CalMatters vs SFGATE
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
CalMatters
This app delivers in-depth, nonpartisan news and analysis focused on California's quality of life issues. It holds leaders accountable and explores solutions for the state's challenges. Coverage spans policy, politics, and the economy.
- In-depth news analysis
- Accountability journalism
- California-focused coverage
- Explores policy solutions
- Covers economy and politics
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CalMatters is a nonpartisan and nonprofit news organization bringing Californians stories that probe, explain and explore solutions to quality of life issues while holding our leaders accountable. We are the only journalism outlet dedicated to covering America’s biggest state, 39 million Californians and the world’s fifth largest economy.
SFGATE
Access in-depth Bay Area news and culture with an ad-free reading experience. Unlock exclusive content and connect with the places that matter most to you.
- Ad-free reading experience
- In-depth news coverage
- Bay Area culture insights
- Exclusive content for members
- Connect with local places
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An ad-free reading experience, plus a handful of extras designed to bring you closer to the places you care about. The stories behind them, too. Become a Friend of SFGATE to unlock it all.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: CalMatters at 5.0 against SFGATE's 4.6. SFGATE's advantage is review sentiment (76% vs 50%) and ratings volume (181 vs 18). On price, ads, 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. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
CalMatters holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: SFGATE has 181 ratings behind it against 18, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 50% of CalMatters's written reviews are positive against 76% of SFGATE's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.
CalMatters ships an update every 2 weeks, SFGATE weekly. The most recent releases landed on November 8, 2026 and November 9, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | CalMatters | SFGATE |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 5.0 (18 ratings) — better | 4.6 (181 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 50.0% of reviews | 76.5% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 18 | 181 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 2 weeks | Weekly — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Best chart rank | #200 | #129 — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | 15.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 54 MB | 39 MB |
| Age rating | 12+ | 12+ |
| Developer | CalMatters | Hearst Newspapers |
Customer experience
CalMatters
SFGATE
In-app purchases
CalMatters
No in-app purchases
SFGATE
No in-app purchases
