Top News Apps on iOS in South Africa: Q4 2025

In the fourth quarter of 2025, the leading news applications on iOS in South Africa demonstrated varied performance trends across downloads, revenue, and active users, as reported by Sensor Tower.

News24: Trusted News. First experienced consistent weekly revenue, peaking at approximately $15.2K in early December. Downloads showed a slight upward trend mid-quarter, reaching around 439 in the week of October 13, while weekly active users saw a gradual decline from 26.5K to 21.8K.

Netwerk24 – Alles op een plek saw its weekly revenue fluctuate, reaching a high of about $10.3K in early December. Downloads remained relatively stable throughout the quarter, with minor fluctuations, while active users maintained a consistent range, closing the quarter at 4.5K.

X showed a significant rise in weekly revenue, peaking at approximately $10.7K in late December. Weekly downloads varied, with a notable peak of 6.1K in the first week of December. Active users remained robust, hovering around 550K throughout the quarter.

Bloomberg: Business News Daily experienced a steady revenue stream, with a slight dip towards the end of the quarter, closing at $2.9K. Downloads fluctuated with a slight increase mid-quarter, while active users remained consistent, ending the quarter at 421.

The Economist - News, Podcasts exhibited a varied revenue pattern, peaking at $4.8K in late November. Downloads were highest in December, reaching 331, and active users increased towards the end of the quarter, peaking at 1.3K.

These insights highlight the dynamic nature of the news application market in South Africa, with more detailed analytics available through Sensor Tower.