# LAist vs LA TACO

The clearest difference is review sentiment: LA TACO at 89% against LAist's 30%. LA TACO also leads on rating (4.7 vs 4.3). LAist's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 4) and ads (none vs shown). On price and update cadence there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. LA TACO sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month. LAist asks for nothing beyond the download.

LA TACO holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: LAist has 654 ratings behind it against 23, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 30% of LAist's written reviews are positive against 89% of LA TACO's.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly monthly. The most recent releases landed on October 29, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | LAist | LA TACO |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.3 (654 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/laist/id293825085/reviews) | **[4.7 (23 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/la-taco/id1532015914/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **654** | 23 |
| Positive reviews | 30.0% of reviews | **88.9% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Monthly | Monthly |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 39 MB | 70 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 17.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 17+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Southern California Public Radio](https://appshunter.io/developer/293825088) | [L.A. TACO](https://appshunter.io/developer/1532016666) |

## What reviewers say

### LAist

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/laist/id293825085)

Access Southern California's premier news source for NPR broadcasts, local headlines, and podcasts. Stream live radio, catch up on on-demand programs, and receive breaking news alerts. Stay informed with comprehensive coverage from LAist.com.

**Highlights:** Live radio streaming, On-demand program archives, Daily news headlines, Breaking news alerts, Sleep timer and alarm clock, Story sharing

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Easy to use
- 👍 Reliable source of news
- 👍 Vital app for news
- 👍 Fantastic
- 👍 Reliable and unbiased

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Buggy and unstable
- 🐛 Frequent crashes and freezes
- 🐛 Glitchy performance issues
- 🐛 Carplay not working properly
- 🐛 Ads disrupt the listening experience

**Reported bugs**

- Podcasts not loading properly
- Live stream frequently drops out
- Playback issues when switching between apps
- Inconsistent behavior when pausing and resuming
- Sync issues between device and app

**Requested features**

- Add rewind and fast-forward functionality
- Improve CarPlay integration
- Implement a sleep timer
- Enhance podcast playback controls
- Improve organization and discoverability of content


### LA TACO

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/la-taco/id1532015914)

Discover news and information about food, culture, and community in Los Angeles. This platform provides street-level journalism from all corners of L.A. county, catering to those passionate about the city.

**Highlights:** Los Angeles news coverage, Food and culture information, Community insights, Street-level journalism, Independently owned and operated

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

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Founder Monthly Membership | $9.99 | per month |
| Premier Monthly Membership | $19.99 | per month |
| Founder Annual Membership | $99.99 | per year |
| Premier Annual Membership | $199.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is LAist free?

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

### Is LA TACO free?

LA TACO is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, LAist or LA TACO?

LA TACO is rated higher. LAist averages 4.3 out of 5 from 654 ratings, while LA TACO averages 4.7 from 23 ratings.

### Do LAist or LA TACO have ads?

LA TACO shows ads; LAist does not.

### Which is updated more often, LAist or LA TACO?

LAist ships an update monthly, and LA TACO monthly. Most recently, LAist was updated on October 29, 2026 and LA TACO on October 24, 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.*