# The Hill vs Observer

The clearest difference is rating: Observer at 4.1 against The Hill's 2.5. Observer also leads on iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.1). The Hill's advantage is update cadence (every 6 weeks vs every 4 months). On price, review sentiment, ratings volume 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.

Observer holds the better App Store score, 4.1 against 2.5. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 285 and 504 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 7% of The Hill's written reviews are positive against 12% of Observer's.

The Hill ships an update every 6 weeks, Observer every 4 months. The most recent releases landed on October 21, 2026 and October 26, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | The Hill | Observer |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [2.5 (285 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-hill/id360124019/reviews) | **[4.1 (504 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/observer-reporter/id1174048954/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 285 | **504** |
| Positive reviews | 6.5% of reviews | **11.5% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 6 weeks** | Every 4 months |
| Monetization | Ad-supported | Ad-supported |
| Size | 75 MB | 75 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.1 | **13.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Nexstar Broadcasting](https://appshunter.io/developer/457614880) | [Observer Publishing Company](https://appshunter.io/developer/888430805) |

## What reviewers say

### The Hill

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-hill/id360124019)

Stay informed on US politics and congressional affairs. Access in-depth news, analysis, and opinion pieces on campaigns, business, and lobbying. Watch exclusive video content and follow topics for breaking news alerts.

**Highlights:** Congress and politics coverage, Business and lobbying focus, News, analysis, and opinion, Video clips and talk shows, Push notifications for breaking news, Save stories for later

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 📰 Balanced and unbiased news reporting
- ✍️ High-quality journalism and writing
- 🎯 Good content for political news junkies
- ⚡ Responsive developer support
- 📱 Functional app when working properly

**What reviewers complain about**

- 📺 Excessive and intrusive video ads
- 🛑 Constant pop-up advertisements
- 🐛 Frequent app crashes and freezes
- 📜 Poor text readability and font sizing issues
- 🔄 Jittery and glitchy scrolling

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes when opening articles
- App crashes when scrolling too quickly
- App freezes during initialization
- App won't load on some devices
- Text cut off in landscape mode

**Requested features**

- Search functionality for articles
- Bookmark/save articles feature
- Breaking news notifications
- Ad-free subscription option
- Ability to disable auto-play videos


### Observer

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/observer-reporter/id1174048954)

Access daily news for Washington County, Greene County, and the Mon Valley in southwestern Pennsylvania. This app delivers localized news content directly to your mobile device.

**Highlights:** Daily newspaper coverage, Washington County news, Greene County news, Mon Valley news, Southwestern PA news, Mobile access

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is The Hill free?

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

### Is Observer free?

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

### Which has better reviews, The Hill or Observer?

Observer is rated higher. The Hill averages 2.5 out of 5 from 285 ratings, while Observer averages 4.1 from 504 ratings.

### Do The Hill or Observer have ads?

Both The Hill and Observer show ads.

### Which is updated more often, The Hill or Observer?

The Hill ships an update every 6 weeks, and Observer every 4 months. Most recently, The Hill was updated on October 21, 2026 and Observer on October 26, 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.*