# Squirrel News vs LightRead

The clearest difference is ads: Squirrel News at none against LightRead's shown. Squirrel News also leads on device support (3 vs 1) and iOS requirement (15.0 vs 17). LightRead's advantage is update cadence (every 8 days vs every 2 months). On price and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Squirrel News ships an update every 2 months, LightRead every 8 days. The most recent releases landed on October 8, 2026 and September 28, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Squirrel News | LightRead |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (12 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/squirrel-news/id1516090777/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **12** | — |
| Positive reviews | 72.7% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Every 8 days** |
| Monetization | Free | — |
| Size | 11 MB | 7 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 17 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 12+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Constructive News e.V](https://appshunter.io/developer/1503476884) | [Weichen Cheng](https://appshunter.io/developer/1193049632) |

## What reviewers say

### Squirrel News

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/squirrel-news/id1516090777)

Discover positive and solutions-focused news curated by independent journalists. This app delivers daily editions highlighting innovative ideas and successful approaches to societal challenges, offering an alternative to conflict-driven reporting.

**Highlights:** Solutions-focused news curation, Daily news editions, International media coverage, Independent journalism, Push notifications for new issues, Non-profit project

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


### LightRead

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/lightread/id6753268332)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Squirrel News free?

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

### Is LightRead free?

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

### Do Squirrel News or LightRead have ads?

LightRead shows ads; Squirrel News does not.

### Which is updated more often, Squirrel News or LightRead?

Squirrel News ships an update every 2 months, and LightRead every 8 days. Most recently, Squirrel News was updated on October 8, 2026 and LightRead on September 28, 2026.

---

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