# Smithsonian Magazine vs BrainLab STEAM

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: BrainLab STEAM at none against Smithsonian Magazine's 13. BrainLab STEAM also leads on update cadence (every 6 days vs every 5 months). Smithsonian Magazine's advantage is chart position (#179 vs unranked) and iOS requirement (15.6 vs 17). On price, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Smithsonian Magazine sells 8 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. BrainLab STEAM asks for nothing beyond the download.

Smithsonian Magazine ships an update every 5 months, BrainLab STEAM every 6 days. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and October 25, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Smithsonian Magazine | BrainLab STEAM |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (428 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/smithsonian-magazine/id484193368/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **428** | — |
| Positive reviews | 22.1% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 5 months | **Every 6 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Best chart rank | **#179** | — |
| Size | 62 MB | 42 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.6** | 17 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Smithsonian Institution](https://appshunter.io/developer/370564865) | [Ho Xuan Quang](https://appshunter.io/developer/1368564121) |

## What reviewers say

### Smithsonian Magazine

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/smithsonian-magazine/id484193368)

**Currently charting:** #179 Top Free · Magazines & Newspapers (US App Store)

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:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (8)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Smithsonian Annual Subscription | $1.99 | per month |
| Smithsonian Magazine Monthly | $1.99 | per month |
| Smithsonian Annual Subscription | $19.99 | per year |
| 12-Month Subscription | $19.99 | per year |
| Smithsonian Magazine | $3.99 | one-time |
| Smithsonian Magazine - February 2014 | $3.99 | one-time |
| Smithsonian Magazine - September 2014 | $3.99 | one-time |
| Smithsonian Magazine 07/2024 | $3.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

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

**What reviewers complain about**

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

**Reported bugs**

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

**Requested features**

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


### BrainLab STEAM

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/brainlab-steam/id6742111501)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Smithsonian Magazine free?

Smithsonian Magazine is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is BrainLab STEAM free?

BrainLab STEAM is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Do Smithsonian Magazine or BrainLab STEAM have ads?

Neither Smithsonian Magazine nor BrainLab STEAM shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Smithsonian Magazine or BrainLab STEAM?

Smithsonian Magazine ships an update every 5 months, and BrainLab STEAM every 6 days. Most recently, Smithsonian Magazine was updated on November 1, 2026 and BrainLab STEAM on October 25, 2026.

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