The Journal vs BakkenBuzz
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
The Journal
This app provides local news coverage for specific regions in North Dakota and Montana. It delivers news for Divide County, western Burke County, and northern Williams County, including several towns.
- Local news coverage
- North Dakota news
- Montana news
- Town-specific news
- Regional updates
Read full descriptionHide full description
The Journal serves Divide County, western Burke County and northern Williams County, including the towns of Crosby, Noonan, Ambrose, Fortuna, Columbus, Lignite, Wildrose, Ray, Epping and Grenora in North Dakota, along with Westby, Montana.
BakkenBuzz
Read full descriptionHide full description
The McKenzie County Farmer is the oldest business in McKenzie County, originating in 1908. We continue to work diligently to report accurate, factual news and information to our readers. Covering a wide range of local and state government, the oil and gas industry, agriculture, community events and special features. For over century The Farmer has been driven with a purpose to serve its community. And we continue to focus on the stories and issues that matter the most to the people of western North Dakota - Bakken Buzz
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is ads: The Journal at none against BakkenBuzz's shown. The Journal also leads on update cadence (every 5 weeks vs every 7 months). On price, in-app purchases, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
The Journal ships an update every 5 weeks, BakkenBuzz every 7 months. The most recent releases landed on October 12, 2026 and October 25, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | The Journal | BakkenBuzz |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.0 (1 ratings) — better | — |
| Number of ratings | 1 — better | — |
| Update frequency | Every 5 weeks — better | Every 7 months |
| Ads | No — better | Yes |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 — better | 15.1 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 47 MB | 59 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Our Hometown, Inc | McKenzie County Media LLC |
In-app purchases
The Journal
No in-app purchases
BakkenBuzz
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is The Journal free?
Is BakkenBuzz free?
Do The Journal or BakkenBuzz have ads?
Which is updated more often, The Journal or BakkenBuzz?
Other comparisons
