# PG Reader vs Mon Valley Independent

The clearest difference is ratings volume: PG Reader at 2K against Mon Valley Independent's 57. Mon Valley Independent's advantage is monetization model (ad-supported vs free with in-app purchases) and iOS requirement (15.1 vs 18.0). On price, rating, 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.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.7 for PG Reader against 4.8 for Mon Valley Independent. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: PG Reader has 2K ratings behind it against 57, so its average is the more settled of the two.

PG Reader ships an update every 8 months, Mon Valley Independent every 6 months. The most recent releases landed on October 16, 2026 and October 17, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | PG Reader | Mon Valley Independent |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.7 (2K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pg-reader/id365895829/reviews) | **[4.8 (57 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mon-valley-independent/id6479011669/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **2K** | 57 |
| Positive reviews | 32.0% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 8 months | **Every 6 months** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Ad-supported** |
| Size | 57 MB | 37 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | **15.1** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Pittsburgh Post-Gazette](https://appshunter.io/developer/342115595) | [The Mid Mon Valley Publishing Company](https://appshunter.io/developer/1439909830) |

## 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


### Mon Valley Independent

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mon-valley-independent/id6479011669)

Access 24/7 news updates and a daily e-edition of the newspaper. Receive alerts for major headlines, share stories on social media, and save your favorite articles. Features include display options and search functionality.

**Highlights:** 24/7 news updates, Daily newspaper e-edition, Headline alerts, Social media sharing, Favorite stories, Search functionality

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is PG Reader free?

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

### Is Mon Valley Independent free?

Mon Valley Independent is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, PG Reader or Mon Valley Independent?

Mon Valley Independent is rated higher. PG Reader averages 4.7 out of 5 from 2K ratings, while Mon Valley Independent averages 4.8 from 57 ratings.

### Do PG Reader or Mon Valley Independent have ads?

Both PG Reader and Mon Valley Independent show ads.

### Which is updated more often, PG Reader or Mon Valley Independent?

PG Reader ships an update every 8 months, and Mon Valley Independent every 6 months. Most recently, PG Reader was updated on October 16, 2026 and Mon Valley Independent on October 17, 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.*