The National E vs Flipster
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
The National E
Access and read The National Newspaper exactly as it appears in its print edition. Stay informed with the latest news presented in a familiar layout. This application provides a direct digital replica of the physical publication.
- Read print edition replica
- Access latest news
- Digital newspaper format
- Familiar layout
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The National E-Reader Read The National Newspaper as it appears in print.
Flipster
Access a wide selection of digital magazines for free through your local library. Explore, download, and read titles offline on your Apple device, with features like offline reading and article navigation.
- Locate participating libraries
- Browse and download magazines
- Read magazines offline
- Digital table of contents
- Article text view
- Jump to articles and websites
- Track reading progress
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Flipster is a free digital magazine service provided courtesy of your library. Find libraries near you that offer Flipster, then explore, download, and read magazines any time on your Apple devices. If you find that your library does not offer Flipster, encourage them to sign up today. Features: - Locate participating libraries - Browse, search, and download popular magazines to read offline - Access digital table of contents for each magazine - Read articles in text view - Tap highlighted areas to jump to articles and related websites - Track percentage of magazine read Now it’s time to relax, put your feet up and read your favorite magazines with Flipster!
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is review sentiment: The National E at 67% against Flipster's 16%. The National E also leads on rating (4.8 vs 2.2). Flipster's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (every 3 months vs every 8 months). On price, ratings volume, in-app purchases 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
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
The National E holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 2.2. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 138 and 217 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 67% of The National E's written reviews are positive against 16% of Flipster's.
The National E ships an update every 8 months, Flipster every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on October 23, 2026 and October 26, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | The National E | Flipster |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.8 (138 ratings) — better | 2.2 (217 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 66.7% of reviews — better | 15.9% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 138 | 217 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 8 months | Every 3 months — better |
| Ads | Yes | No — better |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Ad-supported | Free — better |
| Best chart rank | — | #202 — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better |
| Requires iOS | 17.6 | 12.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 45 MB | 16 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | PressReader Inc | EBSCO Publishing |
Customer experience
The National E
Flipster
Bugs and requests
The National E
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
Flipster
Reported bugs
5 issues- Login issues and credential errors
- Frequent crashes and service unavailability
- Incompatibility with newer OS versions
- Inability to exit full-screen mode
- Outdated magazine content
Requested features
5 requests- Ability to bookmark specific publishers or categories
- Adjustable font sizes and text view options
- Notifications for expiring magazines
- Dark mode support
- Improved navigation and magazine management
In-app purchases
The National E
No in-app purchases
Flipster
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is The National E free?
Is Flipster free?
Which has better reviews, The National E or Flipster?
Do The National E or Flipster have ads?
Which is updated more often, The National E or Flipster?
Other comparisons
