# The Freeman vs Philstar

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Philstar at none against The Freeman's 6. Philstar also leads on update cadence (every 5 weeks vs every 17 months). The Freeman's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and iOS requirement (12.0 vs 16). On price and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. The Freeman sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per 7 days. Philstar asks for nothing beyond the download.

The Freeman ships an update every 17 months, Philstar every 5 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 12, 2026 and October 23, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | The Freeman | Philstar |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | — | **[3.3 (18 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/philstar/id532930273/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | — | **18** |
| Positive reviews | — | 51.4% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 17 months | **Every 5 weeks** |
| Monetization | — | Ad-supported |
| Size | 126 MB | 54 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.0** | 16 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Philstar Daily Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1431749320) | [Philstar Global Corporation](https://appshunter.io/developer/1377548247) |

## What reviewers say

### The Freeman

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-freeman-cebu/id495126923)

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (6)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| The Freeman - Cebu | $1.99 | per 7 days |
| The Freeman - Cebu | $6.99 | per month |
| The Freeman - Cebu | $12.99 | per 2 months |
| The Freeman - Cebu | $18.99 | per 3 months |
| The Freeman - Cebu | $29.99 | per 6 months |
| The Freeman - Cebu | $59.99 | per year |


### Philstar

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/philstar/id532930273)

Access trusted news from the Philippines and around the world with this fast and easy-to-use application. Stay informed on breaking news, politics, sports, entertainment, and more through original reporting and multimedia features.

**Highlights:** Free access to news, Timely and relevant stories, Breaking news and politics, Sports, entertainment, lifestyle, business, Original reporting and explainers, Multimedia features

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is The Freeman free?

The Freeman is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Philstar free?

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

### Do The Freeman or Philstar have ads?

Philstar shows ads; The Freeman does not.

### Which is updated more often, The Freeman or Philstar?

The Freeman ships an update every 17 months, and Philstar every 5 weeks. Most recently, The Freeman was updated on October 12, 2026 and Philstar on October 23, 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.*