# 9to5Mac vs TechPulse by CNET Group

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: TechPulse by CNET Group at none against 9to5Mac's 1. TechPulse by CNET Group also leads on update cadence (monthly vs every 3 months) and device support (4 vs 2). 9to5Mac's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and review sentiment (41% vs 17%). On price and ratings volume there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. 9to5Mac sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $1.99 per month. TechPulse by CNET Group asks for nothing beyond the download.

9to5Mac holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.3. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 4.8K and 3.4K respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 41% of 9to5Mac's written reviews are positive against 17% of TechPulse by CNET Group's.

9to5Mac ships an update every 3 months, TechPulse by CNET Group monthly. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and November 3, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | 9to5Mac | TechPulse by CNET Group |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (4.8K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/9to5mac-breaking-tech-news/id955138289/reviews)** | [4.3 (3.4K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/techpulse-by-cnet-group/id1553808884/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **4.8K** | 3.4K |
| Positive reviews | **40.9% of reviews** | 16.9% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | **Monthly** |
| Monetization | Freemium | **Ad-supported** |
| Size | 34 MB | 53 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.6 | **15.1** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple TV** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Seth Weintraub](https://appshunter.io/developer/955138288) | [CNET Media, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1552912857) |

## What reviewers say

### 9to5Mac

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/9to5mac-breaking-tech-news/id955138289)

Stay informed with the latest news for Apple devices and other tech. Enjoy an ad-free reading experience with a clean layout and push notifications for breaking stories. An optional premium subscription offers enhanced features.

**Highlights:** Latest Apple news, Ad-free reading, Push notifications, Dark Theme, Optimized layout, Access to network sites

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Premium Subscription | $1.99 | per month |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Informative content
- 📱 Great app for Apple news
- 🌓 Useful dark mode
- 👍 Modern design

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔒 Paywall restricts access
- 🐛 Crashes and bugs
- ⏱️ Slow content loading
- 💸 Expensive subscription
- 🔍 Lack of search functionality

**Reported bugs**

- Subscription issues
- Inconsistent dark mode support
- Unreliable push notifications
- Crashes when opening articles
- Broken Disqus login functionality

**Requested features**

- Dark mode icon support
- Improved notifications
- In-app commenting
- Yearly subscription option
- Faster content updates


### TechPulse by CNET Group

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/techpulse-by-cnet-group/id1553808884)

Stay informed with the latest tech news, expert reviews, and product recommendations. Make smarter purchasing decisions with in-depth analysis and video guides. Get breaking alerts and discover the best deals on technology.

**Highlights:** Featured tech stories, Latest technology news coverage, Product review galleries, Breaking news alerts, Extensive product reviews, Best product recommendations, Product search functionality, Video product reviews

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Great source for tech news and reviews
- 👍 Reliable and trustworthy content
- 🚀 Excellent for researching tech products

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Buggy and unstable app
- 🤔 Too many non-tech related articles
- 🤔 Constant requests to update the app
- 🤔 Ads make the app unusable
- 🤔 Outdated and repeating content

**Reported bugs**

- Crashes and freezes frequently
- Notifications don't lead to the correct article
- Videos fail to load consistently
- Login issues and account syncing problems

**Requested features**

- Ability to filter content by category
- Improved search functionality
- Better organization and navigation
- Syncing of bookmarked articles across devices


## Frequently asked questions

### Is 9to5Mac free?

9to5Mac is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is TechPulse by CNET Group free?

TechPulse by CNET Group is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, 9to5Mac or TechPulse by CNET Group?

9to5Mac is rated higher. 9to5Mac averages 4.7 out of 5 from 4.8K ratings, while TechPulse by CNET Group averages 4.3 from 3.4K ratings.

### Do 9to5Mac or TechPulse by CNET Group have ads?

TechPulse by CNET Group shows ads; 9to5Mac does not.

### Which is updated more often, 9to5Mac or TechPulse by CNET Group?

9to5Mac ships an update every 3 months, and TechPulse by CNET Group monthly. Most recently, 9to5Mac was updated on November 1, 2026 and TechPulse by CNET Group on November 3, 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.*