.8%
Negative3.8%
Written reviews185 reviews
Positive53.0%
Neutral4.9%
Negative42.2%

The Week Junior

All ratings74 ratings
Positive89.2%
Neutral2.7%
Negative8.1%
Written reviews45 reviews
Positive84.4%
Neutral4.4%
Negative11.1%

User reviews

BBC Science Focus Magazine

From 82 App Store ratings

What we love

  • ⭐ Excellent magazine
  • 💡 Great interactive features
  • 👍 Informative and well-presented content

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Crashes and stability issues
  • 🔍 Poor user interface and navigation
  • 💸 Subscription and purchase problems

The Week Junior

From 76 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 👍 Handy digital access
  • 👍 Up-to-date information
  • 👍 Fun activities
  • 👍 Exciting delivery
  • 👍 Interesting content

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Incredibly laggy on older devices
  • 🐛 Needs a free to read option
  • 🐛 Hard to move between pages
  • 🐛 Confusing interface
  • 🐛 Swipe to switch pages doesn't work

Bugs and requests

BBC Science Focus Magazine

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Inability to access purchased content
  • Frequent crashes and freezes
  • Compatibility issues with iOS updates

Requested features

3 requests
  • Dark mode option
  • Offline reading support
  • Better optimization for newer devices

The Week Junior

Reported bugs

7 issues
  • Incredibly laggy on older devices
  • Swipe to switch pages doesn't work
  • Screen freezes
  • Hold down shapes not working on iPad
  • Cannot find puzzle page
Show 2 more
  • Subscription cancellation issues
  • Stuck downloading issues

Requested features

6 requests
  • Free to read option
  • Zoom function
  • Update app for better iPad functionality
  • Improve layout/interface
  • Include puzzle page
Show 1 more
  • Include all issues in the app

In-app purchases

10 purchases

BBC Science Focus Magazine

Subscriptions7
  • BBC Focus Magazine Apple News$4.991 Month
  • 1-Month Subscription$5.491 Month
  • 6-Month Subscription$28.496 Months
Show 4 more
  • Discounted Annual Subscription$39.991 Year
  • BBC Focus Magazine Apple News1 Month trial$42.991 Year
  • 12-Month Subscription Bundle$45.991 Year
  • 12-Month Subscription1 Year trial$47.991 Year
One-time3
  • World in Motion: England's StoryFree
  • August 2014$4.99
  • Complete Your Collection$59.99
10 purchases

The Week Junior

Subscriptions4
  • 1 Month Subscription$9.991 Month
  • 3 Month Subscription$29.993 Months
  • 6 month subscription$48.996 Months
Show 1 more
  • 1 Year subscription$119.991 Year
One-time6
  • TWJ 271$1.99
  • TWJ 310$1.99
  • TWJ 317$1.99
Show 3 more
  • TWJ 325$2.99
  • TWJ 329$2.99
  • TWJ 546$3.99

Questions

Is BBC Science Focus Magazine free?
BBC Science Focus Magazine is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is The Week Junior free?
The Week Junior is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, BBC Science Focus Magazine or The Week Junior?
BBC Science Focus Magazine is rated higher. BBC Science Focus Magazine averages 4.7 out of 5 from 82 ratings, while The Week Junior averages 4.5 from 76 ratings.
Do BBC Science Focus Magazine or The Week Junior have ads?
BBC Science Focus Magazine shows ads; The Week Junior does not.
Which is updated more often, BBC Science Focus Magazine or The Week Junior?
BBC Science Focus Magazine ships an update every 2 months, and The Week Junior every 13 months. Most recently, BBC Science Focus Magazine was updated on November 8, 2026 and The Week Junior on November 7, 2026.

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