How-To Geek
Depends
Confidence: Medium
Read it free as a starting point for tech how-tos . that's a fine default.
Comparison
How-To Geek vs Ars Technica
How-To Geek lands on Depends, and Ars Technica lands on Worth it.
Ars Technica
Worth it
Confidence: Medium
Buy the Ars Pro subscription if you read tech news weekly and want ad-free long-form plus forums; the free ad-supported site already covers casual readers.
| Compare | How-To Geek | Ars Technica |
|---|---|---|
| Verdict | Depends | Worth it |
| Best for | Non-technical users wanting step-by-step fixes | IT professionals and sysadmins |
| Who it's not for | Anyone shopping for actual software . this is editorial content, not a tool | Casual skimmers wanting short headlines |
| Privacy | No known public vulnerabilities found in the sources reviewed.¹ | No known public vulnerabilities found in the sources reviewed; the site's ad slot was reportedly abused in one malware campaign. |
| Support quality | No support channel; editorial publication | No evidence in sources |
| Public sentiment | Longtime fans enjoy the newsletter, but some Reddit users claim quality dropped after the 2023 Valnet acquisition.⁶ | Readers consistently praise the depth and quality of the reporting and recommend subscribing. |
| Biggest gotcha | Premium price and terms aren't visible in reviewed sources . verify before subscribing² | Ars Pro/Pro++ pricing not visible in reviewed sources . check the subscribe page before committing13 |
Pick How-To Geek when
- Non-technical users wanting step-by-step fixes
- Casual gadget shoppers needing review guidance
- Windows, Android, and privacy quick answers
When How-To Geek is not a fit
- Anyone shopping for actual software . this is editorial content, not a tool
- Pros needing primary vendor documentation for critical fixes
- Buyers expecting support, SLAs, or an account manager
- Teams evaluating a deployable product
Pick Ars Technica when
- IT professionals and sysadmins
- Security news followers
- Long-form tech readers
- Gadget review shoppers
When Ars Technica is not a fit
- Casual skimmers wanting short headlines
- Shoppers wanting simple buy/don't-buy verdicts
- Non-technical readers
- Anyone refusing subscriptions for news
Sources
- How-To Geek - We Explain Technologyhowtogeek.comofficial
- Premiumhowtogeek.comofficial
- Product Reviewshowtogeek.comofficial
- About | How-To Geekhowtogeek.comofficial
- Valnet Inc. Completes the Acquisition of How-To Geekbusinesswire.comnews
- Wow an all time low for HowToGeekreddit.comreview
- How-To Geek Reviewstrustpilot.comreview
- How-To Geek on Facebookfacebook.comofficial
- Geek Talk group on How-To Geekfacebook.comreview
- How-To Geek - Crunchbase Company Profilecrunchbase.comnews
- Ars Technica homepagearstechnica.comofficial
- Ars Pro and Ars Pro++ Details & FAQarstechnica.comofficial
- Subscribe to Ars Technicaarstechnica.comofficial
- Category: Reviewsarstechnica.comofficial
- Author: Dan Goodin, Senior Security Editorarstechnica.comofficial
news