# PG Reader vs The Baltimore Sun

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: PG Reader at none against The Baltimore Sun's 12. PG Reader also leads on rating (4.7 vs 4.5). The Baltimore Sun's advantage is update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 8 months) and chart position (#108 vs unranked). On price, review sentiment, ratings volume and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. The Baltimore Sun sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month. PG Reader asks for nothing beyond the download.

PG Reader holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.5. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 2K and 5.8K respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 32% of PG Reader's written reviews are positive against 30% of The Baltimore Sun's.

PG Reader ships an update every 8 months, The Baltimore Sun every 3 weeks. Both last shipped on October 16, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | PG Reader | The Baltimore Sun |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (2K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pg-reader/id365895829/reviews)** | [4.5 (5.8K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-baltimore-sun/id496681035/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 2K | **5.8K** |
| Positive reviews | **32.0% of reviews** | 30.2% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 8 months | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | **Free with in-app purchases** | Subscription |
| Best chart rank | — | **#108** |
| Size | 57 MB | 190 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 12+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Pittsburgh Post-Gazette](https://appshunter.io/developer/342115595) | [Tribune Publishing Company, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/290161713) |

## What reviewers say

### PG Reader

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pg-reader/id365895829)

Access breaking local and regional news from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette as soon as it's published. Stay informed on politics, business, lifestyle, and sports. Share articles via email or social media, and save your favorites for later.

**Highlights:** Live feed of local and regional news, Breaking news updates, Browse articles by section, Save articles to favorites, Share articles via email, Share articles on social media

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 💯 Great local news coverage
- 🏆 Excellent sports reporting
- 👍 Easy to navigate app
- 🌐 Helpful for out-of-town readers

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Buggy and crashes frequently
- ⚠️ Unreliable login and content access
- 💸 Paywall and subscription issues
- 🔍 Lacking search and organization features

**Reported bugs**

- Login functionality not working
- Content not loading or updating properly
- Notifications not taking users to the app
- Frequent app freezes and crashes

**Requested features**

- Dark mode option
- Improved push notifications
- Better integration with social media
- More comprehensive local coverage


### The Baltimore Sun

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-baltimore-sun/id496681035)

**Currently charting:** #108 Top Grossing · News (US App Store)

Access exclusive news, sports, business, and entertainment from Maryland's top news source. Stay informed with breaking alerts, save articles for later, and enjoy offline reading. Customize your news feed and share stories easily.

**Highlights:** Exclusive premium storytelling, Breaking news push notifications, Exclusive videos and photo galleries, Customizable section list, Save stories for offline reading, Easy social sharing

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

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| App-only subscription - Stage | $0.99 | per month |
| Unlimited Access - Stage | $1.99 | per month |
| App-Only Access | $4.99 | per month |
| Unlimited Digital Access - Tes | $7.99 | per month |
| Unlimited Digital Access | $19.99 | per month |
| News App Only | $19.99 | per month |
| Baltimore Sun Monthly Subscription | $19.99 | per month |
| The Baltimore Sun | $199.99 | per year |
| Baltimore Sun Yearly Subscription | $199.99 | per year |
| Premium Story Credits | $0.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Hard to use
- 👍 A new reader
- 👍 Old Pimlico boy
- 👍 The latest redesign of the app is a keeper

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Full of Ads and Broken Features
- 🐛 Requires constant updates
- 🐛 Missing functions
- 🐛 Terrible app just got worse
- 🐛 Dominated by Ads

**Reported bugs**

- No access to digital paper
- App stopped working
- News will not load
- Can't login
- Scrolling doesn't work

**Requested features**

- Allow for rotation display on ipad
- Landscape mode turned off
- Restore Restore landscape orientation
- Bring back landscape view!


## Frequently asked questions

### Is PG Reader free?

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

### Is The Baltimore Sun free?

The Baltimore Sun is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, PG Reader or The Baltimore Sun?

PG Reader is rated higher. PG Reader averages 4.7 out of 5 from 2K ratings, while The Baltimore Sun averages 4.5 from 5.8K ratings.

### Do PG Reader or The Baltimore Sun have ads?

Both PG Reader and The Baltimore Sun show ads.

### Which is updated more often, PG Reader or The Baltimore Sun?

PG Reader ships an update every 8 months, and The Baltimore Sun every 3 weeks. Most recently, PG Reader was updated on October 16, 2026 and The Baltimore Sun on October 16, 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.*