# PG Reader vs The Herald

PG Reader and The Herald both sit at 4.6 stars, but that hides the real split: 79% of The Herald's written reviews are positive against 32% of PG Reader's. The Herald also leads on iOS requirement (12.4 vs 18.0). PG Reader's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1) and ratings volume (2.4K vs 109). On price, rating, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. The Herald sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. PG Reader asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.6 for PG Reader against 4.5 for The Herald. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: PG Reader has 2.4K ratings behind it against 109, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 32% of PG Reader's written reviews are positive against 79% of The Herald's.

PG Reader ships an update every 8 months, The Herald every 5 months. Both last shipped on November 6, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | PG Reader | The Herald |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.6 (2.4K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pg-reader/id365895829/reviews)** | [4.5 (109 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-herald-sharonpennsylvania/id924971442/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **2.4K** | 109 |
| Positive reviews | 32.0% of reviews | **78.9% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 8 months | **Every 5 months** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 57 MB | 37 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | **12.4** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 12+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Pittsburgh Post-Gazette](https://appshunter.io/developer/342115595) | [CNHI LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1422875061) |

## 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 Herald

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-herald-sharonpennsylvania/id924971442)

Stay connected with your community's news and events. Access award-winning breaking news, sports, weather, and more. Download daily editions for offline reading and share content with friends.

**Highlights:** Offline reading of daily editions, Breaking news alerts, Local sports coverage, Photo and video galleries, Print edition layout view, Free local weather and events, Social sharing of content

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Today's ePaper | $1.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is PG Reader free?

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

### Is The Herald free?

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

### Which has better reviews, PG Reader or The Herald?

PG Reader is rated higher. PG Reader averages 4.6 out of 5 from 2.4K ratings, while The Herald averages 4.5 from 109 ratings.

### Do PG Reader or The Herald have ads?

Both PG Reader and The Herald show ads.

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

PG Reader ships an update every 8 months, and The Herald every 5 months. Most recently, PG Reader was updated on November 6, 2026 and The Herald on November 6, 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.*