# AppleInsider vs 9to5Mac

The clearest difference is rating: 9to5Mac at 4.7 against AppleInsider's 3.3. 9to5Mac also leads on monetization model (freemium vs subscription) and ads (none vs shown). AppleInsider's advantage is device support (4 vs 2) and iOS requirement (14.7 vs 17.6). On price and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. AppleInsider sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month and 9to5Mac sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $1.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

9to5Mac holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 3.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: 9to5Mac has 4.8K ratings behind it against 49, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 30% of AppleInsider's written reviews are positive against 41% of 9to5Mac's.

AppleInsider ships an update every 8 months, 9to5Mac every 3 months. Both last shipped on September 25, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | AppleInsider | 9to5Mac |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.3 (49 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/appleinsider/id578462575/reviews) | **[4.7 (4.8K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/9to5mac-breaking-tech-news/id955138289/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 49 | **4.8K** |
| Positive reviews | 29.6% of reviews | **40.9% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 8 months | **Every 3 months** |
| Monetization | Subscription | **Freemium** |
| Size | 19 MB | 34 MB |
| Requires iOS | **14.7** | 17.6 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Crafted](https://appshunter.io/developer/578462578) | [Seth Weintraub](https://appshunter.io/developer/955138288) |

## What reviewers say

### AppleInsider

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/appleinsider/id578462575)

Stay informed with the latest Apple news, rumors, and expert commentary on your iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch. Get breaking news alerts, access video reviews, and listen to podcasts. Subscribers enjoy an ad-free experience.

**Highlights:** Breaking news push notifications, AI YouTube video library, Weekly podcasts, Live Apple event coverage, Ad-free subscription option, Optimized for iPhone and iPad, Apple Watch experience

**Features:** Apple Watch app, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (6)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Pro | $2.99 | per month |
| Pro | $29.99 | per year |
| AppleInsider Subscription (1 Month) | $0.99 | one-time |
| AppleInsider Subscription (3 Months) | $2.99 | one-time |
| AppleInsider Subscription (6 Months) | $4.99 | one-time |
| AppleInsider Subscription (1 Year) | $8.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Wide range of topics
- 👍 Informative and educational
- 👍 Excellent podcast
- 👍 Number one source for Apple news

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Cluttered and unintuitive UI
- 🐛 Crashes and loading issues
- 🔍 Ineffective search functionality
- 💰 Excessive price increase for subscription
- 🔍 New layout hides latest news

**Reported bugs**

- Crashes on iOS 14 and newer
- Articles not loading properly
- Widget functionality broken
- Subscription issues and lack of cancellation options

**Requested features**

- Dark mode option
- Customizable notification settings
- Ability to mark articles as read
- App badge to show unread articles
- iPad-optimized layout


### 9to5Mac

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/9to5mac-breaking-tech-news/id955138289)

Stay informed with the latest news for Apple devices and other tech. Enjoy an ad-free reading experience with a clean layout and push notifications for breaking stories. An optional premium subscription offers enhanced features.

**Highlights:** Latest Apple news, Ad-free reading, Push notifications, Dark Theme, Optimized layout, Access to network sites

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Premium Subscription | $1.99 | per month |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Informative content
- 📱 Great app for Apple news
- 🌓 Useful dark mode
- 👍 Modern design

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔒 Paywall restricts access
- 🐛 Crashes and bugs
- ⏱️ Slow content loading
- 💸 Expensive subscription
- 🔍 Lack of search functionality

**Reported bugs**

- Subscription issues
- Inconsistent dark mode support
- Unreliable push notifications
- Crashes when opening articles
- Broken Disqus login functionality

**Requested features**

- Dark mode icon support
- Improved notifications
- In-app commenting
- Yearly subscription option
- Faster content updates


## Frequently asked questions

### Is AppleInsider free?

AppleInsider is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is 9to5Mac free?

9to5Mac is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, AppleInsider or 9to5Mac?

9to5Mac is rated higher. AppleInsider averages 3.3 out of 5 from 49 ratings, while 9to5Mac averages 4.7 from 4.8K ratings.

### Do AppleInsider or 9to5Mac have ads?

AppleInsider shows ads; 9to5Mac does not.

### Which is updated more often, AppleInsider or 9to5Mac?

AppleInsider ships an update every 8 months, and 9to5Mac every 3 months. Most recently, AppleInsider was updated on September 25, 2026 and 9to5Mac on September 25, 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.*