Comparison

Smithsonian Magazine vs HISTORY Vault

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

Head to head
About

Smithsonian Magazine

Access a digital version of a renowned magazine covering history, science, culture, and travel. Enjoy in-depth articles, photos, and departments. Purchase single issues or subscribe for ongoing access to engaging content.

Highlights
  • Digital magazine issues
  • History and archaeology articles
  • Cutting-edge science reporting
  • Virtual travel and culture features
  • In-app subscriptions and single purchases
Features
Read full description

Enjoy an iOS compatible issue of Smithsonian magazine on your iPhone or iPad. The issue includes every story, department, photo and more. Subscriptions and single copies are available for purchase within the app. Smithsonian magazine delivers trusted and incisive reporting on history, science, nature, culture and travel. * Explore history and archaeology from the earliest days of civilization to secrets of American history to the latest historical discoveries * Catch up on cutting-edge science from wildlife to evolution and the solar system * Travel the world virtually from Petra to Prague, taking in cultural treasures along the way ____________________________________________ SINGLE ISSUES: - Single issue, $3.99 (one time purchase, not ongoing) SUBSCRIPTIONS AVAILABLE: - One month for $1.99, automatically renewed until canceled - One year for $19.99, automatically renewed until canceled Smithsonian Magazine publishes 8 issues a year. Payment for any issue or subscription will be charged to iTunes Account at confirmation of purchase. SUBSCRIBERS AUTO-RENEWING FEATURE: Your subscription will automatically renew unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24-hours before the end of the current period. Your iTunes account will automatically be charged for renewal within 24-hours prior to the end of the current period, and the cost of the renewal will be provided (yearly subscriptions will renew for another year and monthly subscriptions will renew for another month). Your subscription may be managed through your Account Settings after purchase. Auto-renewal may be turned off in Account Settings. No cancellation of the current subscription is allowed during the active subscription period. Visit https://www.smithsonianmag.com/app/ and https://www.smithsonianmag.com/about/privacy/ for more information. ABOUT THE SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION: The Smithsonian Institution has inspired generations through knowledge and discovery since 1846. It's the world's largest complex of museums and research facilities, and it focuses on four core areas: Unlocking the Mysteries of the Universe, Understanding and Sustaining a Biodiverse Planet, World Cultures, and the American Experience. Privacy Statement: https://www.smithsonianmag.com/about/privacy/ Terms of Use: https://www.si.edu/termsofuse **Please note that the minimum requirements for Smithsonian Magazine is iOS 13 or higher.**

About

HISTORY Vault

Explore thousands of documentaries and specials about history, from ancient times to modern conflicts. Watch full-length, commercial-free videos on demand, with new content added weekly. Access classic series and discover the events and people that shaped our world.

Highlights
  • Thousands of documentaries and specials
  • Commercial-free viewing
  • New videos added weekly
  • Classic HISTORY Channel series
  • No TV provider needed
  • On-demand streaming
Features
Read full description

Now with over 2,000 videos – HISTORY Channel brings you thousands of documentaries and specials exploring the events and people that shaped our world, from ancient empires to modern warfare, all commercial-free. Watch commercial-free, full-length videos with no TV provider needed. New videos are added weekly, featuring everything from ancient civilizations and World Wars to space exploration. Plus your favorite classic HISTORY Channel series. Watch: • America: The Story of Us • Days That Shaped America • The Men Who Built America • Founding Fathers • Ice Road Truckers And many more! Note: HISTORY Vault content is only available to stream in the United States. Free Trial is only valid for first-time subscribers. Video can only be streamed in the U.S. and U.S. Territories. Payment is charged to the iTunes account at confirmation of purchase. Your account will be charged for renewal at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. You can manage your subscription and auto-renewal by visiting Account Settings on your device. If you turn off auto-renew during the current subscription period, your subscription will be canceled for the subsequent period. Please visit support.historyvault.com if you are experiencing any issues. Terms of Use: http://www.aenetworks.com/terms Privacy Policy: http://www.aenetworks.com/privacy

Screenshots

Smithsonian Magazine4 screens
HISTORY Vault4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Smithsonian Magazine at 4.7 against HISTORY Vault's 3.9. Smithsonian Magazine also leads on chart position (#179 vs unranked) and iOS requirement (15.6 vs 17.6). HISTORY Vault's advantage is update cadence (monthly vs every 5 months). On price, review sentiment, ratings volume 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Smithsonian Magazine sells 8 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month and HISTORY Vault sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Smithsonian Magazine holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 3.9. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 428 and 1.1K respectively. Written reviews complicate that: 22% of Smithsonian Magazine's written reviews are positive against 29% of HISTORY Vault's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Smithsonian Magazine ships an update every 5 months, HISTORY Vault monthly. Both last shipped on November 1, 2026.

Scorecard4 real differences · 7 level
Smithsonian Magazine versus HISTORY Vault: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSmithsonian MagazineHISTORY Vault
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.7 (428 ratings) — better3.9 (1.1K ratings)
Positive reviews22.1% of reviews29.1% of reviews — better
Number of ratings4281.1K — better
Update frequencyEvery 5 monthsMonthly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
Best chart rank#179 — better—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, Apple TV
Requires iOS15.6 — better17.6
Further details — not scored
Size62 MB106 MB
Age rating4+12+
DeveloperSmithsonian InstitutionA+E Global Media

Customer experience

Smithsonian Magazine

All ratings423 ratings
Positive93.4%
Neutral2.1%
Negative4.5%
Written reviews104 reviews
Positive22.1%
Neutral4.8%
Negative73.1%

HISTORY Vault

All ratings1,096 ratings
Positive72.7%
Neutral5.8%
Negative21.4%
Written reviews165 reviews
Positive29.1%
Neutral6.7%
Negative64.2%

User reviews

Smithsonian Magazine

From 428 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Easy to navigate
  • 🔍 Great content
  • 👍 Intuitive interface

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Crashes frequently
  • 🔒 Difficult to authenticate subscription
  • 💰 Requires separate digital subscription
  • 🔧 Clunky and buggy
  • 🗂️ Loses downloaded issues

HISTORY Vault

From 1.1K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Great content
  • 🚀 Interesting documentaries
  • 👍 Variety of historical topics
  • 👍 Reasonable subscription price

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Buggy app with frequent crashes
  • 🐛 Streaming and downloading issues
  • 🐛 Inconsistent user experience across devices
  • 🔒 Difficult to cancel subscription
  • 🔒 Billing and account issues

Bugs and requests

Smithsonian Magazine

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • Unable to download new issues
  • Fails to remember last read position
  • Incompatible with newer iOS versions
  • Incorrect issue labeling in library

Requested features

4 requests
  • Allow login with existing subscription
  • Restore previously downloaded issues
  • Improve stability and performance
  • Provide better customer support

HISTORY Vault

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Login and password reset problems
  • Incompatibility with certain devices
  • Inconsistent content availability

Requested features

5 requests
  • Add more recent and popular shows
  • Improve search and navigation
  • Implement resume playback and favorites
  • Add Chromecast/casting support
  • Provide multi-language options

In-app purchases

8 purchases

Smithsonian Magazine

Subscriptions4
  • Smithsonian Annual Subscription$1.991 Month
  • Smithsonian Magazine Monthly$1.991 Month
  • Smithsonian Annual Subscription$19.991 Year
Show 1 more
  • 12-Month Subscription$19.991 Year
One-time4
  • Smithsonian Magazine6 variants$3.99
  • Smithsonian Magazine - February 2014$3.99
  • Smithsonian Magazine - September 2014$3.99
Show 1 more
  • Smithsonian Magazine 07/2024$3.99
2 purchases

HISTORY Vault

Subscriptions2
  • History Vault7 Days trial2 variants$5.991 Month
  • History Vault7 Days trial2 variants$59.991 Year

Questions

Is Smithsonian Magazine free?
Smithsonian Magazine is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is HISTORY Vault free?
HISTORY Vault is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Smithsonian Magazine or HISTORY Vault?
Smithsonian Magazine is rated higher. Smithsonian Magazine averages 4.7 out of 5 from 428 ratings, while HISTORY Vault averages 3.9 from 1.1K ratings.
Do Smithsonian Magazine or HISTORY Vault have ads?
Neither Smithsonian Magazine nor HISTORY Vault shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Smithsonian Magazine or HISTORY Vault?
Smithsonian Magazine ships an update every 5 months, and HISTORY Vault monthly. Most recently, Smithsonian Magazine was updated on November 1, 2026 and HISTORY Vault on November 1, 2026.

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