# Aesthetica vs ICON Mag

The clearest difference is monetization model: ICON Mag at free with in-app purchases against Aesthetica's subscription. ICON Mag also leads on rating (5.0 vs 4.7) and iOS requirement (11.2 vs 16.6). Aesthetica's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (every 6 months vs every 49 months). On price, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Aesthetica sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $5.49 per 2 months and ICON Mag sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $3.49 per year. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ICON Mag holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.7. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 3 and 1 respectively.

Aesthetica ships an update every 6 months, ICON Mag every 49 months. Both last shipped on October 24, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Aesthetica | ICON Mag |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.7 (3 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/aesthetica/id888670809/reviews) | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/icon-mag/id933900998/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **3** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 6 months** | Every 49 months |
| Monetization | Subscription | **Free with in-app purchases** |
| Size | 3 MB | 25 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.6 | **11.2** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Aesthetica Magazine Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/1665906983) | [Media 10](https://appshunter.io/developer/767336997) |

## What reviewers say

### Aesthetica

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/aesthetica/id888670809)

This app delivers a visually stunning mix of contemporary art and visual culture through a bi-monthly digital magazine. It explores global art, film, music, and performance, offering critical debate and engaging content. Subscribers can sync back issues for offline reading and access content from registered IP ranges.

**Highlights:** Sync back issues for offline reading, Searchable archive, Interactive page navigation, Bookmark favorite pages, Share content via social media, Institutional IP access

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Aesthetica | $5.49 | per 2 months |
| Aesthetica | $25.49 | per year |


### ICON Mag

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/icon-mag/id933900998)

Explore the world of architecture and design with this app. Access interviews with leading creatives, discover new buildings, and analyze cultural trends. Enjoy interactive features like embedded videos, zoomable images, and offline reading of back issues.

**Highlights:** Interactive magazine content, Embedded videos, Zoomable images, Offline reading of back issues, Active web and email links, Animated thumbnail view

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| One Year Subscription | $3.49 | per year |
| Oct 2016 (id:423412) | $1.99 | one-time |
| Dec 2016 (id:423414) | $1.99 | one-time |
| May 2017 (id:434800) | $1.99 | one-time |
| August 2017 (id:434806) | $1.99 | one-time |
| Jun-18 (id:452124) | $1.99 | one-time |
| Icon Feb-19 (id:452108) | $1.99 | one-time |
| Oct-18 (id:452116) | $1.99 | one-time |
| Apr 2019 (id:459135) | $1.99 | one-time |
| Jul 2019 (id:459129) | $1.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Aesthetica free?

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

### Is ICON Mag free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Aesthetica or ICON Mag?

ICON Mag is rated higher. Aesthetica averages 4.7 out of 5 from 3 ratings, while ICON Mag averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.

### Do Aesthetica or ICON Mag have ads?

ICON Mag shows ads; Aesthetica does not.

### Which is updated more often, Aesthetica or ICON Mag?

Aesthetica ships an update every 6 months, and ICON Mag every 49 months. Most recently, Aesthetica was updated on October 24, 2026 and ICON Mag on October 24, 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.*