Comparison

Smithsonian Magazine vs Thirteen Explore

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

Thirteen Explore

Stream full episodes of popular PBS and THIRTEEN programs, including Masterpiece, Nature, and Frontline, directly to your iPhone and iPad. Access New York-centric shows and livestream THIRTEEN if you're in the NYC metro area. Cast content to your TV using Apple TV and Chromecast.

Highlights
  • Stream full episodes
  • Masterpiece, Nature, Frontline
  • New York-centric shows
  • Livestream THIRTEEN (NYC)
  • Cast to TV
Read full description

Your favorite THIRTEEN and PBS programs like Masterpiece, Nature and Frontline - streamed right to your iPhone and iPad! THIRTEEN Explore includes: * Full episodes from programs such as Masterpiece, American Masters, PBS NewsHour, Great Performances, Nature, NOVA, Antiques Roadshow and Frontline * New York-centric shows like NYC-ARTS, MetroFocus, Treasures of New York and NJTV News * Stream via Apple TV and Chromecast to your TV * Livestream THIRTEEN (must be in the NYC metropolitan area)

Screenshots

Smithsonian Magazine4 screens
Thirteen Explore4 screens

Verdict

The call

Smithsonian Magazine and Thirteen Explore both sit at 4.7 stars, but that hides the real split: 70% of Thirteen Explore's written reviews are positive against 22% of Smithsonian Magazine's. Thirteen Explore also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 13) and ratings volume (5.8K vs 423). Smithsonian Magazine's advantage is ads (none vs shown). On price, rating, update cadence 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. Smithsonian Magazine sells 8 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. Thirteen Explore asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.7 for Smithsonian Magazine against 4.8 for Thirteen Explore. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Thirteen Explore has 5.8K ratings behind it against 423, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 22% of Smithsonian Magazine's written reviews are positive against 70% of Thirteen Explore's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 5 months. The most recent releases landed on October 15, 2026 and October 17, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
Smithsonian Magazine versus Thirteen Explore: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSmithsonian MagazineThirteen Explore
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.7 (423 ratings)4.8 (5.8K ratings) — better
Positive reviews22.1% of reviews69.5% of reviews — better
Number of ratings4235.8K — better
Update frequencyEvery 5 monthsEvery 5 months
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesAd-supported — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple TV — better
Requires iOS15.615.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size62 MB21 MB
Age rating4+12+
DeveloperSmithsonian InstitutionThirteen/WNET

Customer experience

Smithsonian Magazine

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

Thirteen Explore

All ratings5,771 ratings
Positive96.1%
Neutral1.6%
Negative2.3%
Written reviews82 reviews
Positive69.5%
Neutral8.5%
Negative22.0%

User reviews

Smithsonian Magazine

From 423 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

Thirteen Explore

From 5.8K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 👍 Quality entertainment and education
  • 👍 Variety of programming
  • 👍 Reliable and trustworthy content
  • 👍 Ability to watch missed episodes

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Buggy app with login and playback issues
  • 🤔 Lack of user-friendly features (e.g., episode tracking, Chromecast support)
  • 🤔 Limited content availability for Passport members

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

Thirteen Explore

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Login screen freezes or doesn't work
  • Playback issues, such as app crashing or getting kicked out
  • Incompatibility with certain devices (e.g., Firestick)

Requested features

3 requests
  • Add episode tracking and resume playback functionality
  • Improve Chromecast support with features like closed captions
  • Expand Passport content library to include more archived shows

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
None

Thirteen Explore

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Smithsonian Magazine free?
Smithsonian Magazine is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Thirteen Explore free?
Thirteen Explore is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Smithsonian Magazine or Thirteen Explore?
Thirteen Explore is rated higher. Smithsonian Magazine averages 4.7 out of 5 from 423 ratings, while Thirteen Explore averages 4.8 from 5.8K ratings.
Do Smithsonian Magazine or Thirteen Explore have ads?
Thirteen Explore shows ads; Smithsonian Magazine does not.
Which is updated more often, Smithsonian Magazine or Thirteen Explore?
Smithsonian Magazine ships an update every 5 months, and Thirteen Explore every 5 months. Most recently, Smithsonian Magazine was updated on October 15, 2026 and Thirteen Explore on October 17, 2026.

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