# CGTN vs Sixth Tone

The clearest difference is rating: Sixth Tone at 4.9 against CGTN's 4.4. Sixth Tone also leads on review sentiment (82% vs 54%) and iOS requirement (9.0 vs 15.0). CGTN's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and device support (5 vs 2). On price, ratings volume, update cadence and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

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

Sixth Tone holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.4. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 394 and 147 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 54% of CGTN's written reviews are positive against 82% of Sixth Tone's.

CGTN ships an update every 5 weeks, Sixth Tone every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 26, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | CGTN | Sixth Tone |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.4 (394 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cgtn/id922456579/reviews) | **[4.9 (147 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sixth-tone/id1462612037/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **394** | 147 |
| Positive reviews | 54.2% of reviews | **81.8% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 5 weeks** | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | Ad-supported | Ad-supported |
| Size | 137 MB | 28 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | **9.0** |
| 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) | [上海东方报业有限公司](https://appshunter.io/developer/878962721) |

## 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


### Sixth Tone

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sixth-tone/id1462612037)

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:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is CGTN free?

CGTN 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, CGTN or Sixth Tone?

Sixth Tone is rated higher. CGTN averages 4.4 out of 5 from 394 ratings, while Sixth Tone averages 4.9 from 147 ratings.

### Do CGTN or Sixth Tone have ads?

Sixth Tone shows ads; CGTN does not.

### Which is updated more often, CGTN or Sixth Tone?

CGTN ships an update every 5 weeks, and Sixth Tone every 2 months. Most recently, CGTN was updated on October 26, 2026 and Sixth Tone 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.*