Comparison

Scientific American vs New Philosopher

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

Head to head
About

Scientific American

Access expert insights on groundbreaking science and technology advances. Stay informed with news, commentary, and in-depth features from leading scientists. Explore the modern world through a trusted lens.

Highlights
  • Expert science and technology insights
  • News and commentary on current events
  • In-depth features by Nobel laureates
  • Coverage of important scientific advances
  • Essential guide to the modern world
Features
Read full description

Founded in 1845, Scientific American provides expert insights on the most important and awe-inspiring advances in science and technology. With news and commentary about current events and in-depth features by experts, including more than 200 Nobel Prize-winning scientists, Scientific American is the essential guide to the modern world. Support Science Journalism. Become a Subscriber. A subscription to Scientific American is available through iTunes for $49.99 annually and is renewed automatically at the end of the subscription term, until canceled. Individual issues are $9.99 each. Payment for all purchases will be charged to your iTunes account. For more information, please visit iTunes Terms and Conditions: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/volume/us/terms.html Founded in 1845, Scientific American provides expert insights on the most important and awe-inspiring advances in science and technology. With news and commentary about current events and in-depth features by experts, including more than 200 Nobel Prize-winning scientists, Scientific American is the essential guide to the modern world. Support Science Journalism. Become a Subscriber. Scientific American Customer Service: Email: help@sciam.com

About

New Philosopher

Explore philosophical ideas from past and present thinkers to find solutions for fundamental human problems and live a more fulfilling life. This app delves into contemporary societal challenges and offers insights for personal growth.

Highlights
  • Explores philosophical ideas
  • Addresses fundamental human problems
  • Seeks solutions to contemporary issues
  • Offers insights for a fulfilling life
  • Content from past and present thinkers
Features
Read full description

New Philosopher is for curious people seeking solutions to the fundamental problems faced by humankind. New Philosopher is devoted to exploring philosophical ideas from past and present thinkers on ways to live a more fulfilling life, and to seek to find solutions to the most pressing problems faced by humans in contemporary society. Pricing for subscriptions available: ­• Single issue: $7.99 • 1 year subscription = $29.99, automatically renewed until cancelled When purchasing through iTunes your account will be charged at confirmation of purchase. Your subscription will auto­-renew unless you turn this off 24 hours before the subscription runs out. You can turn off auto­-renewal at any time from your iTunes account settings. You can manage your subscription through your account settings after purchase on your device. No cancellation of the current subscription is allowed during active subscription period Terms of Service : https://www.newphilosopher.com/privacy/ Privacy Policy : https://www.newphilosopher.com/privacy/

Screenshots

Scientific American4 screens
New Philosopher4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Scientific American at 4.8 against New Philosopher's 2.0. Scientific American also leads on ratings volume (10K vs 4) and review sentiment (49% vs 33%). New Philosopher's advantage is monetization model (free with in-app purchases vs subscription) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.0). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases 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. Scientific American sells 20 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 per month and New Philosopher sells 17 in-app purchases, starting at $15.99 per 3 months. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Scientific American holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 2.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Scientific American has 10K ratings behind it against 4, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 49% of Scientific American's written reviews are positive against 33% of New Philosopher's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 5 months. The most recent releases landed on September 24, 2026 and September 21, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 5 level
Scientific American versus New Philosopher: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterScientific AmericanNew Philosopher
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.8 (10K ratings) — better2.0 (4 ratings)
Positive reviews48.5% of reviews — better33.3% of reviews
Number of ratings10K — better4
Update frequencyEvery 5 monthsEvery 5 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationSubscriptionFree with in-app purchases — better
Best chart rank#101 — better—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS15.013.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size19 MB97 MB
Age rating12+4+
DeveloperSpringer Nature America, Inc.Zinio Pro

Customer experience

Scientific American

All ratings10,109 ratings
Positive95.4%
Neutral1.9%
Negative2.7%
Written reviews338 reviews
Positive48.5%
Neutral8.3%
Negative43.2%

New Philosopher

All ratings4 ratings
Positive25.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative75.0%
Written reviews9 reviews
Positive33.3%
Neutral11.1%
Negative55.6%

Bugs and requests

Scientific American

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • Frequent login issues and lost subscriptions
  • Unreliable downloads and disappearing content
  • Crashes and performance problems, especially on newer iOS
  • Outdated app design and lack of modern features

Requested features

6 requests
  • Dark mode option
  • Improved bookmarking and article saving
  • Better search and organization tools
  • Ability to adjust font size and display settings
  • Seamless sync across devices
Show 1 more
  • More interactive and multimedia content

New Philosopher

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

20 purchases

Scientific American

Subscriptions3
  • 1 Month Subscription$5.991 Month
  • Scientific American - 1 year Subscription$34.991 Year
  • 1 Year Subscription$49.991 Year
One-time17
  • Scientific American October 2012 issue$5.99
  • Scientific American February 2013 issue$5.99
  • Scientific American August 2013 issue$5.99
Show 14 more
  • Scientific American September 2013 issue$5.99
  • Scientific American January 2014 issue$5.99
  • Scientific American issue for November 2014$5.99
  • Scientific American issue for September 2015$5.99
  • SciAm Oct 2023$9.99
  • SciAm March 2023$9.99
  • SciAm May 2023$9.99
  • SciAm January 2023$9.99
  • SciAm April 2023$9.99
  • SciAm Jul/Aug 2023$9.99
  • SciAm June 2023$9.99
  • SciAm Sept 2023$9.99
  • SciAm Nov 2023$9.99
  • SciAm Dec 2023$9.99
17 purchases

New Philosopher

Subscriptions2
  • 3 Month$15.993 Months
  • 1 Year1 Month trial$29.991 Year
One-time15
  • Issue 49$14.99
  • Issue 40 - June/August 2023$14.99
  • Dec 2021 / Feb 2022$14.99
Show 12 more
  • Sept - Nov 2021$14.99
  • Issue 44 - June/August 2024$14.99
  • Issue 43 - March/May 2024$14.99
  • August 2016$15.99
  • February 2017$15.99
  • May 2017$15.99
  • November 2017$15.99
  • February - April 2016$15.99
  • February 2018$15.99
  • August 2018$15.99
  • November 2018$15.99
  • Issue 23 - No.1/2019$15.99

Questions

Is Scientific American free?
Scientific American is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is New Philosopher free?
New Philosopher is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Scientific American or New Philosopher?
Scientific American is rated higher. Scientific American averages 4.8 out of 5 from 10K ratings, while New Philosopher averages 2.0 from 4 ratings.
Do Scientific American or New Philosopher have ads?
Neither Scientific American nor New Philosopher shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Scientific American or New Philosopher?
Scientific American ships an update every 5 months, and New Philosopher every 5 months. Most recently, Scientific American was updated on September 24, 2026 and New Philosopher on September 21, 2026.

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