Comparison

Philstar vs PulseBoard

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

Head to head
About

Philstar

Access trusted news from the Philippines and around the world with this fast and easy-to-use application. Stay informed on breaking news, politics, sports, entertainment, and more through original reporting and multimedia features.

Highlights
  • Free access to news
  • Timely and relevant stories
  • Breaking news and politics
  • Sports, entertainment, lifestyle, business
  • Original reporting and explainers
  • Multimedia features
Features
Read full description

Over a decade, the Philstar Global app has provided free access to trusted news from the Philippines and around the world. Light, fast and easy to use, the latest version of the Philstar app connects you to the most timely and relevant stories — from breaking news and politics to sports, entertainment, lifestyle and business. Access original reporting, in-depth explainers, opinion pieces and multimedia features from Philstar.com, Interaksyon, The Philippine STAR, Pilipino Star Ngayon, The Freeman, Pang-Masa and Banat — all in one place. Stay informed with credible journalism that empowers you to make sense of what’s happening — wherever you are, whenever you need it.

About

PulseBoard

Features
Read full description

PulseBoard is your real-time intelligence dashboard for the Philippines. One app, everything that matters. Stay ahead with live weather alerts from PAGASA, fuel price tracking from DOE, breaking news from top Philippine sources, earthquake monitoring from PHIVOLCS, toll fees, commuter fares, and more. All in one clean, glanceable dashboard. Tap Weather or Fuel Prices for the full picture. 7-day forecast, hourly breakdown, brand-by-brand comparison, 8-week price trends. AI-powered insights help you understand what's happening at a glance. No drama, no bloat. Just the information you need. FREE FEATURES: - Real-time weather with human-friendly summaries - Weather detail page with 7-day forecast and hourly breakdown - PAGASA alerts and NDRRMC advisories - Live fuel prices per brand (Petron, Shell, Caltex, and more) - Fuel detail page with brand rankings and price trends - Breaking news from Rappler, Inquirer, GMA, Manila Bulletin - Earthquake monitoring near PH - Toll fee calculator with destination search - Commuter fares (jeepney, bus, MRT/LRT, Grab) - Holidays calendar with next-holiday countdown - Emergency hotlines with one-tap calling - Flight tracker for NAIA, Mactan, Clark - Push notifications for earthquakes and breaking news - Smart offline mode with cached data - Customizable widget dashboard PULSEBOARD PRO: - Unlimited widgets - AI Intel powered by Claude - Live News TV channels - Priority push notifications - Support independent PH tech Built by Filipinos, for Filipinos. SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION: PulseBoard Pro is available as an auto-renewable subscription. - Monthly: ₱149/month - Yearly: ₱999/year (₱83/month) Payment is charged to your Apple ID at confirmation of purchase. Subscriptions automatically renew unless cancelled at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. You can manage and cancel subscriptions in your App Store account settings. Terms of Use: https://dnyeldev.github.io/pulseboard-legal/terms-of-service.html Privacy Policy: https://dnyeldev.github.io/pulseboard-legal/privacy-policy.html

Screenshots

Philstar4 screens
PulseBoard4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Philstar at none against PulseBoard's 2. PulseBoard's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (every 10 days vs every 5 weeks). On price, device support and iOS requirement 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. PulseBoard sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. Philstar asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Philstar ships an update every 5 weeks, PulseBoard every 10 days. The most recent releases landed on September 27, 2026 and October 1, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
Philstar versus PulseBoard: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterPhilstarPulseBoard
PriceFreeFree
Rating3.3 (18 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews51.4% of reviews—
Number of ratings18 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 5 weeksEvery 10 days — better
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationAd-supported—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPod
Requires iOS1615.1 — better
Further details — not scored
Size54 MB57 MB
Age rating12+4+
DeveloperPhilstar Global CorporationDaniel Mabalot

In-app purchases

None

Philstar

No in-app purchases

2 purchases

PulseBoard

Subscriptions2
  • Pro Monthly$1.991 Month
  • Pro Annual$14.991 Year

Questions

Is Philstar free?
Philstar is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is PulseBoard free?
PulseBoard is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Philstar or PulseBoard have ads?
Philstar shows ads; PulseBoard does not.
Which is updated more often, Philstar or PulseBoard?
Philstar ships an update every 5 weeks, and PulseBoard every 10 days. Most recently, Philstar was updated on September 27, 2026 and PulseBoard on October 1, 2026.

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