# Flipster vs NetNewsWire

The clearest difference is review sentiment: NetNewsWire at 85% against Flipster's 16%. NetNewsWire also leads on rating (4.7 vs 2.2) and update cadence (monthly vs every 3 months). Flipster's advantage is iOS requirement (12.0 vs 17.0). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

NetNewsWire holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 2.2. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 211 and 882 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 16% of Flipster's written reviews are positive against 85% of NetNewsWire's.

Flipster ships an update every 3 months, NetNewsWire monthly. The most recent releases landed on September 25, 2026 and September 23, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Flipster | NetNewsWire |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [2.2 (211 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/flipster-digital-magazines/id797106282/reviews) | **[4.7 (882 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/netnewswire-rss-reader/id1480640210/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 211 | **882** |
| Positive reviews | 15.9% of reviews | **84.7% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | **Monthly** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Best chart rank | #183 | **#149** |
| Size | 16 MB | 27 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.0** | 17.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [EBSCO Publishing](https://appshunter.io/developer/433269590) | [Brent Simmons](https://appshunter.io/developer/1480640209) |

## What reviewers say

### Flipster

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/flipster-digital-magazines/id797106282)

**Currently charting:** #183 Top Free · News (US App Store)

Access a wide selection of digital magazines for free through your local library. Explore, download, and read titles offline on your Apple device, with features like offline reading and article navigation.

**Highlights:** Locate participating libraries, Browse and download magazines, Read magazines offline, Digital table of contents, Article text view, Jump to articles and websites, Track reading progress

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Solid and functional
- 👍 Simplicity and minimalism
- 👍 Reading magazines with relative ease

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent 'service unavailable' errors
- 🐛 Inability to change text size
- 🐛 Crashing and not working on certain devices
- 🐛 Outdated magazine selection
- 🐛 Inconsistent user experience

**Reported bugs**

- Login issues and credential errors
- Frequent crashes and service unavailability
- Incompatibility with newer OS versions
- Inability to exit full-screen mode
- Outdated magazine content

**Requested features**

- Ability to bookmark specific publishers or categories
- Adjustable font sizes and text view options
- Notifications for expiring magazines
- Dark mode support
- Improved navigation and magazine management


### NetNewsWire

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/netnewswire-rss-reader/id1480640210)

**Currently charting:** #149 Top Free · News (US App Store)

This app aggregates articles from your favorite blogs and news sites, offering a faster and more organized way to consume content. It provides control over your news feed, eliminating the need to visit multiple websites or rely on social media algorithms. Enjoy a streamlined reading experience with customizable features and syncing capabilities.

**Highlights:** Direct feed downloading, iCloud and third-party syncing, Customizable article themes, Reader view, Starred articles, Smart feeds, Home screen widgets

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Flipster free?

Flipster is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is NetNewsWire free?

NetNewsWire is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Flipster or NetNewsWire?

NetNewsWire is rated higher. Flipster averages 2.2 out of 5 from 211 ratings, while NetNewsWire averages 4.7 from 882 ratings.

### Do Flipster or NetNewsWire have ads?

Neither Flipster nor NetNewsWire shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Flipster or NetNewsWire?

Flipster ships an update every 3 months, and NetNewsWire monthly. Most recently, Flipster was updated on September 25, 2026 and NetNewsWire on September 23, 2026.

### Which is more popular, Flipster or NetNewsWire?

Flipster currently peaks at #183 in the App Store charts, and NetNewsWire at #149. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*