# Medium vs Roundtable (RTB)

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Roundtable (RTB) at 100% against Medium's 63%. Roundtable (RTB) also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 6) and rating (5.0 vs 4.8). Medium's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and ratings volume (157K vs 14). On price and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Medium sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Roundtable (RTB) asks for nothing beyond the download.

Roundtable (RTB) holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Medium has 157K ratings behind it against 14, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 63% of Medium's written reviews are positive against 100% of Roundtable (RTB)'s.

Medium ships an update weekly, Roundtable (RTB) every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 28, 2026 and September 21, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Medium | Roundtable (RTB) |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.8 (157K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/medium-read-and-write-stories/id828256236/reviews) | **[5.0 (14 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/roundtable-rtb/id6450423049/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **157K** | 14 |
| Positive reviews | 62.5% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Weekly** | Every 3 weeks |
| Monetization | Freemium | **Ad-supported** |
| Best chart rank | **#18** | — |
| Size | 241 MB | 172 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | **15.6** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 12+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [A Medium Corporation](https://appshunter.io/developer/828256239) | [RTB Digital, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1751982395) |

## What reviewers say

### Medium

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/medium-read-and-write-stories/id828256236)

**Currently charting:** #18 Top Grossing · News, #41 Top Free · News (US App Store)

Access a vast collection of human stories, expert advice, and inspiring insights. Discover new topics, follow your interests, and connect with a global community of readers and writers. Publish your own work and reach a wide audience.

**Highlights:** Distraction-free reading, Curated content on tech, culture, news, Unlimited story access with membership, Personalized reading library, Community engagement (claps, comments), Publishing platform for writers, Audio versions of stories (Member feature)

**In-app purchases (5)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Medium Membership | $4.99 | per month |
| Medium Membership | $4.99 | per month |
| Friend Membership | $14.99 | per month |
| Medium Membership | $49.99 | per year |
| Friend Membership | $149.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 📚 Excellent content and writing quality
- 🌐 Wide variety of topics and perspectives
- 🧠 Thought-provoking and informative articles
- 🤓 Useful for learning and personal growth
- 🎨 Clean and minimalist design

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔒 Paywall limits access to content
- 📥 Difficulty finding and accessing past articles
- 🔍 Lack of effective search and filtering options
- 🤖 Concerns about AI-generated content
- 🖥️ Suboptimal experience on larger screens

**Reported bugs**

- Frequent app crashes and freezes
- Login and authentication issues
- Syncing and data loss problems
- Compatibility problems with newer OS versions
- Unreliable push notifications

**Requested features**

- Offline reading mode
- Better organization and navigation of content
- Improved personalization and recommendation system
- Integration with other platforms and services
- Enhanced writing and publishing tools


### Roundtable (RTB)

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/roundtable-rtb/id6450423049)

This platform connects passionate fans and curious thinkers with expert-led discussions on sports, politics, health, and crypto. Follow breaking news, insider reporting, and engage in high-signal conversations without bots or noise.

**Highlights:** Expert-led sports coverage, Breaking news and insider reporting, Community discussion forums, Politics and public policy updates, Health and medical developments, Crypto and blockchain investing news

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Medium free?

Medium is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Roundtable (RTB) free?

Roundtable (RTB) is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Medium or Roundtable (RTB)?

Roundtable (RTB) is rated higher. Medium averages 4.8 out of 5 from 157K ratings, while Roundtable (RTB) averages 5.0 from 14 ratings.

### Do Medium or Roundtable (RTB) have ads?

Roundtable (RTB) shows ads; Medium does not.

### Which is updated more often, Medium or Roundtable (RTB)?

Medium ships an update weekly, and Roundtable (RTB) every 3 weeks. Most recently, Medium was updated on September 28, 2026 and Roundtable (RTB) on September 21, 2026.

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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.*