# ProPublica vs Flipster

The clearest difference is review sentiment: ProPublica at 75% against Flipster's 16%. ProPublica also leads on rating (4.5 vs 2.2). On price, ratings volume, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

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

ProPublica holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 2.2. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 105 and 217 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 75% of ProPublica's written reviews are positive against 16% of Flipster's.

ProPublica ships an update every 4 months, Flipster every 3 months. Both last shipped on November 1, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | ProPublica | Flipster |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.5 (105 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/propublica/id355298887/reviews)** | [2.2 (217 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/flipster-digital-magazines/id797106282/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 105 | **217** |
| Positive reviews | **74.8% of reviews** | 15.9% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 4 months | **Every 3 months** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Best chart rank | **#187** | #202 |
| Size | 7 MB | 16 MB |
| Requires iOS | 12.0 | 12.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 17+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [ProPublica](https://appshunter.io/developer/355298890) | [EBSCO Publishing](https://appshunter.io/developer/433269590) |

## What reviewers say

### ProPublica

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/propublica/id355298887)

**Currently charting:** #187 Top Free · News (US App Store)

Access in-depth investigative journalism covering critical topics like government, healthcare, and criminal justice. Enjoy a streamlined reading experience with offline support and notifications for major stories.

**Highlights:** Latest investigative journalism, Reporting on government and policy, Coverage of healthcare and criminal justice, Environmental reporting, Streamlined reading experience, Offline support, Story notifications

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 📰 High-quality investigative journalism
- ✅ Factual, unbiased reporting
- 🎯 In-depth, well-researched stories
- 🆓 Ad-free content
- 🧹 Clean, simple interface

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🌙 Bright white screen (no dark mode)
- 📤 Social sharing doesn't include headlines
- ⚠️ Outdated app updates
- 🖼️ Image sizing issues on older devices
- 🔄 Slow initial loading times

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes on launch
- App won't open or load content
- Stories don't appear when clicked
- MuckReads section fails to load
- Data filter dropdowns non-functional

**Requested features**

- Dark mode for nighttime reading
- Bookmark/save articles function
- Home screen widget
- Adjustable font size
- Persistent font size settings


### Flipster

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/flipster-digital-magazines/id797106282)

**Currently charting:** #202 Top Free · News (US App Store)

Access a wide selection of digital magazines for free through your local library. Explore, download, and read titles offline on your Apple device, with features like offline reading and article navigation.

**Highlights:** Locate participating libraries, Browse and download magazines, Read magazines offline, Digital table of contents, Article text view, Jump to articles and websites, Track reading progress

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Solid and functional
- 👍 Simplicity and minimalism
- 👍 Reading magazines with relative ease

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent 'service unavailable' errors
- 🐛 Inability to change text size
- 🐛 Crashing and not working on certain devices
- 🐛 Outdated magazine selection
- 🐛 Inconsistent user experience

**Reported bugs**

- Login issues and credential errors
- Frequent crashes and service unavailability
- Incompatibility with newer OS versions
- Inability to exit full-screen mode
- Outdated magazine content

**Requested features**

- Ability to bookmark specific publishers or categories
- Adjustable font sizes and text view options
- Notifications for expiring magazines
- Dark mode support
- Improved navigation and magazine management


## Frequently asked questions

### Is ProPublica free?

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

### Is Flipster free?

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

### Which has better reviews, ProPublica or Flipster?

ProPublica is rated higher. ProPublica averages 4.5 out of 5 from 105 ratings, while Flipster averages 2.2 from 217 ratings.

### Do ProPublica or Flipster have ads?

Neither ProPublica nor Flipster shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, ProPublica or Flipster?

ProPublica ships an update every 4 months, and Flipster every 3 months. Most recently, ProPublica was updated on November 1, 2026 and Flipster on November 1, 2026.

### Which is more popular, ProPublica or Flipster?

ProPublica currently peaks at #187 in the App Store charts, and Flipster at #202. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

---

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