# Scientific American vs New Philosopher

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.

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.

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.

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

## The numbers

| Metric | Scientific American | New Philosopher |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (10K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/scientific-american/id514734550/reviews)** | [2.0 (4 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/new-philosopher/id1101636040/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **10K** | 4 |
| Positive reviews | **48.5% of reviews** | 33.3% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 5 months | Every 5 months |
| Monetization | Subscription | **Free with in-app purchases** |
| Best chart rank | **#101** | — |
| Size | 19 MB | 97 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | **13.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Springer Nature America, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/349659425) | [Zinio Pro](https://appshunter.io/developer/451100089) |

## What reviewers say

### Scientific American

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/scientific-american/id514734550)

**Currently charting:** #101 Top Free · Magazines & Newspapers (US App Store)

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:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (20)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 1 Month Subscription | $5.99 | per month |
| Scientific American - 1 year Subscription | $34.99 | per year |
| 1 Year Subscription | $49.99 | per year |
| Scientific American October 2012 issue | $5.99 | one-time |
| Scientific American February 2013 issue | $5.99 | one-time |
| Scientific American August 2013 issue | $5.99 | one-time |
| Scientific American September 2013 issue | $5.99 | one-time |
| Scientific American January 2014 issue | $5.99 | one-time |
| Scientific American issue for November 2014 | $5.99 | one-time |
| Scientific American issue for September 2015 | $5.99 | one-time |
| SciAm Oct 2023 | $9.99 | one-time |
| SciAm March 2023 | $9.99 | one-time |
| SciAm May 2023 | $9.99 | one-time |
| SciAm January 2023 | $9.99 | one-time |
| SciAm April 2023 | $9.99 | one-time |
| SciAm Jul/Aug 2023 | $9.99 | one-time |
| SciAm June 2023 | $9.99 | one-time |
| SciAm Sept 2023 | $9.99 | one-time |
| SciAm Nov 2023 | $9.99 | one-time |
| SciAm Dec 2023 | $9.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Great reading experience
- 👍 Intuitive navigation
- 🚀 Fast and responsive
- 👍 Broad range of topics
- 👍 Reliable content

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Subscription issues and login problems
- 🐛 Inconsistent performance and crashes
- 🐛 Buggy downloads and lost content
- 🐛 Lack of offline reading options
- 🐛 Outdated and poor app design

**Reported bugs**

- 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**

- 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


### New Philosopher

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/new-philosopher/id1101636040)

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:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (17)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 3 Month | $15.99 | per 3 months |
| 1 Year | $29.99 | per year |
| Issue 49 | $14.99 | one-time |
| Issue 40 - June/August 2023 | $14.99 | one-time |
| Dec 2021 / Feb 2022 | $14.99 | one-time |
| Sept - Nov 2021 | $14.99 | one-time |
| Issue 44 - June/August 2024 | $14.99 | one-time |
| Issue 43 - March/May 2024 | $14.99 | one-time |
| August 2016 | $15.99 | one-time |
| February 2017 | $15.99 | one-time |
| May 2017 | $15.99 | one-time |
| November 2017 | $15.99 | one-time |
| February - April 2016 | $15.99 | one-time |
| February 2018 | $15.99 | one-time |
| August 2018 | $15.99 | one-time |
| November 2018 | $15.99 | one-time |
| Issue 23 - No.1/2019 | $15.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked 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.

---

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