Comparison

The Straits Times vs PPDB

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

Head to head
About

The Straits Times

Access trusted news, trending stories, and lifestyle updates from Singapore and around the world. Enjoy smart summaries, immersive visuals, and podcasts. Subscribers gain unlimited access to exclusive content and the digital replica of the print edition.

Highlights
  • Trusted news from Singapore and beyond
  • Trending stories and lifestyle updates
  • Smart summaries and immersive visuals
  • Podcasts
  • Tailored experience with myST+
  • Digital replica of print edition
Features
Read full description

Stay informed, your way. Stay informed with The Straits Times—where trusted journalism meets modern convenience. Get trusted news, trending stories, and lifestyle updates from Singapore and beyond—all in one app. The Straits Times app offers smart summaries, immersive visuals, podcasts, and a tailored experience with myST+. Free to download. Subscribers get to unlock unlimited access to exclusive stories and interviews, in-depth investigations, and recreate that morning ritual with the digital replica of the print edition. You can choose to subscribe on a weekly or monthly basis: • ST weekly subscription (auto-renewed weekly at S$ 7.98) • ST monthly subscription (auto-renewed monthly at S$ 29.98) • Try our introductory offer at S$ 0.98*/month for the first 3 months • Payment will be charged to your iTunes account upon confirmation of the purchase • You will be automatically charged for renewal within 24 hours prior to the end of the current period • Manage your subscription and turn off auto-renew at any time by going to account settings in the App Store • Upon cancellation, your subscription is valid till the end of the current period. Past subscriptions will not be refunded *Introductory offer is available to new subscribers only. For technical assistance, please contact stics@sph.com.sg Privacy policy: https://sph.com.sg/legal/sph_privacy.html Terms and conditions: https://www.sph.com.sg/terms-and-conditions/app-for-ios

About

PPDB

Access the latest police news, public alerts, and safety tips from the Royal Brunei Police Force. Find police station locations and download selected forms for convenience.

Highlights
  • Latest police news
  • Public alerts and notices
  • Safety tips and awareness
  • Police station locations
  • Downloadable police forms
Features
Read full description

PPDB is the official mobile app of the Royal Brunei Police Force, created to keep the public informed and connected. The App provides the latest police news, public alerts and notices, safety tips and awareness information, as well as general details and locations of police stations across Brunei Darussalam. Users can also access selected forms for added convenience, making police forms more accessible anytime, anywhere.

Screenshots

The Straits Times4 screens
PPDB4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: PPDB at 5.0 against The Straits Times's 4.4. PPDB also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 3) and ads (none vs shown). The Straits Times's advantage is ratings volume (267 vs 2). On price, update cadence, 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. The Straits Times sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 per 7 days. PPDB asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

PPDB holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: The Straits Times has 267 ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

The Straits Times ships an update every 3 weeks, PPDB monthly. The most recent releases landed on October 26, 2026 and October 23, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
The Straits Times versus PPDB: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterThe Straits TimesPPDB
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.4 (267 ratings)5.0 (2 ratings) — better
Positive reviews19.7% of reviews—
Number of ratings267 — better2
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeks — betterMonthly
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree — better
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPod
Requires iOS16.015 — better
Further details — not scored
Size311 MB37 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperSPH Media LimitedE-Government National Centre

Customer experience

The Straits Times

All ratings267 ratings
Positive85.8%
Neutral3.4%
Negative10.9%
Written reviews132 reviews
Positive19.7%
Neutral5.3%
Negative75.0%

PPDB

All ratings2 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

3 purchases

The Straits Times

Subscriptions3
  • ST weekly subscription$5.997 Days
  • ST monthly subscription1 Month trial$22.491 Month
  • ST yearly subscription1 Year trial$229.991 Year
None

PPDB

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is The Straits Times free?
The Straits Times is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is PPDB free?
PPDB is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, The Straits Times or PPDB?
PPDB is rated higher. The Straits Times averages 4.4 out of 5 from 267 ratings, while PPDB averages 5.0 from 2 ratings.
Do The Straits Times or PPDB have ads?
The Straits Times shows ads; PPDB does not.
Which is updated more often, The Straits Times or PPDB?
The Straits Times ships an update every 3 weeks, and PPDB monthly. Most recently, The Straits Times was updated on October 26, 2026 and PPDB on October 23, 2026.

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