Comparison

Handguns Magazine vs LiveFire

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

Head to head
About

Handguns Magazine

This app provides in-depth reviews and testing of new handgun models, including semiautomatics and revolvers. It also features articles on self-defense, skill improvement, and related accessories.

Highlights
  • New handgun model testing
  • Semiautomatic and revolver reviews
  • Self-defense articles
  • Skill improvement guides
  • Accessory reviews (holsters, ammo, lights, lasers)
  • Historical handgun features
Features
Read full description

Handguns specializes in the thorough testing and evaluation of a wide variety of new handgun models-both semiautomatics and revolvers. In addition to gun reviews, the magazine delivers articles on self-defense, skill improvement, holsters, ammunition, lights and lasers, historical handguns and much more. https://www.outdoorsg.com/about/terms-of-service https://www.outdoorsg.com/about/privacy/

About

LiveFire

This app connects firearms enthusiasts with a community for training, performance tracking, and sharing progress. It offers instructional videos, a digital log book, and a par timer to enhance skills and knowledge.

Highlights
  • Performance tracking
  • Community groups
  • Instructional videos
  • Digital log book
  • Par timer
  • Loadout builder
Features
Read full description

Join an active and engaged firearms training community with LiveFire! Not only can you track your individual performance and connect with expert trainers, but you can also share your training milestones with fellow enthusiasts. Connect and Engage LiveFire brings together a vibrant community of like-minded individuals through LiveFire Groups. Join these dedicated groups to connect with peers who share your passion for firearms training, safety, and responsibility. Engage in discussions, exchange tips, and techniques, and celebrate each other's successes. In addition, immerse yourself in the captivating world of RapidFireTV, where you can watch videos from instructors around the globe. These industry-leading professionals provide entertaining and insightful content vetted by LiveFire. Share Your Journey Capture and share your training milestones with the LiveFire community. Showcase your progress, post photos of your loadout, and inspire others with your dedication and achievements. With the LiveFire Loadout Builder, you can proudly display your latest purchases and EDC setup, inviting discussions and feedback from fellow enthusiasts. Elevate Your Training Experience Take advantage of LiveFire's comprehensive resources and training programs. From instructional videos to in-depth courses, you'll find the tools you need to enhance your skills and knowledge. Dive into a world of expert guidance, practical tips, and cutting-edge techniques, all carefully curated by LiveFire to ensure a top-quality training experience. LiveFire Log Book: Your Training Journal Elevate your training experience with the LiveFire Log Book, your digital training journal. Seamlessly record your training sessions, track your performance, and monitor your progress over time. Document your insights, techniques, and goals, ensuring you have a comprehensive record of your firearms training journey. Reflect on your achievements, identify areas for improvement, and stay motivated as you push yourself to new heights. Intuitive Par Timer: Master Your Timing Precision and timing are vital in firearms training. With LiveFire's intuitive Par Timer, you can refine your skills and challenge yourself like never before. Set your own time goals, measure your speed and accuracy, and train under realistic conditions. The Par Timer adds an extra level of intensity to your sessions, helping you focus on improving specific skills and achieving optimal performance. Sync and Analyze LiveFire's advanced technology allows you to sync your training data across devices, ensuring that your log book and par timer settings are always up to date. Analyze your training patterns, identify trends, and gain valuable insights into your performance. With this information at your fingertips, you can make informed decisions about your training regimen and track your improvement over time. Join the LiveFire community today and become part of an active and supportive network of firearms training enthusiasts. Share, connect, and learn together as you embark on your training journey. We can't wait to have you on board! Privacy Policy: https://teamlivefire.com/privacy Terms of Use: https://teamlivefire.com/terms

Screenshots

Handguns Magazine4 screens
LiveFire4 screens

Verdict

The call

Handguns Magazine and LiveFire both sit at 4.8 stars, but that hides the real split: 100% of LiveFire's written reviews are positive against 20% of Handguns Magazine's. LiveFire also leads on update cadence (every 4 weeks vs every 9 months). Handguns Magazine's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and ratings volume (241 vs 32). On price, rating, in-app purchases and monetization model 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. Handguns Magazine sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $11.99 per year and LiveFire sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.8 for Handguns Magazine against 4.8 for LiveFire. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Handguns Magazine has 241 ratings behind it against 32, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 20% of Handguns Magazine's written reviews are positive against 100% of LiveFire's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Handguns Magazine ships an update every 9 months, LiveFire every 4 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and October 15, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
Handguns Magazine versus LiveFire: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterHandguns MagazineLiveFire
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.8 (241 ratings)4.8 (32 ratings) — better
Positive reviews20.0% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings241 — better32
Update frequencyEvery 9 monthsEvery 4 weeks — better
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS15.0 — better15.6
Further details — not scored
Size25 MB130 MB
Age rating17+12+
DeveloperKSE Sportsman Media, IncLivefire, LLC

Customer experience

Handguns Magazine

All ratings238 ratings
Positive95.8%
Neutral1.3%
Negative2.9%
Written reviews25 reviews
Positive20.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative80.0%

LiveFire

All ratings32 ratings
Positive96.9%
Neutral0.0%
Negative3.1%
Written reviews8 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Bugs and requests

Handguns Magazine

Reported bugs

11 issues
  • Restore purchases every time
  • Password query on every read attempt
  • Unable to contact server
  • Cannot access account/password timeout
  • Paid subscriptions not showing
Show 6 more
  • Incompatibility with iOS 8
  • Cannot restore previous purchases
  • Cannot download issues
  • Previously downloaded issues no longer local
  • App unresponsive
  • Incomplete issue download

Requested features

4 requests
  • Make compatible with newest iOS
  • Fix app issues with iOS 8
  • Provide refund for broken subscriptions
  • Fix continuous billing option

LiveFire

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

10 purchases

Handguns Magazine

Subscriptions1
  • 1 Year Subscription$11.991 Year
One-time9
  • December / January 2013$4.99
  • February / March 2013$4.99
  • April / May 2013$4.99
Show 6 more
  • June / July 2013$4.99
  • August / September 2013$4.99
  • December / January 2014$4.99
  • February / March 2014$4.99
  • April/May 2014$4.99
  • October/November 2014$4.99
2 purchases

LiveFire

Subscriptions2
  • Early Access (monthly)1 Month trial$9.991 Month
  • Early Access (full year)1 Month trial$99.991 Year

Questions

Is Handguns Magazine free?
Handguns Magazine is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is LiveFire free?
LiveFire is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Handguns Magazine or LiveFire?
LiveFire is rated higher. Handguns Magazine averages 4.8 out of 5 from 241 ratings, while LiveFire averages 4.8 from 32 ratings.
Do Handguns Magazine or LiveFire have ads?
LiveFire shows ads; Handguns Magazine does not.
Which is updated more often, Handguns Magazine or LiveFire?
Handguns Magazine ships an update every 9 months, and LiveFire every 4 weeks. Most recently, Handguns Magazine was updated on November 1, 2026 and LiveFire on October 15, 2026.

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