Comparison

9to5Mac vs Please Explain

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

9to5Mac

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
Read full description

9to5Mac is the leading news website for iPhone, iPad, Mac, and more. The 9to5Mac app offers an ad-free way to stay up to date with the latest Apple news, along with connecting you to the full network of 9to5 sites. View the latest stories from 9to5Mac, 9to5Google, Electrek, and more in a layout optimized for the iPhone and iPad with large photography. Take advantage of the Dark Theme for comfortable reading at any time of day. Get push notifications for instant alerts when a new post goes live so you can always stay up to date with the latest stories. The 9to5Mac app is a beautiful companion to the website experience. Give us your feedback and look forward to more updates coming in the future. Upgrade to the Premium Subscription to read stories in the app with an ad-free, privacy-respecting native reading experience. Premium costs $1.99 per month in the US. The subscription automatically renews — but you can cancel at any time.* 9to5Mac Premium is subject to the standard Apple Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ See Privacy and Additional Terms: https://9to5mac.com/privacy/ *Subscription automatically renews unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. Account will be charged for renewal within a 24-hour prior to the end of the current period. Subscriptions may be managed by the user and auto-renewal may be turned off by going to the user's Account Settings after purchase.

About

Please Explain

Features
Read full description

Please Explain rewinds the news so you never feel lost. With one tap, you can jump from today's headline back to the beginning of the story, following a simple timeline that connects all the key moments. No more piecing things together from scattered articles — just a clear path from "what's happening now" to "how it all started." Whether you're skimming on your commute, preparing for class, or just trying to make sense of the headlines, Please Explain gives you clear, ad-free context in seconds. WHY PLEASE EXPLAIN - Rewind any story — tap a headline and follow it back to where it began - Simple timelines — see the key moments connected in order, start to finish - Clear context, fast — understand the bigger picture in seconds, not hours - Ad-free — no clutter, no distractions, just the story - Built for busy people — perfect for commutes, study breaks, or quick catch-ups STAY INFORMED, NOT OVERWHELMED The news moves fast and assumes you've been following along. Please Explain meets you where you are — giving you the background you need to actually understand what's going on, without the noise. Understand the news, from the start. — Please Explain offers auto-renewable subscriptions: - Monthly — $4.99 / month - Bi-Annual — $24.99 / every 6 months - Annual — $49.99 / year A subscription unlocks up to 50 story timelines a day. Payment will be charged to your Apple ID account at confirmation of purchase. Subscriptions automatically renew unless canceled at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. Your account will be charged for renewal within 24 hours prior to the end of the current period. You can manage or cancel your subscription in your App Store account settings after purchase. Privacy Policy: https://pleaseexplain.app/privacy Terms of Use: https://pleaseexplain.app/terms

Screenshots

9to5Mac4 screens
Please Explain4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: Please Explain at every 2 days against 9to5Mac's every 3 months. Please Explain also leads on iOS requirement (15.0 vs 17.6). On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. 9to5Mac sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $1.99 per month and Please Explain sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

9to5Mac ships an update every 3 months, Please Explain every 2 days. The most recent releases landed on October 22, 2026 and October 13, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
9to5Mac versus Please Explain: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
Parameter9to5MacPlease Explain
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.7 (4.8K ratings) — better—
Positive reviews40.9% of reviews—
Number of ratings4.8K — better—
Update frequencyEvery 3 monthsEvery 2 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFreemium—
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPod
Requires iOS17.615.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size34 MB41 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperSeth WeintraubOne Trick Pony NYC LLC

Bugs and requests

9to5Mac

Reported bugs

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

Requested features

7 requests
  • Dark mode icon support
  • Improved notifications
  • In-app commenting
  • Yearly subscription option
  • Faster content updates
Show 2 more
  • Accessibility improvements
  • Seamless integration with other 9to5 sites

Please Explain

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

1 purchases

9to5Mac

Subscriptions1
  • Premium Subscription7 Days trial$1.991 Month
3 purchases

Please Explain

Subscriptions3
  • Monthly Subscription$4.991 Month
  • Bi-Annual Subscription$29.996 Months
  • Annual Subscription$49.991 Year

Questions

Is 9to5Mac free?
9to5Mac is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Please Explain free?
Please Explain is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do 9to5Mac or Please Explain have ads?
Neither 9to5Mac nor Please Explain shows ads.
Which is updated more often, 9to5Mac or Please Explain?
9to5Mac ships an update every 3 months, and Please Explain every 2 days. Most recently, 9to5Mac was updated on October 22, 2026 and Please Explain on October 13, 2026.

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