# The Journal vs BakkenBuzz

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.

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.

## The numbers

| Metric | The Journal | BakkenBuzz |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-journal-journalndcom/id1458369854/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **1** | — |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 5 weeks** | Every 7 months |
| Monetization | Free | — |
| Size | 47 MB | 59 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 15.1 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Our Hometown, Inc](https://appshunter.io/developer/429747057) | [McKenzie County Media LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1785926398) |

## What reviewers say

### The Journal

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-journal-journalndcom/id1458369854)

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.

**Highlights:** Local news coverage, North Dakota news, Montana news, Town-specific news, Regional updates

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


### BakkenBuzz

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bakkenbuzz/id6739541866)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is The Journal free?

The Journal is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is BakkenBuzz free?

BakkenBuzz is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Do The Journal or BakkenBuzz have ads?

BakkenBuzz shows ads; The Journal does not.

### Which is updated more often, The Journal or BakkenBuzz?

The Journal ships an update every 5 weeks, and BakkenBuzz every 7 months. Most recently, The Journal was updated on October 12, 2026 and BakkenBuzz on October 25, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*