# CGTN vs Caixin Global

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: CGTN at none against Caixin Global's 3. CGTN also leads on ads (none vs shown) and device support (5 vs 2). On price, rating, review sentiment and ratings volume there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Caixin Global sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $25.99 per month. CGTN asks for nothing beyond the download.

Caixin Global holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 4.4. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 395 and 227 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 54% of CGTN's written reviews are positive against 56% of Caixin Global's.

CGTN ships an update every 5 weeks, Caixin Global every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 16, 2026 and October 19, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | CGTN | Caixin Global |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.4 (395 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cgtn/id922456579/reviews) | **[4.6 (227 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/caixin-global/id1177372413/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **395** | 227 |
| Positive reviews | 54.2% of reviews | **55.7% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 5 weeks** | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | **Ad-supported** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 137 MB | 30 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | **14.0** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple TV, Apple Watch** | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 12+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [China Global Television Network Corp.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1568444017) | [Caixin Global Limited](https://appshunter.io/developer/1177372412) |

## What reviewers say

### CGTN

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cgtn/id922456579)

Access global news from a unique perspective with diverse, balanced, and objective content. This app offers breaking news, in-depth stories, and livestreams in five languages, along with a rich archive of articles, audio, and video.

**Highlights:** Global news coverage, Content in 5 languages, Breaking news notifications, Rich audiovisual content, In-depth stories and features, AI and AR products

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Apple Watch app, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Balanced and unbiased news coverage
- 🌐 Comprehensive global news perspective
- 🎥 High-quality video and documentary content
- 💯 Reliable and trustworthy news source
- 🌍 Diverse range of international topics covered

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional app crashes and stability issues
- 🔍 Limited search and navigation functionality
- 📱 Suboptimal user experience on tablets
- 🔊 Audio and video playback problems
- 🌐 Lack of offline content access

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes when opening certain articles
- Live TV channel playback not working
- Russian text not displaying correctly
- Landscape mode not supported on iPad
- Notifications not working as expected

**Requested features**

- Add dark mode option
- Improve search and filtering capabilities
- Optimize app for tablet devices
- Implement offline content download feature
- Allow customization of notification settings


### Caixin Global

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/caixin-global/id1177372413)

Access award-winning journalism covering China's economy, finance, and business. Features include in-depth explanations, AI-powered summaries, podcasts, and exclusive subscriber events. Offers a mix of free and premium content for a comprehensive understanding of the Chinese market.

**Highlights:** Exclusive finance & business content, AI-powered article summaries, Economic and business podcasts, Subscriber-only events, Commentary and analysis, Video replays of discussions

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

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly Package | $25.99 | per month |
| Student Package | $59.99 | per year |
| Annual Package | $249.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Great content and insights
- 👍 Unbiased and objective reporting
- 👍 Informative on China and SEA
- 👍 High quality articles
- 👍 Reliable source for finance news

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Payment problems
- 🐛 Subscription not activated
- 🐛 Constant ads
- 🐛 Horrible to use
- 🐛 Difficult password reset

**Reported bugs**

- Subscription not activated after payment
- App insists subscription doesn't exist
- Constantly logged out
- Subscription sync issues
- Doesn't load entire story

**Requested features**

- iPad version supporting
- Simple "continue" subscription button with WeChat payment
- More articles on Chinese government policies and investments
- More in-depth articles about Chinese companies' culture
- Filter more, be more selective


## Frequently asked questions

### Is CGTN free?

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

### Is Caixin Global free?

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

### Which has better reviews, CGTN or Caixin Global?

Caixin Global is rated higher. CGTN averages 4.4 out of 5 from 395 ratings, while Caixin Global averages 4.6 from 227 ratings.

### Do CGTN or Caixin Global have ads?

Caixin Global shows ads; CGTN does not.

### Which is updated more often, CGTN or Caixin Global?

CGTN ships an update every 5 weeks, and Caixin Global every 2 months. Most recently, CGTN was updated on October 16, 2026 and Caixin Global on October 19, 2026.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*