What it does well
The Athletic, from The New York Times, is a sports journalism app. Its Google Play listing describes an award-winning newsroom of more than 400 sports journalists, in-depth analysis, long reads and exclusive interviews, scores and stats across US and international sports, daily podcasts, and a sports edition of the Connections puzzle.
Side-by-side
| Feature | SportAnalyst | The Athletic |
|---|---|---|
| Sports covered | Football (Premier League, Ligue 1, La Liga, Bundesliga, Serie A, Belgian Pro League, Eredivisie, Primeira Liga, UEFA), NBA + WNBA, MLB, NHL | US and international sports: NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, college, football (soccer), golf, Formula 1 and more |
| Written analysis per game | Yes: a written analysis for every covered game, plus a recap after the final whistle | Journalist-written analysis and long reads (not advertised as one read per game) |
| Pre-game read | Yes: recent form, key factors, season numbers and the latest team news | Not advertised as a per-game read; expert analysis for each league |
| Injuries, context and sources | Latest team news with cited sources, when available | Reporting from its newsroom, plus scores and stats |
| Languages | 12 languages, including English and French | Not stated in its store listing (the listing is in English) |
| Price | Free recaps + 1 free pre-game read a week. Fan €3.99/month (full depth, no trial). All-Access €14.99/month (Analyst chat, 7-day free trial) | Free to download, with in-app purchases (price not stated in the listing) |
| Ads | No ads (October 2026) | No "Contains ads" label on its Google Play listing |
Competitor details come from their public Google Play listings as of October 2026 and may have changed since.
Where it's better
- Reporting: an award-winning newsroom of 400+ journalists, with exclusive interviews and long reads.
- Expert opinion and storytelling that a data-driven read does not replace.
- Wider coverage: NFL, college sports, golf, Formula 1 and more, plus podcasts.
- Extras such as the Connections: Sports Edition daily puzzle.
Where SportAnalyst is different
- Every covered game gets a read, including quiet midweek games.
- The same structure every time: form, key factors, season numbers and team news before the game, a recap after it.
- 12 languages, including French, Spanish, German, Italian and Portuguese.
- Free recaps and one free pre-game read a week before you pay anything.
Which one should you choose?
Choose The Athletic if… you want reported stories, interviews and expert columns about your team, and you read in English.
Choose SportAnalyst if… you want a consistent, quick read on every game your team plays, in your language, before and after it.
Know the game before kickoff.
Free recaps and one free pre-game read every week. On Android, or straight on the web.
Other comparisons
Sources
- The Athletic on Google Play (Checked on 2026-10-11)
Names mentioned are trademarks of their respective owners. SportAnalyst is not affiliated with any of these apps.