News & Media · head to head
Apple News vs Arc Publishing
Apple News
News & Media
All the news you want. From sources you trust.
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
Arc Publishing
News & Media
The enterprise publishing platform for news organizations
- From
- On request
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Only Apple News has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
- Each has a real cost: Apple News apple News+ costs $12.99 per month in USD after the first month, or is included only via the $39.95 per month USD Apple One Premier bundle; Arc Publishing now sold as Arc XP, and arcpublishing.com redirects there
- They diverge on capability: Apple News covers Curated news feed, Arc Publishing covers Modular CMS.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Apple News and Arc Publishing actually diverge.
| Attribute | Apple News | Arc Publishing |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | Free | On request |
| Pricing model | freemium | quote |
| Free tier | Yes | No |
| Platforms | Ios, Macos | Web, Mobile |
| Founded | 1976 | 2016 |
Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (News & Media).
What each one covers
Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.
Only in Apple News
- Curated news feed
- Premium magazines
- Audio stories
- Personalization
- Offline reading
- iCloud
- Apple One bundle
- Siri
Only in Arc Publishing
- Modular CMS
- Content creation
- Publishing workflow
- Paywall management
- Subscription billing
- Analytics dashboard
- API framework
- Commerce integration
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Apple News
- Daily news readingnot Arc Publishing
- Magazine subscriptionnot Arc Publishing
- News discoverynot Arc Publishing
- Staying informednot Arc Publishing
Arc Publishing
- Content management for news and digital publishersnot Apple News
- Subscription and paywall managementnot Apple News
- Video publishing alongside articlesnot Apple News
- Multi-site delivery for broadcast and B2B publishersnot Apple News
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Apple News
- Apple News+ costs $12.99 per month in USD after the first month, or is included only via the $39.95 per month USD Apple One Premier bundle
Arc Publishing
- Now sold as Arc XP, and arcpublishing.com redirects there
- Pricing is not published
- Built for media companies, so the editorial workflow assumptions do not suit a general business site
Pricing, plan by plan
Apple News
Free- Apple NewsFree
- Free news articles
- Personalized feed
- Topic following
- Apple News+$12.99/month
- Premium magazines
- Major newspapers
- Audio stories
Arc Publishing
On request- Enterprise$undefined/custom
- Custom CMS
- Paywall integration
- Advanced analytics
Which should you pick?
Choose Apple News if
- You need curated news feed.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Ios, Macos.
- You also want premium magazines.
Choose Arc Publishing if
- You need modular cms.
- You work on Web, Mobile.
- You also want content creation.
Questions people ask
- Is Apple News or Arc Publishing better?
- Neither clearly leads. Apple News starts at Free and Arc Publishing at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Apple News or Arc Publishing?
- Apple News has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Apple News and On request for Arc Publishing.
- Does Apple News or Arc Publishing run on more platforms?
- Apple News runs on Ios, Macos. Arc Publishing runs on Web, Mobile.
- Can I use Apple News for free?
- Yes. Apple News has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Arc Publishing starts at On request.
- What is Apple News best used for?
- Apple News is most often used for daily news reading, magazine subscription, news discovery, staying informed. Of those, daily news reading and magazine subscription are not what Arc Publishing is typically brought in for.
- What can Apple News do that Arc Publishing cannot?
- Apple News covers Curated news feed, Premium magazines, Audio stories, Personalization. Arc Publishing covers Modular CMS, Content creation, Publishing workflow, Paywall management.