Muscular Development vs Essence Magazine
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Muscular Development
This app delivers in-depth content on professional bodybuilding, featuring insights from top athletes and experts. It offers cutting-edge research and practical advice on muscle building, fat loss, fitness, and performance enhancement.
- Expert insights from champions and insiders
- Cutting-edge research on muscle and fat loss
- Fitness and performance enhancement advice
- Reality-based editorial direction
- Subscription options available
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Muscular Development gives you the colorful, no-bull inside story about professional bodybuilding— from Mr. Olympia champions, Hall of Fame bodybuilders, doctors, researchers, industry experts and insiders who make it all happen. Muscular Development features cutting-edge research and authoritative information on building muscle, burning fat, improving fitness and enhancing sexual performance. Muscular Development educates its readers on how to improve performance, increase strength, improve health and build the best physique possible. Muscular Development distances itself the competition because of our reality-based, “no bull” editorial direction. We give readers the good, the bad and ugly— as long as it is scientifically sound. By pulling no punches, we generate a bold, unique stance in the industry by giving our readers the cold, hard truth. Magazine Subscriptions are available for purchase inside this app. One month subscription - $6.49 (automatically renewed until canceled) One year subscription - $13.99 (automatically renewed until canceled) Your subscription automatically renews unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24-hours before the end of the current period. Your iTunes account will automatically be charged at the same price for renewal within 24-hours prior to the end of the current period unless you change your subscription preferences in your account settings. You can manage your subscriptions through your account settings after purchase on your device. No cancellation of the current subscription is allowed during active subscription period. Please visit http://www.magzter.com/ns/privacy-policy.html for our Privacy Policy and http://www.magzter.com/ns/terms_condition.html for our Terms & Conditions
Essence Magazine
Access the latest digital issues of a leading lifestyle, fashion, and beauty magazine for African-American women. Enjoy offline reading of all content from the print edition, conveniently on your mobile device.
- Digital magazine issues
- Print edition content
- Offline reading
- Subscription plans
- Single issue purchase
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ESSENCE is the premiere lifestyle, fashion and beauty magazine for African-American women. Download the newly updated ESSENCE magazine app and experience the fierce, fun and fabulous features you love, wherever you go. The app includes: - Each digital issue which includes all of the news and features in the print edition - Offline reading for downloaded issues SUBSCRIPTION PLANS ARE AVAILABLE THROUGH ITUNES! Download our free app today, select the issue for purchase or subscribe and save 70% off the single copy price! Essence Magazine Subscriptions Available: 1-month subscription - $1.99 (automatically renewed until canceled) 1-year subscription - $17.99 (automatically renewed until canceled) Single issue - $4.99 (non-subscription) SUBSCRIBERS’ AUTOMATIC-RENEWAL FEATURE: Your subscription will be charged to your iTunes account at confirmation of purchase and will automatically renew unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24-hours before the end of your current period. Your iTunes account will automatically be charged at the same price for renewal, as stated above, within 24-hours prior to the end of the current period. Current subscribers may not be canceled during the active subscription period, but you can manage your subscription and/or turn off auto-renewal by visiting your iTunes Account Settings after purchase. NOTE: WHEN PURCHASING A SUBSCRIPTION OR SINGLE-COPY OF THIS TITLE, YOU AGREE TO THE PRIVACY POLICY AND TERMS OF SERVICE WHICH CAN BE VIEWED BY GOING TO: https://www.essence.com/privacy-policy https://www.essence.com/privacy-policy-california/ https://www.essence.com/terms-of-use/
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is monetization model: Essence Magazine at free with in-app purchases against Muscular Development's subscription. Essence Magazine also leads on rating (4.5 vs 4.0) and ratings volume (980 vs 24). Muscular Development's advantage is iOS requirement (11.0 vs 14.0). On price, review sentiment, update cadence and ads 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. Muscular Development sells 27 in-app purchases, starting at $6.49 per month and Essence Magazine sells 12 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
Essence Magazine holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 4.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Essence Magazine has 980 ratings behind it against 24, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 33% of Muscular Development's written reviews are positive against 29% of Essence Magazine's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.
Muscular Development ships an update every 3 months, Essence Magazine every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and November 2, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Muscular Development | Essence Magazine |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.0 (24 ratings) | 4.5 (980 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 33.3% of reviews — better | 29.4% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 24 | 980 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | Every 2 months — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Subscription | Free with in-app purchases — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 11.0 — better | 14.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 40 MB | 22 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | Magzter Inc. | Essence Communications Inc |
Customer experience
Muscular Development
Essence Magazine
Bugs and requests
Muscular Development
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
Essence Magazine
Reported bugs
3 issues- App crashes, freezes, or is incompatible
- Issues with downloading and accessing content
- Subscription and login problems
Requested features
3 requests- Restore previous purchases and access to old issues
- Improve login and subscription management
- Ensure timely availability of new issues
In-app purchases
Muscular Development
- Muscular Development One Month$6.491 Month
- Muscular Development 30$6.991 Year
- 1 Year Digital Subscription7 Days trial$13.991 Year
- Muscular Development May 2014$6.99
- Muscular Development November 2014$6.99
- Muscular Development January 2015$6.99
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- Muscular Development February 2015$6.99
- Muscular Development May 2015$6.99
- Muscular Development June 2015$6.99
- Muscular Development December 2015$6.99
- Muscular Development January 2016$6.99
- Muscular Development June 2016$6.99
- Muscular Development July 2021$6.99
- Muscular Development July 2023$6.99
- November 2023$6.99
- Muscular Development April 2015$6.99
- Muscular Development July 2014$6.99
- Muscular Development August 2014$6.99
- Muscular Development4 variants$6.99
- Muscular Development Jun 2021$6.99
- Muscular Development January 2014$6.99
- Muscular Development June 2014$6.99
- Muscular Development October 2014$6.99
- Muscular Development May 2023$6.99
- Muscular Development May 2022$6.99
- Muscular Development April 2014$6.99
- August 2023$6.99
Essence Magazine
- Essence Magazine 1 month$1.991 Month
- Essence 1 year Subscription$17.991 Year
- Essence Magazine Sep 2018$4.99
- December 2018$4.99
- February 2019$4.99
Show 7 moreShow fewer
- April 2019$4.99
- May 2019$4.99
- July-August 2019$4.99
- October 2019$4.99
- Mar 2020$4.99
- Essence Magazine19 variants$4.99
- Nov 2020$4.99
Questions
Is Muscular Development free?
Is Essence Magazine free?
Which has better reviews, Muscular Development or Essence Magazine?
Do Muscular Development or Essence Magazine have ads?
Which is updated more often, Muscular Development or Essence Magazine?
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