# LAist vs LA Times

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: LAist at none against LA Times's 3. LAist also leads on ads (none vs shown). LA Times's advantage is ratings volume (20K vs 655) and rating (4.6 vs 4.3). On price, review sentiment, update cadence and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. LA Times sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. LAist asks for nothing beyond the download.

LA Times holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 4.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: LA Times has 20K ratings behind it against 655, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 30% and 29% positive.

LAist ships an update monthly, LA Times every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 31, 2026 and November 5, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | LAist | LA Times |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.3 (655 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/laist/id293825085/reviews) | **[4.6 (20K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/la-times/id373238146/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 655 | **20K** |
| Positive reviews | **30.0% of reviews** | 29.1% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Monthly | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | #173 | **#13** |
| Size | 39 MB | 37 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 16.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 17+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Southern California Public Radio](https://appshunter.io/developer/293825088) | [Los Angeles Times Communications LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1449774969) |

## What reviewers say

### LAist

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

**Currently charting:** #173 Top Free · News (US App Store)

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 Times

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/la-times/id373238146)

**Currently charting:** #13 Top Grossing · Magazines & Newspapers, #26 Top Grossing · News, #50 Top Free · Magazines & Newspapers, #94 Top Free · News (US App Store)

Access award-winning journalism covering Southern California and the world. Browse digital content or the eNewspaper, save articles, and watch exclusive videos. Stay informed with breaking news and in-depth reporting.

**Highlights:** Breaking news alerts, Digital content browsing, eNewspaper access, Save articles to 'My Library', Exclusive video section, Easy content sharing

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| News App Only | $4.99 | per month |
| Unlimited Digital Access | $5.99 | per month |
| Unlimited Digital Access | $15.99 | per month |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Smooth navigation
- 👍 Great UI design
- 🚀 Fast load times
- 💡 Useful features like traffic alerts
- 👍 Comprehensive local and national news coverage

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Buggy search functionality
- 🔒 Subscription issues and paywall problems
- 🔋 Slow performance on older devices
- 👎 Outdated or irrelevant content
- 👎 Overwhelming with ads

**Reported bugs**

- Images not loading properly
- Frequent crashes and freezes
- Paywall issues preventing access to content
- Sync problems between app and website

**Requested features**

- Customizable news feed and section ordering
- Offline reading mode
- Better integration with subscription accounts
- Improved article navigation and scrolling
- Accessibility features for visually impaired users


## Frequently asked questions

### Is LAist free?

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

### Is LA Times free?

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

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

LA Times is rated higher. LAist averages 4.3 out of 5 from 655 ratings, while LA Times averages 4.6 from 20K ratings.

### Do LAist or LA Times have ads?

LA Times shows ads; LAist does not.

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

LAist ships an update monthly, and LA Times every 3 weeks. Most recently, LAist was updated on October 31, 2026 and LA Times on November 5, 2026.

### Which is more popular, LAist or LA Times?

LAist currently peaks at #173 in the App Store charts, and LA Times at #13. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

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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.*