Comparison

News Widget vs Sixth Tone

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

Head to head
About

News Widget

Access news from hundreds of sources directly on your home screen, even offline. This app intelligently downloads the latest headlines and can read them aloud to you using text-to-speech technology.

Highlights
  • Home screen widget
  • Offline access
  • Hundreds of news sources
  • Custom RSS/Atom feeds
  • Text-to-speech functionality
  • Smart news downloading
Features
Read full description

Get all your news in one place and on your home screen in your today view. You can choose from hundreds of news sources. If you can't find the one you're looking for already you can add or your own, the app is compatible with all RSS or Atom feeds. News Widget is designed to ensure you've always got the latest stories available to read; even if you don't have an internet connection. The app cleverly downloads the latest news prior to you even opening the app, using a smart algorithm that learns from your behaviour. Using text-to-speech technology you can have all of your news feeds read out to you, so even when you're distracted with what's going on around your right now you can still keep up with what's happening around the world. Follow me on Twitter for the latest news, offers and insights @MarkBridgesApps

About

Sixth Tone

Access in-depth news, features, and visual storytelling about contemporary China. Explore diverse perspectives, expert opinions, and multimedia content. Stay informed with daily highlights and special projects.

Highlights
  • Daily news highlights
  • In-depth features
  • Commentaries and opinions
  • Visual storytelling
  • Interviews with key figures
  • Collaborative projects
Features
Read full description

The Sixth Tone app brings you people-focused news, features, commentaries, and visual storytelling about contemporary China. Main features of the app: Daily Tones are daily news and highlights from across China. News are timely reports on issues and events from across China. Drawing from a vast range of sources, these articles provide insights into the significance of each issue in a wider context. Features are articles that cut to the core of contemporary China. In-depth, informed, and carefully crafted, every piece is carried by the voices of the story’s participants. Voices & Opinion are contributions from individuals with unique perspectives to share. Hear from everyone, from experts and commentators to those whose voices are rarely heard. Multimedia are visual stories that get up close and personal with contemporary China. A mix of short videos, documentaries, photography, and data visualization. Sixth Tone × features translations, cross-publications, and collaborative projects from Sixth Tone’s external partners. Special Projects showcase the collaborative efforts of Sixth Tone’s newsroom on diverse topics. Q & A features in-depth interviews with the minds and makers shaping today’s China. Your questions, answered. Announcements are the latest news about Sixth Tone as well as its events, projects, and other initiatives.

Screenshots

News Widget4 screens
Sixth Tone4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Sixth Tone at 82% against News Widget's 18%. Sixth Tone also leads on rating (4.9 vs 3.6) and update cadence (every 2 months vs every 9 months). News Widget's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and monetization model (free vs ad-supported). On price, in-app purchases and device support 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. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Sixth Tone holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 3.6. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 36 and 147 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 18% of News Widget's written reviews are positive against 82% of Sixth Tone's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

News Widget ships an update every 9 months, Sixth Tone every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 29, 2026 and October 26, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard7 real differences · 3 level
News Widget versus Sixth Tone: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterNews WidgetSixth Tone
PriceFreeFree
Rating3.6 (36 ratings)4.9 (147 ratings) — better
Positive reviews17.9% of reviews81.8% of reviews — better
Number of ratings36147 — better
Update frequencyEvery 9 monthsEvery 2 months — better
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFree — betterAd-supported
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPod
Requires iOS18.69.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size16 MB28 MB
Age rating17+17+
DeveloperBRIDGETECH SOLUTIONS LIMITED上海东方报业有限公司

Customer experience

News Widget

All ratings36 ratings
Positive63.9%
Neutral8.3%
Negative27.8%
Written reviews28 reviews
Positive17.9%
Neutral3.6%
Negative78.6%

Sixth Tone

All ratings146 ratings
Positive97.9%
Neutral0.7%
Negative1.4%
Written reviews11 reviews
Positive81.8%
Neutral9.1%
Negative9.1%

In-app purchases

None

News Widget

No in-app purchases

None

Sixth Tone

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is News Widget free?
News Widget is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Sixth Tone free?
Sixth Tone is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, News Widget or Sixth Tone?
Sixth Tone is rated higher. News Widget averages 3.6 out of 5 from 36 ratings, while Sixth Tone averages 4.9 from 147 ratings.
Do News Widget or Sixth Tone have ads?
Sixth Tone shows ads; News Widget does not.
Which is updated more often, News Widget or Sixth Tone?
News Widget ships an update every 9 months, and Sixth Tone every 2 months. Most recently, News Widget was updated on October 29, 2026 and Sixth Tone on October 26, 2026.

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