The CS vs Financial Mail
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
The CS
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The Common Sense is a third-space tech-based media company representing the future of what many media companies will become. Read and watch our unique perspective on current events. We stress the bridge issues that unite people and not the wedge issues that are used to divide and celebrate all the things that are good about South Africa and the world because it is in so many respects a wonderful time to be alive. We make South Africa make sense. Why Choose our app: Extensive coverage of a wide array of topics including South African Politics, Global affairs, Sports, Family, and Lifestyle. World-class opinion pieces. Unique insights from our Videos and Podcasts. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/
Financial Mail
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The FM app provides easy access to expert, award-winning South African business news, top-notch lifestyle content, podcasts and the latest magazine in digital format. Why download the FM app? The FM is a South African institution, published since 1959, and regarded as a must-read by the business and investor community. The app pairs daily news with the best weekly insights and in-depth features in one convenient format. No trawling through the internet to find the best business reads!
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Financial Mail at none against The CS's 2. Financial Mail also leads on update cadence (every 2 days vs every 2 weeks). On price, ads, device support and iOS requirement 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. The CS sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Financial Mail asks for nothing beyond the download.
The CS ships an update every 2 weeks, Financial Mail every 2 days. The most recent releases landed on November 5, 2026 and November 11, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | The CS | Financial Mail |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Update frequency | Every 2 weeks | Every 2 days — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 16.4 | 16.4 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 51 MB | 80 MB |
| Age rating | 17+ | 4+ |
| Developer | The Common Sense | The Financial Mail Group (Pty) Ltd |
In-app purchases
The CS
- Standard Plan$4.991 Month
- Premium Plan$17.991 Month
Financial Mail
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is The CS free?
Is Financial Mail free?
Do The CS or Financial Mail have ads?
Which is updated more often, The CS or Financial Mail?
Other comparisons
