Octane Magazine vs Auto Express
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Octane Magazine
Explore the world of classic cars with expert insights and exclusive content. Discover top events, browse thousands of vehicles for sale, and build your collection of past issues. Share your passion for automotive history.
- Expert insights into classic cars
- Exclusive content from contributors
- Information on top classic car events
- Thousands of classic cars for sale
- Bookmark favorite articles
- Searchable content
- Build a collection of past issues
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Octane is the authoritative guide to the best classic cars the world has to offer. Each issue gives you an exclusive insight into the world of classic cars from our experienced and expert contributors, and also our celebrity columnists such as Jay Leno and Nick Mason. Octane also brings you the top events plus offers thousands of classic cars for sale to help you find your dream car! With Octane Magazine Replica, you can bookmark your favourite articles, easily search for your favourite content and build a collection of past issues. Share your passion for classic cars with Octane today. All the subscriptions are auto-renewable subscription directly from the App Store. Payment will be charged to your App Store Account at confirmation of purchase. This subscription will automatically renew unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24-hours before the end of the current period, your account will be charged for renewal within 24-hours prior to the end of the current period. The cost of the renewal will match the initial subscription price. You can manage your subscriptions through your Account Settings after purchase. No cancellation of the current subscription is allowed during active subscription period. Subscription costs: 12 month subscription at £45.99 Please click here to read our Privacy Policy: http://www.dennis.co.uk/privacy and here to read our Terms of Use: http://www.dennis.co.uk/subs/terms
Auto Express
Access the UK's top-selling weekly car magazine on your iPhone or iPad. Get the latest car news, in-depth reviews, group tests, and coverage of motoring issues that matter. Stay informed about new models, car verdicts, and transport policy.
- Latest car news and reviews
- In-depth car group tests
- Ground-breaking features
- Product reviews
- Motoring issues coverage
- New model insights
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The digital edition of Auto Express brings the UK’s best-selling weekly car magazine to your iPhone or iPad. Auto Express gives you the very latest car news and reviews, with in-depth car group tests, ground-breaking features, product reviews and top-quality coverage of the motoring issues that matter. Whether it’s inside info on the hottest new models, the definitive verdict on the best cars on sale, or the lowdown on the Government’s latest transport policy, we provide everything you need for your weekly motoring fix. All the subscriptions are auto-renewable subscription directly from the App Store. Payment will be charged to your App Store Account at confirmation of purchase. This subscription will automatically renew unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24-hours before the end of the current period, your account will be charged for renewal within 24-hours prior to the end of the current period. The cost of the renewal will match the initial subscription price. You can manage your subscriptions through your Account Settings after purchase. No cancellation of the current subscription is allowed during active subscription period. Subscription costs: 3 month sub £17.99 6 month sub £35.99 12 month sub £69.99 Please click here to read our Privacy Policy: http://www.dennis.co.uk/privacy and here to read our Terms of Use: http://www.dennis.co.uk/subs/terms
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: Octane Magazine at 4.8 against Auto Express's 4.4. Octane Magazine also leads on ratings volume (213 vs 16). On price, review sentiment, update cadence and ads 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
Both are free to download. Octane Magazine sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $44.99 per year and Auto Express sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $19.49 per 3 months. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
Octane Magazine holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Octane Magazine has 213 ratings behind it against 16, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 26% of Octane Magazine's written reviews are positive against 32% of Auto Express's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.
Octane Magazine ships an update every 3 months, Auto Express every 2 months. Both last shipped on November 6, 2026.
| Parameter | Octane Magazine | Auto Express |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.8 (213 ratings) — better | 4.4 (16 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 26.5% of reviews | 32.4% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 213 — better | 16 |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | Every 2 months — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Subscription | Subscription |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 — better | 17.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 22 MB | 17 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Hothouse Publishing | Carwow Studio Limited |
Customer experience
Octane Magazine
Auto Express
Bugs and requests
Octane Magazine
Reported bugs
29 issues- App not working on iOS 17
- Auto-renewal issues
- No delivery for subscribed issues
- App denied access to new issues
- Downloads with no content
Show 24 moreShow fewer
- Slow magazine release
- Strained eyes reading text on mobile
- Top 1/3 of page hidden by menu bar
- Past issues gone
- Unstable product
- No access to issues over 12 months old
- Old issues disappeared
- Paid issues no longer readable
- Only current year issues viewable
- New app is worse than old
- Photos split across pages in landscape
- Lost old issues with new app
- Previous purchases not carried over
- Login required frequently
- Purchases disappear
- Customer service silent/nonexistent
- Charged but no access
- Confused by subscription carry-over
- No easy way to carry over subscription
- Lost interactivity from original app
- Double pages split photos
- App crashes immediately
- Not an interactive magazine
- Subscription doesn't include digital version
Requested features
8 requests- Showcase the Honda S2000
- Improve app for laptop viewing
- Restore access to older issues
- Improve landscape view for photos
- Make app interactive like original version
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- Add back original interactive features
- Fix app crashes
- Include digital version with print subscription
Auto Express
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
Octane Magazine
- Octane: Auto Renewing Subscription$44.991 Year
- 12 Month Subscription$49.991 Year
- Octane Magazine: December 2012$4.99
- Octane Magazine: September 2013$4.99
- August 2016 of Octane Magazine Replica$4.99
Show 5 moreShow fewer
- November 2016 of Octane Magazine Replica$4.99
- October 2016 of Octane Magazine Replica$4.99
- July 2016 of Octane Magazine Replica$4.99
- May 2016 of Octane Magazine Replica$4.99
- April 2016 of Octane Magazine Replica$4.99
Auto Express
- 3 Month Subscription$19.493 Months
- Auto Express subscription1 Month trial$20.993 Months
- Auto Express subscription1 Month trial$129.991 Year
Show 1 moreShow fewer
- 12 Month Subscription$129.991 Year
- Issue 1449 of Auto Express Magazine Replica$2.99
- Issue 1432 of Auto Express Magazine Replica$2.99
- Issue 1425 of Auto Express Magazine Replica$2.99
Show 3 moreShow fewer
- Issue 1423 of Auto Express Magazine Replica$2.99
- Issue 1422 of Auto Express Magazine Replica$2.99
- Issue 1421 of Auto Express Magazine Replica$2.99
Questions
Is Octane Magazine free?
Is Auto Express free?
Which has better reviews, Octane Magazine or Auto Express?
Do Octane Magazine or Auto Express have ads?
Which is updated more often, Octane Magazine or Auto Express?
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