# Newsmax vs UC Now

The clearest difference is rating: Newsmax at 4.8 against UC Now's 3.6. Newsmax also leads on ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (every 2 months vs every 22 months). UC Now's advantage is monetization model (ad-supported vs freemium). On price, review sentiment, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

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

Newsmax holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 3.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Newsmax has 176K ratings behind it against 5, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 45% of Newsmax's written reviews are positive against 50% of UC Now's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Newsmax ships an update every 2 months, UC Now every 22 months. The most recent releases landed on November 7, 2026 and November 3, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Newsmax | UC Now |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (176K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/newsmax/id878180850/reviews)** | [3.6 (5 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/uc-now/id1502307168/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **176K** | 5 |
| Positive reviews | 45.3% of reviews | **50.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 months** | Every 22 months |
| Monetization | Freemium | **Ad-supported** |
| Best chart rank | **#34** | — |
| Size | 64 MB | 43 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 14.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple TV** | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 12+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Newsmax Media, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/470606676) | [Stonecom Radio](https://appshunter.io/developer/1502307167) |

## What reviewers say

### Newsmax

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/newsmax/id878180850)

**Currently charting:** #34 Top Free · News (US App Store)

Access comprehensive news coverage, breaking updates, and real-time information on politics, health, finance, and faith. Offers a premium subscription for exclusive content, expert analysis, and archived shows.

**Highlights:** Comprehensive news coverage, Breaking news and real-time updates, US political life reporting, Health, finance, faith, and freedom news, Newsmax+ premium subscription, Newsmax2 streaming channel, Archived shows and documentaries

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 True news reporting
- 👍 Honest and fair coverage
- 🇺🇸 Patriotic and pro-American
- 📺 Great lineup of shows and personalities

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Technical issues with the app (freezing, crashes, login problems)
- 💸 Paywall for live content
- 🤖 Concerns about bias and spreading misinformation
- 🙄 Repetitive and theatrical presentation

**Reported bugs**

- App freezing and crashing issues
- Login and subscription problems
- Inconsistent video and audio quality

**Requested features**

- Improve app stability and reliability
- Offer more free content options
- Provide audio-only versions of shows
- Update app design and user experience


### UC Now

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/uc-now/id1502307168)

Stay informed with local news and sports updates for the Upper Cumberland region. Receive instant weather alerts and coverage of county government, schools, crime, and community events.

**Highlights:** Local news coverage, Sports updates, Weather alerts, County government news, School news, Crime reporting

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Newsmax free?

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

### Is UC Now free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Newsmax or UC Now?

Newsmax is rated higher. Newsmax averages 4.8 out of 5 from 176K ratings, while UC Now averages 3.6 from 5 ratings.

### Do Newsmax or UC Now have ads?

UC Now shows ads; Newsmax does not.

### Which is updated more often, Newsmax or UC Now?

Newsmax ships an update every 2 months, and UC Now every 22 months. Most recently, Newsmax was updated on November 7, 2026 and UC Now on November 3, 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.*