Software · head to head
Apple News vs Medium
Medium
Software
The best place to read and write stories on the internet
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
The short version
- 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; Medium unlimited access to stories requires a paid Medium membership
- They diverge on capability: Apple News covers Curated news feed, Medium covers Story publishing.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Apple News and Medium actually diverge.
| Attribute | Apple News | Medium |
|---|---|---|
| Platforms | Ios, Macos | Web, Mobile |
| Founded | 1976 | 2012 |
Identical on both: starting price (Free), pricing model (freemium), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).
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 Medium
- Story publishing
- Member program
- Earning potential
- Reading time estimates
- Clap reactions
- Highlighting & annotations
- Story recommendations
- Following system
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Apple News
- Daily news readingnot Medium
- Magazine subscriptionnot Medium
- News discoverynot Medium
- Staying informednot Medium
Medium
- Publishing articles without running your own blognot Apple News
- Reading long-form writing across technology, culture and newsnot Apple News
- Earning from writing through the Medium Partner Programnot 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
Medium
- Unlimited access to stories requires a paid Medium membership
- Audio versions of stories are a member-only feature
- Earning money from writing requires joining the Medium Partner Program rather than being automatic
- The iOS app requires iOS 17.0 or later
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
Medium
Free- FreeFree
- Unlimited reading
- Publishing platform
- Story drafts
- Medium Membership$5/month
- Unlimited access
- Exclusive stories
- Member earnings
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 Medium if
- You need story publishing.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Web, Mobile.
- You also want member program.
Questions people ask
- Is Apple News or Medium better?
- Neither clearly leads. Apple News starts at Free and Medium at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Apple News or Medium?
- Apple News starts at Free and Medium at Free.
- Does Apple News or Medium run on more platforms?
- Apple News runs on Ios, Macos. Medium runs on Web, Mobile.
- Can I use Apple News for free?
- Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
- 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 Medium is typically brought in for.
- What can Apple News do that Medium cannot?
- Apple News covers Curated news feed, Premium magazines, Audio stories, Personalization. Medium covers Story publishing, Member program, Earning potential, Reading time estimates.
Related pages
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