# Helena Independent Record

> Local news and community stories with multimedia features and personalized alerts. (iPhone/iPad app by Lee Enterprises.)

- Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/helena-independent-record/id437589283 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`)
- Developer: [Lee Enterprises](https://appshunter.io/developer/366562520)
- Category: News
- Price: Free with in-app purchases
- Rating: 3.00/5 from 60 App Store ratings · 17 written reviews indexed
- Age rating: 12+
- Requires: iOS 13.0 · 98 MB
- Languages: American English, European Spanish
- Released: 2011-06-08
- Data updated: 2026-08-12
- Monetization: free with in-app purchases
- User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/helena-independent-record/id437589283/reviews.md

## What is Helena Independent Record?

Your story lives in the Independent Record. From reporting on all of your favorite teams to the news that matters most in the community, we cover it all. Get in-depth stories from the region and across Montana – including news, sports, opinion, obituaries, entertainment, and politics.


Easily access the very latest news in an app built for you. Read, see, and hear exclusive commentary, stunning photography, video updates, and binge-worthy podcasts.


Plus, subscribers have the ability to upgrade to News+, our premium ad-free experience! That means faster-loading pages and an uninterrupted reading experience. 


Our app features:

* Your Stories – personalize your experience by selecting the local news topics that matter most to you
* Get notified – stay in the loop by selecting alerts for news, sports, weather, and more
* Easy navigation – see all the latest local stories by simply swiping up/down, and left/right.
* Read stories your way – either in the News Feed or via the E-edition
* Breaking news updates – top banners let you know what’s happening right now
* Follow author – get notifications whenever your favorite writers post a story
* Bookmark for later – save stories to enjoy at your leisure
* Listen to articles – press the play button to listen instead
* Customize your text size – make the content bigger or smaller in your profile settings
* Weather where you are – hourly, 10-day forecasts, and frequent video updates


Free to download. Subscribers enjoy unlimited access

https://helenair.com/terms/

## Key features

- Personalized news topics
- Breaking news alerts
- Exclusive commentary and podcasts
- Multimedia content (video, photography)
- Customizable text size
- Listen to articles
- Weather forecasts

## Pricing and in-app purchases

Base price: Free.

**Subscriptions**

| Subscription | Price | Period |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Subscriptions | $44.99 | per month |
| Subscriptions | $27.99 | per month |
| Subscriptions | $40.99 | per month |
| Subscriptions | $329.99 | per year |
| Subscriptions | $269.99 | per year |
| Subscriptions | $364.99 | per year |
| Subscriptions | $50.00 | per year |


## Chart rankings

- #189 in Top Grossing · News (US App Store)

## Recent user reviews (10 of 17)

All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/helena-independent-record/id437589283/reviews.md

### 4/5 — Improvements made

*2025-04-08*

It’s easier to pull up stories to read now. But still challenging to get past initial screen that offers subscription deal.

**Developer response:** Thank you for taking the time to provide feedback. We truly appreciate it.

### 5/5 — I love the IR

*2025-02-04*

My husband gets the paper regularly but I love reading articles on my phone!

**Developer response:** We appreciate the positive review! Thank you for taking the time to let us know you’re enjoying the app.

### 1/5 — Almost nonfunctional with a 2014 iPad Air with iOS 12.5.6

*2022-09-07*

Bummer.  The Helena IR app is almost nonfunctional on my 2014 iPad Air with iOS 12.5.6.  It used to work.  Was about to stop getting the print edition.  I still might, but I’ll have to read it on my iPhone 12.  What a shame.

### 1/5 — Doesn’t work consistently

*2022-02-20*

Has for several days in the past month given an error that I need to subscribe/pay to access content even though I AM A PAID SUBSCRIBER and have been for years. Support on 1/27/22 reply essentially said go use the website instead of the app and “ Unfortunately, there is a known issue with the app that causes the login to malfunction.”

It took several days before the app finally worked again. It worked for a few days and now it doesn’t work again. To pay this much a month to access news on my phone and not be able to is not acceptable service.

### 1/5 — Almost useless

*2021-11-26*

And you would like for folks to pay?

### 1/5 — Terrible App

*2021-08-04*

Crashes every time I click on a notification.

### 2/5 — Buggy performance, messy layout, subpar reporting

*2021-06-30*

The IR app has serious performance problems; specifically, any time i try to click a push notification, the app crashes every time, requiring me to relaunch the app and manually search for whatever story caught my eye...and there is no “latest news” section to find it in. Layout is poor too; pages are riddled with add content that is poorly formatted, causing text to frequently jump around. Finally, the IR has suffered from lackluster coverage and writing for years; headlines or story leads are frequently confusingly written or don’t accurately sum up the details in the full article. Push notifications often promote opinion articles that it perhaps thinks will generate more traffic, regardless of the quality of those editorials. Unfortunately the IR is one of the few online sources for local Helena news...for State-wide news, I usually turn instead to Yellowstone Public Radio, Montana Public Radio, or Montana Free Press for better coverage and more engaging news write-ups.

### 4/5 — Rating IR

*2020-08-25*

I was in a much larger metropolitan area in Idaho (than Helena) last week and Sunday I had a need for some print news - so I bought a paper there.  The Independent Record far exceeds the paper I read.  I was done in minutes and was not mentally satisfied.  Keep up the good work.

### 1/5 — Poor content worse execution

*2019-03-15*

This app used to more closely follow the print edition now it is dominated by irrelevant local sports and has very limited local news. If you click on notifications to check the story, the text is blocked and you are requested to participate in a survey (this can, however, be averted by backing out of the story and then opening it from the app). This app needs a complete redo and a new content editor.

### 1/5 — Helena Independent Record

*2018-12-20*

Stories are Difficult to follow. Print is to small.  No index.

## Frequently asked questions about Helena Independent Record

### What kind of news does Helena Independent Record cover?

Helena Independent Record covers a wide range of local news, including community events, sports, opinion pieces, obituaries, entertainment, and politics specific to the Helena region and across Montana.

### Can I customize my news feed with Helena Independent Record?

Yes, you can personalize your experience by selecting the local news topics that matter most to you. You can also choose to receive alerts for news, sports, weather, and more.

### Does Helena Independent Record have ads?

Yes, the Helena Independent Record app contains advertisements. Subscribers have the option to upgrade to News+, a premium ad-free experience.

### What are the subscription options for Helena Independent Record?

Subscription plans vary, with options including monthly and yearly rates. For example, there are monthly subscriptions at $27.99, $40.99, and $44.99, and yearly subscriptions at $50.00 and $269.99.

### How often is Helena Independent Record updated?

The app was last updated on January 26, 2026, indicating regular updates. The latest version is 9.19.3.

### What devices are supported by Helena Independent Record?

Helena Independent Record is supported on iPhone, iPad, and iPod devices.

### Can I listen to articles on Helena Independent Record?

Yes, you can listen to articles by pressing the play button. This feature allows for an auditory experience of the news content.

### What is the age rating for Helena Independent Record?

Helena Independent Record has an age rating of 12+, making it suitable for users aged 12 and older.

## Version history (last 5 releases)

### 9.22.1 — 2026-08-06

Bug fixes and performance improvements.

### 9.22 — 2026-07-09

Bug fixes and performance improvements.

### 9.21 — 2026-05-14

Bug fixes and performance improvements.

### 9.19.3 — 2026-01-26

Puzzmo, a game-changing collection of additional games and puzzles

### 9.19.2 — 2025-11-20

Improved login and authentication for a smoother experience. Plus, a new subscription plan, bug fixes, and more.

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## More apps by Lee Enterprises

- [La Crosse Tribune](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/la-crosse-tribune/id366562516)
- [Winona Daily News](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/winona-daily-news/id366892266)
- [Billings Gazette](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/billings-gazette/id367893195)
- [NWI.com](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nwicom/id369916938)
- [WiscNews](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/wiscnews/id370070071)
- [Missoulian](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/missoulian/id370297476)

All apps by Lee Enterprises: https://appshunter.io/developer/366562520

## Related topics

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*Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-08-12.*