# POLITICO vs MSN

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: POLITICO at none against MSN's 1. POLITICO also leads on iOS requirement (16.4 vs 18.0). MSN's advantage is update cadence (every 2 weeks vs monthly) and review sentiment (38% vs 29%). On price, rating, ratings volume and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. MSN sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $20.00 per month. POLITICO asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.7 for POLITICO against 4.6 for MSN. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 49K and 124K respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 29% of POLITICO's written reviews are positive against 38% of MSN's.

POLITICO ships an update monthly, MSN every 2 weeks. Both last shipped on October 30, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | POLITICO | MSN |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (49K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/politico/id358305912/reviews)** | [4.6 (124K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/msn/id945416273/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 49K | **124K** |
| Positive reviews | 29.3% of reviews | **38.1% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | Monthly | **Every 2 weeks** |
| Monetization | Ad-supported | Ad-supported |
| Best chart rank | **#34** | #87 |
| Size | 88 MB | 260 MB |
| Requires iOS | **16.4** | 18.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [POLITICO, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/358305915) | [Microsoft Corporation](https://appshunter.io/developer/298856275) |

## What reviewers say

### POLITICO

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

**Currently charting:** #34 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


### MSN

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/msn/id945416273)

**Currently charting:** #87 Top Free · News (US App Store)

Stay informed, productive, and entertained with a personalized feed of news, weather, stock updates, and short videos. Access quality content from trusted publishers and track your favorite stocks with real-time market data.

**Highlights:** Tailored content feed, Real-time weather forecasts, Financial news and stock tracking, Personalized video feed, Content from trusted publishers

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Microsoft Copilot Pro | $20.00 | per month |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Fast and responsive
- 📰 Comprehensive news coverage
- 🌐 Customizable news sources
- 🔍 Useful search functionality
- 🕰️ Timely updates

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes and bugs
- 🔍 Inconsistent search and navigation
- 📢 Excessive ads and sponsored content
- 🤖 Biased or inaccurate news curation
- 🔄 Inability to save reading progress

**Reported bugs**

- Inability to comment on articles
- Inconsistent behavior when clicking back button
- News articles not loading properly
- Personalization settings not saving
- Compatibility issues on older devices

**Requested features**

- Customizable news feed and interests
- Offline reading mode
- Dark mode option
- Improved article sharing capabilities
- Better integration with other Microsoft services


## Frequently asked questions

### Is POLITICO free?

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

### Is MSN free?

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

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

POLITICO is rated higher. POLITICO averages 4.7 out of 5 from 49K ratings, while MSN averages 4.6 from 124K ratings.

### Do POLITICO or MSN have ads?

Both POLITICO and MSN show ads.

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

POLITICO ships an update monthly, and MSN every 2 weeks. Most recently, POLITICO was updated on October 30, 2026 and MSN on October 30, 2026.

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

POLITICO currently peaks at #34 in the App Store charts, and MSN at #87. 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.*