# POLITICO vs Patch

POLITICO and Patch both sit at 4.7 stars, but that hides the real split: 58% of Patch's written reviews are positive against 30% of POLITICO's. On price, rating, ratings volume and update cadence there is nothing between them.

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

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.7 for POLITICO against 4.7 for Patch. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 49K and 26K respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 30% of POLITICO's written reviews are positive against 58% of Patch's.

POLITICO ships an update monthly, Patch every 2 months. Both last shipped on October 15, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | POLITICO | Patch |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.7 (49K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/politico/id358305912/reviews) | [4.7 (26K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/patch-everything-local/id430049632/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **49K** | 26K |
| Positive reviews | 29.7% of reviews | **58.3% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Monthly** | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | Ad-supported | Ad-supported |
| Best chart rank | **#140** | #167 |
| Size | 129 MB | 66 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 15.6 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [POLITICO, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/358305915) | [Patch Media](https://appshunter.io/developer/1088403234) |

## What reviewers say

### POLITICO

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/politico/id358305912)

**Currently charting:** #140 Top Free · News (US App Store)

Get real-time political news and analysis delivered directly to your phone. This app offers a streamlined way to access breaking news and in-depth stories from a leading political news source.

**Highlights:** Up-to-the-minute insight, Political news analysis, Breaking news alerts, Sleek and navigable design, Dynamic stories

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Excellent news coverage
- 🔍 Thorough and insightful analysis
- 🗞️ Reliable and trustworthy journalism
- 📊 Valuable data and metrics

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes and bugs
- 🔄 Difficulty refreshing content
- 📱 Poor app performance and navigation
- 🔍 Biased or partisan reporting
- 🔍 Lack of objectivity

**Reported bugs**

- App freezes and crashes
- Inability to refresh content
- Notifications not working properly
- Compatibility issues with newer devices

**Requested features**

- Ability to adjust font size
- Offline reading mode
- Improved article organization and search
- More balanced political coverage


### Patch

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/patch-everything-local/id430049632)

**Currently charting:** #167 Top Free · News (US App Store)

Stay informed about your local community with real-time news, events, and weather updates. Discover schools, homes for sale, jobs, and announcements in a single, easy-to-scroll feed. Receive breaking news alerts and share stories with friends.

**Highlights:** Local news and events for 1,200+ towns, Breaking news push notifications, Local weather forecasts and alerts, Find local jobs and announcements, One-scroll feed for town happenings, Bookmark articles for later reading, Support for following multiple towns

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🗞️ Informative local news
- 📰 Comprehensive coverage of community events
- 🔍 Useful for staying up-to-date on local happenings
- 🗓️ Timely and relevant information
- 💻 Convenient online/mobile access to local news

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔌 App stability and performance issues
- 🔍 Limited ability to customize content and notifications
- 📢 Concerns about removal of reader comments
- 🗺️ Lack of location-specific focus in some areas
- 💲 Paid subscription model for full access

**Reported bugs**

- Articles failing to load or open properly
- Notification issues, including duplicate or missing alerts
- Inconsistent app behavior after updates
- Difficulty clearing unread article indicators

**Requested features**

- Allow users to select specific news categories of interest
- Improve notification system to be more reliable and customizable
- Restore reader comment functionality
- Enhance location-based targeting and content curation
- Offer more affordable or free access options


## Frequently asked questions

### Is POLITICO free?

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

### Is Patch free?

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

### Which has better reviews, POLITICO or Patch?

POLITICO and Patch are both rated 4.7 out of 5 on the App Store, from 49K and 26K ratings respectively.

### Do POLITICO or Patch have ads?

Both POLITICO and Patch show ads.

### Which is updated more often, POLITICO or Patch?

POLITICO ships an update monthly, and Patch every 2 months. Most recently, POLITICO was updated on October 15, 2026 and Patch on October 15, 2026.

### Which is more popular, POLITICO or Patch?

POLITICO currently peaks at #140 in the App Store charts, and Patch at #167. 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.*