# CGTN vs Global Times

The clearest difference is rating: CGTN at 4.4 against Global Times's 3.7. CGTN also leads on ratings volume (394 vs 24) and update cadence (every 5 weeks vs every 3 months). Global Times's advantage is iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.0). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

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

CGTN holds the better App Store score, 4.4 against 3.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: CGTN has 394 ratings behind it against 24, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 54% of CGTN's written reviews are positive against 42% of Global Times's.

CGTN ships an update every 5 weeks, Global Times every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on November 4, 2026 and November 2, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | CGTN | Global Times |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.4 (394 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cgtn/id922456579/reviews)** | [3.7 (24 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/global-times/id1433242294/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **394** | 24 |
| Positive reviews | **53.9% of reviews** | 42.1% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 5 weeks** | Every 3 months |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 208 MB | 38 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | **13.0** |
| 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) | [Global Times](https://appshunter.io/developer/566471834) |

## 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. Enjoy breaking news, in-depth stories, livestreams, and a rich archive of articles, audio, and video in five languages.

**Highlights:** Global news coverage, Content in five languages, Rich audiovisual content, Breaking news notifications, Search for related news, Save and share stories, 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


### Global Times

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/global-times/id1433242294)

Access sharp reporting, insightful analysis, and multimedia content from a leading English-language newspaper. Explore diverse sections covering China, global affairs, business, arts, and sports.

**Highlights:** Sharp and innovative reporting, Unique and perceptive analysis, Featured videos and multimedia, In-depth China coverage, Global affairs with a Chinese perspective, Business and financial news, Arts, culture, and lifestyle stories

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is CGTN free?

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

### Is Global Times free?

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

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

CGTN is rated higher. CGTN averages 4.4 out of 5 from 394 ratings, while Global Times averages 3.7 from 24 ratings.

### Do CGTN or Global Times have ads?

Neither CGTN nor Global Times shows ads.

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

CGTN ships an update every 5 weeks, and Global Times every 3 months. Most recently, CGTN was updated on November 4, 2026 and Global Times on November 2, 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.*