Comparison

Reason vs Scalar News

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

Head to head
About

Reason

Access accurate and honest news, ideas, videos, and podcasts from a libertarian perspective. Personalize notifications and stream exclusive content, including documentaries and newsletters.

Highlights
  • Libertarian news and ideas
  • Exclusive videos and documentaries
  • Podcast streaming
  • Personalized news notifications
  • Newsletter access
  • Reason Plus subscription for early magazine access
Features
Read full description

The Reason app helps you stay on top of the news and better understand your world without all the tired left-wing or right-wing spin. You won’t find a better source for accurate and honest news, ideas, videos, and podcasts from a libertarian perspective. Turn on notifications and personalize your settings to get alerts about issues you care about. Stream new episodes of Reason podcasts: The Reason Roundtable, The Reason Interview With Nick Gillespie, and The Soho Forum Debates. Click to listen to every article and build your own content playlist. Access Reason’s latest vertical videos. Watch Reason’s documentaries, video essays, and comedy videos, including Remy and Andrew Heaton. Browse Reason’s newsletters: Reason Roundup by Liz Wolfe, The Rattler by J.D. Tuccille, Free Media by Robby Soave, and more. Play Reason’s weekly crossword plus special puzzles when magazine issues publish online. Subscribe to Reason Plus for exclusive early access to new issues of Reason magazine on your phone, tablet, or computer. To join, visit reason.com/subscribe on any browser.

About

Scalar News

This app uses AI to deliver personalized news summaries, cutting through the clutter. Get local, national, and global headlines tailored to your interests, with options for text summaries or short video clips.

Highlights
  • AI-powered personalized news feed
  • Short, easy-to-read summaries
  • Local and global news coverage
  • TikTok-style video news feed
  • Powerful keyword search
  • Categorized news sections
Features
Read full description

Scalar News - Smarter News, Just for You Tired of endless scrolling through headlines that don’t matter to you? Scalar News is here to fix that. Powered by advanced AI personalization, Scalar News helps you cut through the noise and get the news that actually matters - fast, clear, and tailored to you. Whether you’re a busy professional, a student trying to stay updated, or someone who wants the news without the clutter, Scalar News is your one-stop app for local, national, and global coverage. Key Features Personalized Feed Our AI learns what you like and don’t like. Simply tap "Up" or "Down" on stories, and your feed gets smarter every time. Scalar News adapts to your interests - from tech and finance to sports, politics, health, entertainment, and more. Smart Summaries No more walls of text. Every story is broken into clear, easy-to-read summaries - perfect when you’re on the go. Dive into short points, or expand for deeper coverage when you have more time. Local + Global News Stay updated on your city, state, and country, while also getting the latest world headlines. Whether it’s U.S. politics, global markets, local events, or international breakthroughs, Scalar News keeps you informed. Video News Feed Want to watch instead of read? Our TikTok-style video feed delivers bite-sized news clips you can scroll through effortlessly. Stay in the loop with the latest stories, in the format you love. Powerful Search Looking for specific stories? Just type in a keyword, and Scalar News will instantly deliver relevant results - complete with headlines, summaries, and sources. Categories That Matter Easily explore what you care about most: Business: Markets, economy, companies, personal finance Technology: AI, gadgets, startups, apps Entertainment: Movies, music, TV shows, celebrities Sports: Football, basketball, baseball, soccer Health: Wellness, fitness, nutrition, mental health Science: Space, environment, research, discoveries Politics: Elections, policies, leaders, global relations Why Scalar News? Most news apps overwhelm you with too much information. Scalar News is different. It’s designed to be: Fast - Get the facts in seconds. Simple - Easy-to-read summaries, no clutter. Personalized - Built around your preferences. Balanced - Local + global, serious + fun. Our mission is simple: to give you a smarter, distraction-free way to consume news in today’s fast-paced world. Who Is Scalar News For? Students - Stay informed without spending hours reading full articles. Professionals - Catch up on the latest business, tech, and market trends quickly. News Lovers - Explore a wide variety of categories, curated for your interests. Busy People - Get key updates in just a few taps. Built for the Future of News Scalar News isn’t just another news aggregator. It’s a personal news assistant that learns with you. With AI-powered personalization, clean design, and quick access to trusted sources, it’s the future of how news should be consumed. We believe news should be accessible, relevant, and easy to understand. That’s why Scalar News combines journalistic simplicity with modern personalization. Your News, Your Way With Scalar News, you’re always in control: Swipe through news videos or read summaries. Upvote or downvote stories to train your feed. Save important stories for later. Access reliable sources behind every summary. Download Scalar News Today Stop wasting time on endless scrolling and irrelevant articles. With Scalar News, you’ll stay informed, save time, and get the news that actually matters to you. Download Scalar News now and take control of your news experience.

Screenshots

Reason4 screens
Scalar News3 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is ratings volume: Reason at 398 against Scalar News's 1. Reason also leads on chart position (#171 vs unranked). Scalar News's advantage is update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 3 months) and iOS requirement (15.1 vs 17.0). On price, rating, ads and in-app purchases 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. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.9 for Reason against 5.0 for Scalar News. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Reason has 398 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Reason ships an update every 3 months, Scalar News every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 8, 2026 and November 5, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 7 level
Reason versus Scalar News: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterReasonScalar News
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.9 (398 ratings)5.0 (1 ratings) — better
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings398 — better1
Update frequencyEvery 3 monthsEvery 2 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFreeFree
Best chart rank#171 — better—
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPod
Requires iOS17.015.1 — better
Further details — not scored
Size28 MB35 MB
Age rating17+4+
DeveloperReasonAsray Gopa

Customer experience

Reason

All ratings385 ratings
Positive97.7%
Neutral1.8%
Negative0.5%
Written reviews6 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Scalar News

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

None

Reason

No in-app purchases

None

Scalar News

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Reason free?
Reason is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Scalar News free?
Scalar News is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Reason or Scalar News?
Scalar News is rated higher. Reason averages 4.9 out of 5 from 398 ratings, while Scalar News averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.
Do Reason or Scalar News have ads?
Neither Reason nor Scalar News shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Reason or Scalar News?
Reason ships an update every 3 months, and Scalar News every 2 weeks. Most recently, Reason was updated on November 8, 2026 and Scalar News on November 5, 2026.

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