Handguns Magazine vs LiveFire
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
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.
- New handgun model testing
- Semiautomatic and revolver reviews
- Self-defense articles
- Skill improvement guides
- Accessory reviews (holsters, ammo, lights, lasers)
- Historical handgun features
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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/
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.
- Performance tracking
- Community groups
- Instructional videos
- Digital log book
- Par timer
- Loadout builder
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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
Verdict
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
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.
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.
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.
| Parameter | Handguns Magazine | LiveFire |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.8 (241 ratings) | 4.8 (32 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 20.0% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 241 — better | 32 |
| Update frequency | Every 9 months | Every 4 weeks — better |
| Ads | No — better | Yes |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 — better | 15.6 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 25 MB | 130 MB |
| Age rating | 17+ | 12+ |
| Developer | KSE Sportsman Media, Inc | Livefire, LLC |
Customer experience
Handguns Magazine
LiveFire
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
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- 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
Handguns Magazine
- 1 Year Subscription$11.991 Year
- December / January 2013$4.99
- February / March 2013$4.99
- April / May 2013$4.99
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- 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
LiveFire
- Early Access (monthly)1 Month trial$9.991 Month
- Early Access (full year)1 Month trial$99.991 Year
Questions
Is Handguns Magazine free?
Is LiveFire free?
Which has better reviews, Handguns Magazine or LiveFire?
Do Handguns Magazine or LiveFire have ads?
Which is updated more often, Handguns Magazine or LiveFire?
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