# The National E vs Flipster

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.

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.

## The numbers

| Metric | The National E | Flipster |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (138 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-national-e-reader/id522987896/reviews)** | [2.2 (217 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/flipster-digital-magazines/id797106282/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 138 | **217** |
| Positive reviews | **66.7% of reviews** | 15.9% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 8 months | **Every 3 months** |
| Monetization | Ad-supported | **Free** |
| Best chart rank | — | **#195** |
| Size | 45 MB | 16 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.6 | **12.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [PressReader Inc](https://appshunter.io/developer/313904714) | [EBSCO Publishing](https://appshunter.io/developer/433269590) |

## What reviewers say

### The National E

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-national-e-reader/id522987896)

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.

**Highlights:** Read print edition replica, Access latest news, Digital newspaper format, Familiar layout

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

**In-app purchases:** none


### Flipster

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/flipster-digital-magazines/id797106282)

**Currently charting:** #195 Top Free · News (US App Store)

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.

**Highlights:** 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

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Solid and functional
- 👍 Simplicity and minimalism
- 👍 Reading magazines with relative ease

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent 'service unavailable' errors
- 🐛 Inability to change text size
- 🐛 Crashing and not working on certain devices
- 🐛 Outdated magazine selection
- 🐛 Inconsistent user experience

**Reported bugs**

- 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**

- 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


## Frequently asked questions

### Is The National E free?

The National E is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Flipster free?

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

### Which has better reviews, The National E or Flipster?

The National E is rated higher. The National E averages 4.8 out of 5 from 138 ratings, while Flipster averages 2.2 from 217 ratings.

### Do The National E or Flipster have ads?

The National E shows ads; Flipster does not.

### Which is updated more often, The National E or Flipster?

The National E ships an update every 8 months, and Flipster every 3 months. Most recently, The National E was updated on October 23, 2026 and Flipster on October 26, 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.*