Comparison

Macworld Digital Magazine U.S. vs AppleInsider

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

Head to head
About

Macworld Digital Magazine U.S.

Stay informed about all things Apple with this digital magazine. It offers in-depth product reviews, helpful tips, and analysis of the latest news for Mac, iPad, and iPhone users. Get comprehensive coverage of the Apple ecosystem.

Highlights
  • Apple product reviews
  • Valuable tips and tricks
  • Analysis of latest news
  • Coverage of Mac, iPad, iPhone
  • Monthly digital issues
Features
Read full description

Macworld is the largest Apple-focused publishing brand in the world, and Macworld Magazine (U.S.) is the most popular Apple-focused magazine. Launched with the Mac in 1984, Macworld is still the best place to read about everything Apple's doing, from the Mac to the iPad, iPhone, and iPadPro. Combining product reviews, valuable tips, and analysis of the latest news developments, every month Macworld magazine provides you with what you need to know about the universe of Apple products. Single issues are available for $6.99 each, or you can opt for a recurring monthly subscription for $1.99 per issue. Subscriptions may be managed by the user and auto-renewal may be turned off by going to the user's Account Settings after purchase. Payment will be charged to your iTunes Account at confirmation of purchase. The subscription automatically renews 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, and identify the cost of the renewal. No cancellation of the current subscription is allowed during the active subscription period. You can find our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy here: Term of use URL: https://www.idg.com/terms-of-service-agreement/ Private Policy URL: https://www.macworld.com/about/privacy.html

About

AppleInsider

Stay informed with the latest Apple news, rumors, and expert commentary on your iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch. Get breaking news alerts, access video reviews, and listen to podcasts. Subscribers enjoy an ad-free experience.

Highlights
  • Breaking news push notifications
  • AI YouTube video library
  • Weekly podcasts
  • Live Apple event coverage
  • Ad-free subscription option
  • Optimized for iPhone and iPad
  • Apple Watch experience
Features
Read full description

The official AppleInsider app for iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch serves as the most up-to-date and reliable source for all things Apple. Since 1997, AppleInsider has been the best destination for Apple-related news, rumors, reviews, expert commentary and more. And with the AppleInsider app, you can take all those news, tips, commentary, and reviews with you on the go, staying a step ahead of your friends with breaking news alerts and finger-tip access to the latest Apple news and rumors.   Features: - Be the first to know about breaking news and major announcements with push notifications sent directly to your device as they happen. - Access the AI YouTube video library to view product reviews, tutorials and more. - Listen to weekly podcasts and keep current with live Apple event coverage. - Subscribers can enjoy an ad-free viewing experience for $29.99 per year with an auto-renewable, annual subscription, or $2.99 a month. - Optimized for both iPhone and iPad. - Refreshed Apple Watch experience.   AppleInsider Pro subscription available: Besides one year of ad-free content for $29.99, a one-month subscription is available for $2.99. Both subscription tiers will automatically renew until canceled.   AppleInsider Pro Automatic-Renewal Feature: Your AppleInsider Pro digital subscription will be charged to your iTunes account at confirmation of purchase and will automatically renew unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24 hours before the end of your current period. Your iTunes account will automatically be charged at the same price for renewal, $29.99 per year, within 24 hours prior to the end of your current period.   Current subscriptions may not be canceled during the active subscription period, but you can manage your subscription and/or turn off auto-renewal by visiting your iTunes Account Settings after purchase.   For complete terms and conditions, please see our Terms of Use (http://www.appleinsider.com/terms-of-use) and Privacy Policy (http://www.appleinsider.com/privacy).

Screenshots

Macworld Digital Magazine U.S.4 screens
AppleInsider3 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Macworld Digital Magazine U.S. at 4.4 against AppleInsider's 3.3. Macworld Digital Magazine U.S. also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 6) and ads (none vs shown). On price, review sentiment, 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. AppleInsider sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. Macworld Digital Magazine U.S. asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Macworld Digital Magazine U.S. holds the better App Store score, 4.4 against 3.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Macworld Digital Magazine U.S. has 367 ratings behind it against 49, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 37% of Macworld Digital Magazine U.S.'s written reviews are positive against 29% of AppleInsider's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Macworld Digital Magazine U.S. ships an update every 4 months, AppleInsider every 8 months. The most recent releases landed on November 6, 2026 and November 10, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
Macworld Digital Magazine U.S. versus AppleInsider: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterMacworld Digital Magazine U.S.AppleInsider
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.4 (367 ratings) — better3.3 (49 ratings)
Positive reviews36.9% of reviews — better29.4% of reviews
Number of ratings367 — better49
Update frequencyEvery 4 months — betterEvery 8 months
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases — betterSubscription
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch — better
Requires iOS13.0 — better14.7
Further details — not scored
Size76 MB19 MB
Age rating17+4+
DeveloperIDG Communications Inc.Crafted

Customer experience

Macworld Digital Magazine U.S.

All ratings366 ratings
Positive85.8%
Neutral2.5%
Negative11.7%
Written reviews160 reviews
Positive36.9%
Neutral9.4%
Negative53.8%

AppleInsider

All ratings49 ratings
Positive46.9%
Neutral12.2%
Negative40.8%
Written reviews218 reviews
Positive29.4%
Neutral13.3%
Negative57.3%

User reviews

Macworld Digital Magazine U.S.

From 367 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 👍 Good magazine content
  • 🚀 Fast and fluid app
  • 💡 Innovative use of scrolling and navigation
  • 🔋 Convenient digital format

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Frequent crashes and stability issues
  • 🔒 Difficulty restoring purchases and managing subscriptions
  • 👎 Poor user interface and navigation
  • 🔒 Inability to access content offline

AppleInsider

From 49 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Wide range of topics
  • 👍 Informative and educational
  • 👍 Excellent podcast
  • 👍 Number one source for Apple news

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Cluttered and unintuitive UI
  • 🐛 Crashes and loading issues
  • 🔍 Ineffective search functionality
  • 💰 Excessive price increase for subscription
  • 🔍 New layout hides latest news

Bugs and requests

Macworld Digital Magazine U.S.

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Issues with downloading and accessing purchased issues
  • Frequent log-out and sign-in problems
  • Incompatibility with newer iOS versions

Requested features

4 requests
  • Landscape mode support
  • Ability to zoom and adjust font size
  • Improved subscription management and offline access
  • Interactive features like highlighting and note-taking

AppleInsider

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • Crashes on iOS 14 and newer
  • Articles not loading properly
  • Widget functionality broken
  • Subscription issues and lack of cancellation options

Requested features

6 requests
  • Dark mode option
  • Customizable notification settings
  • Ability to mark articles as read
  • App badge to show unread articles
  • iPad-optimized layout
Show 1 more
  • Landscape mode support for videos

In-app purchases

None

Macworld Digital Magazine U.S.

No in-app purchases

6 purchases

AppleInsider

Subscriptions2
  • Pro$2.991 Month
  • Pro$29.991 Year
One-time4
  • AppleInsider Subscription (1 Month)$0.99
  • AppleInsider Subscription (3 Months)$2.99
  • AppleInsider Subscription (6 Months)$4.99
Show 1 more
  • AppleInsider Subscription (1 Year)$8.99

Questions

Is Macworld Digital Magazine U.S. free?
Macworld Digital Magazine U.S. is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is AppleInsider free?
AppleInsider is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Macworld Digital Magazine U.S. or AppleInsider?
Macworld Digital Magazine U.S. is rated higher. Macworld Digital Magazine U.S. averages 4.4 out of 5 from 367 ratings, while AppleInsider averages 3.3 from 49 ratings.
Do Macworld Digital Magazine U.S. or AppleInsider have ads?
AppleInsider shows ads; Macworld Digital Magazine U.S. does not.
Which is updated more often, Macworld Digital Magazine U.S. or AppleInsider?
Macworld Digital Magazine U.S. ships an update every 4 months, and AppleInsider every 8 months. Most recently, Macworld Digital Magazine U.S. was updated on November 6, 2026 and AppleInsider on November 10, 2026.

Other comparisons