Comparison

Muscular Development vs Essence Magazine

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

Head to head
About

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.

Highlights
  • 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
Features
Read full description

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

About

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.

Highlights
  • Digital magazine issues
  • Print edition content
  • Offline reading
  • Subscription plans
  • Single issue purchase
Features
Read full description

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

Muscular Development4 screens
Essence Magazine4 screens

Verdict

The call

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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

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.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

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.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

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.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
Muscular Development versus Essence Magazine: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterMuscular DevelopmentEssence Magazine
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.0 (24 ratings)4.5 (980 ratings) — better
Positive reviews33.3% of reviews — better29.4% of reviews
Number of ratings24980 — better
Update frequencyEvery 3 monthsEvery 2 months — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationSubscriptionFree with in-app purchases — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS11.0 — better14.0
Further details — not scored
Size40 MB22 MB
Age rating4+12+
DeveloperMagzter Inc.Essence Communications Inc

Customer experience

Muscular Development

All ratings24 ratings
Positive75.0%
Neutral8.3%
Negative16.7%
Written reviews15 reviews
Positive33.3%
Neutral13.3%
Negative53.3%

Essence Magazine

All ratings975 ratings
Positive87.7%
Neutral3.0%
Negative9.3%
Written reviews68 reviews
Positive29.4%
Neutral2.9%
Negative67.6%

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

27 purchases

Muscular Development

Subscriptions3
  • Muscular Development One Month$6.491 Month
  • Muscular Development 30$6.991 Year
  • 1 Year Digital Subscription7 Days trial$13.991 Year
One-time24
  • Muscular Development May 2014$6.99
  • Muscular Development November 2014$6.99
  • Muscular Development January 2015$6.99
Show 21 more
  • 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
12 purchases

Essence Magazine

Subscriptions2
  • Essence Magazine 1 month$1.991 Month
  • Essence 1 year Subscription$17.991 Year
One-time10
  • Essence Magazine Sep 2018$4.99
  • December 2018$4.99
  • February 2019$4.99
Show 7 more
  • 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?
Muscular Development is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Essence Magazine free?
Essence Magazine is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Muscular Development or Essence Magazine?
Essence Magazine is rated higher. Muscular Development averages 4.0 out of 5 from 24 ratings, while Essence Magazine averages 4.5 from 980 ratings.
Do Muscular Development or Essence Magazine have ads?
Neither Muscular Development nor Essence Magazine shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Muscular Development or Essence Magazine?
Muscular Development ships an update every 3 months, and Essence Magazine every 2 months. Most recently, Muscular Development was updated on November 1, 2026 and Essence Magazine on November 2, 2026.

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