Comparison

FT Digital Edition vs Brief Audio

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

Head to head
About

FT Digital Edition

Access the daily Financial Times newspaper delivered to your device. Enjoy exclusive digital magazines, translated articles, and a decade of archives. Listen to audio versions of top stories and read offline.

Highlights
  • Daily newspaper delivered to device
  • Exclusive digital magazines
  • Translated articles in 30+ languages
  • Browse 10 years of previous editions
  • Audio versions of top stories
  • Download for offline reading
  • Global editions and classic layout
Features
Read full description

Your daily Financial Times newspaper, delivered to your device when it goes to print. Now with search to quickly find and save articles across editions. WHAT MAKES IT DIFFERENT FROM THE FT APP • View global print editions editions in 3 reading modes • Editor-curated news in a classic newspaper layout • Exclusive digital access to FT magazines normally available only in print • Translate articles into 30+ languages • Access previous editions of the newspaper dating back 15 years APP FEATURES: • Search for and save articles across editions • Listen to articles with AI audio • Download editions to read offline • Set alerts to stay ahead of the day's news • Change the font size for easier reading EXCLUSIVE MAGAZINES INCLUDE: • HTSI (formerly ‘How To Spend It’): The FT's weekly, multi-award-winning luxury lifestyle magazine covering fashion, design, and the arts • FT Weekend Magazine: A supplement to the weekend edition of the Financial Times, featuring long-form journalism, investigations, photography, and international reporting • FT Wealth: Insights into wealth management and luxury living • The Art of Fashion: A special edition exploring the intersection of art and fashion • Business Education: Insights into executive education, MBA programs, and leadership development READING MODES • Headline view for quick browsing • Article view optimized for reading • Replica view to enjoy the full newspaper layout IS FT DIGITAL EDITION FOR YOU? Whether you're navigating global markets, exploring culture, or seeking fresh perspectives, the FT Digital Edition delivers expert, independent journalism you can trust. From Wall Street to Hong Kong, FT covers markets, politics, technology, climate policy, and industry-leading social research. Track economic shifts, follow business trends, and explore cultural movements with FT’s analysis and expertise. With reporting from over 50 countries, translation available in 30+ languages, and exclusive magazine content—including HTSI, FT Weekend Magazine, and FT Wealth—the FT Digital Edition is for those who think critically about the world. Whether you're planning your next trip to a cultural capital, deepening your understanding of global finance, or seeking fresh literary and lifestyle insights, stay engaged, informed, and inspired with FT. FINANCIAL TIMES ADVANTAGE: • Accurate, independent, and insightful journalism since 1888 • Unbiased reporting: expert commentary and analysis on business, politics, economics, finance, and more • Coverage across arts, real estate, fashion, food, books, technology, and beyond WHAT DOES IT COST? The FT Digital Edition offers comprehensive coverage and great value. Monthly pricing starts from $12.99, with discounts available for longer terms. Subscribe via the app or at https://www.ft.com/todaysnewspaper Terms and conditions apply. Read them at ft.com/terms We respect your privacy. Read our privacy policy at ft.com/privacy

About

Brief Audio

Features
Read full description

Brief Audio delivers the day's top stories straight to your ears. Every morning, four carefully selected stories are researched, written and read aloud by presenter Alfred Johnson — covering international news, UK headlines, arts and culture and football. Each story runs just one to two minutes, so you get the full picture in under five minutes. WHAT YOU GET A daily edition of four stories, every morning: - One major international news story - One UK headline that matters - One arts and culture story — music, film, TV, theatre, books - One football story from the Premier League and beyond HOW IT WORKS Stories are automatically researched and selected from top news sources including the BBC, Guardian, and more. Each script is written in a clear, engaging broadcast style — no jargon, no padding. Alfred reads them aloud so you can listen while you commute, exercise, or get ready for the day. FEATURES - Listen anywhere: Background audio with full lock screen and AirPods controls - Download for offline: Save editions to listen without signal - Archive: Browse and replay past editions - Adjustable speed: Listen at 0.75x to 2x playback speed - Daily notifications: Get alerted when your morning brief is ready - Clean, dark design: Easy on the eyes, focused on the stories - No ads, no tracking: Just the news WHO IT'S FOR Brief Audio is built for people who want to stay informed but don't have time to scroll through headlines. Whether you're 18 or 80, if you want a quick, intelligent audio summary of what's happening — this is it. New edition every morning. No subscription required. No account needed.

Screenshots

FT Digital Edition4 screens
Brief Audio4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Brief Audio at none against FT Digital Edition's 2. Brief Audio also leads on iOS requirement (15.1 vs 17.6). On price, update cadence, ads and device support 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. FT Digital Edition sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $16.99 per month. Brief Audio asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

FT Digital Edition ships an update every 3 weeks, Brief Audio fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on October 19, 2026 and October 6, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
FT Digital Edition versus Brief Audio: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterFT Digital EditionBrief Audio
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.8 (2.9K ratings) — better—
Positive reviews63.4% of reviews—
Number of ratings2.9K — better—
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeksFortnightly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases—
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPod
Requires iOS17.615.1 — better
Further details — not scored
Size47 MB21 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperFinancial Times Ltd.Neil Johnson

Bugs and requests

FT Digital Edition

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Inability to log in and access the subscription
  • Rendering issues with hyphens and other special characters
  • Inconsistent behavior when switching between online and offline modes

Requested features

5 requests
  • Implement a full-screen mode for better reading experience
  • Add a dark mode option for comfortable reading
  • Improve the text-to-speech (audio) functionality to handle non-text elements better
  • Introduce a search feature to easily find articles and content
  • Enhance the offline reading capabilities to ensure consistent availability

Brief Audio

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

2 purchases

FT Digital Edition

Subscriptions2
  • FT Digital Edition Monthly$16.991 Month
  • FT Digital Edition$45.003 Months
None

Brief Audio

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is FT Digital Edition free?
FT Digital Edition is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Brief Audio free?
Brief Audio is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do FT Digital Edition or Brief Audio have ads?
Neither FT Digital Edition nor Brief Audio shows ads.
Which is updated more often, FT Digital Edition or Brief Audio?
FT Digital Edition ships an update every 3 weeks, and Brief Audio fortnightly. Most recently, FT Digital Edition was updated on October 19, 2026 and Brief Audio on October 6, 2026.

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