# Journal Star vs Albuquerque Journal Newspaper

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Albuquerque Journal Newspaper at 66% against Journal Star's 4%. Albuquerque Journal Newspaper also leads on rating (4.3 vs 2.7) and ratings volume (1.6K vs 311). Journal Star's advantage is update cadence (monthly vs every 3 months) and iOS requirement (15.0 vs 17.0). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Journal Star sells 7 in-app purchases, starting at $29.99 per month and Albuquerque Journal Newspaper sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $24.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Albuquerque Journal Newspaper holds the better App Store score, 4.3 against 2.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Albuquerque Journal Newspaper has 1.6K ratings behind it against 311, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 4% of Journal Star's written reviews are positive against 66% of Albuquerque Journal Newspaper's.

Journal Star ships an update monthly, Albuquerque Journal Newspaper every 3 months. Both last shipped on November 10, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Journal Star | Albuquerque Journal Newspaper |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [2.7 (311 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/journal-star/id372575588/reviews) | **[4.3 (1.6K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/albuquerque-journal-newspaper/id452844819/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 311 | **1.6K** |
| Positive reviews | 4.0% of reviews | **65.7% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Monthly** | Every 3 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | #168 | **#143** |
| Size | 102 MB | 31 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 17.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 12+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Lee Enterprises](https://appshunter.io/developer/366562520) | [Journal Publishing Co.](https://appshunter.io/developer/348534274) |

## What reviewers say

### Journal Star

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/journal-star/id372575588)

**Currently charting:** #168 Top Grossing · News (US App Store)

Access in-depth local news, sports, and weather for Lincoln, Nebraska. Enjoy exclusive commentary, photography, and podcasts. Personalize your news feed and receive breaking alerts.

**Highlights:** Personalized news feed, Breaking news alerts, Exclusive commentary and podcasts, Video updates, Bookmark stories, Listen to articles, Customizable text size

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (7)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Subscriptions | $29.99 | per month |
| Subscriptions | $42.99 | per month |
| Subscriptions | $44.99 | per month |
| Subscriptions | $50.00 | per year |
| Subscriptions | $289.99 | per year |
| Subscriptions | $344.99 | per year |
| Subscriptions | $379.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 📱 Good for accessing local news on mobile
- ✍️ Well-written articles
- 📰 Comprehensive local news coverage

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 App crashes frequently
- 🐛 Articles fail to load or display blank pages
- 🐛 Login issues and constant re-authentication required
- 💰 High subscription cost ($25.99-$26.99/month)
- 📵 Intrusive and excessive ads

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes on launch or during use
- Articles fail to load or display blank/white screens
- Black screen pop-ups that cannot be closed
- Login credentials not saved; constant re-authentication required
- App stops loading pages in e-edition after some time

**Requested features**

- Landscape mode support for tablets
- Improved search functionality
- Better content organization and categorization
- Free or lower-cost subscription tier
- Removal or reduction of ads for paid subscribers


### Albuquerque Journal Newspaper

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/albuquerque-journal-newspaper/id452844819)

**Currently charting:** #143 Top Grossing · Magazines & Newspapers (US App Store)

Access local news and content with a redesigned interface for a cleaner, more intuitive experience. Enjoy personalized customization, rewards, and new video and podcast features.

**Highlights:** Redesigned user interface, Personalized content customization, Enhanced rewards platform, Video features, Podcast features, Intuitive user experience

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 1 Month Subscription | $24.99 | per month |
| 24-Hour Digital Access Pass | $0.99 | one-time |
| Single Copy | $1.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Easy to navigate
- 📰 Great source of local news
- 💻 Convenient digital access
- 👀 Readable text and layout
- 🌐 Reliable app performance

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Buggy and unreliable
- 🤔 Poor user interface
- 🔍 Difficult to find content
- 🔄 Frequent crashes and resets
- 💰 Frustrating subscription issues

**Reported bugs**

- Pages fail to load completely
- App crashes when switching between articles
- Login issues and password reset problems
- Inconsistent performance across devices
- Unexpected behavior when exiting and re-entering app

**Requested features**

- Improve page navigation and layout
- Add more customization options
- Enhance stability and reliability
- Streamline login and subscription management
- Optimize for mobile devices


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Journal Star free?

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

### Is Albuquerque Journal Newspaper free?

Albuquerque Journal Newspaper is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Journal Star or Albuquerque Journal Newspaper?

Albuquerque Journal Newspaper is rated higher. Journal Star averages 2.7 out of 5 from 311 ratings, while Albuquerque Journal Newspaper averages 4.3 from 1.6K ratings.

### Do Journal Star or Albuquerque Journal Newspaper have ads?

Both Journal Star and Albuquerque Journal Newspaper show ads.

### Which is updated more often, Journal Star or Albuquerque Journal Newspaper?

Journal Star ships an update monthly, and Albuquerque Journal Newspaper every 3 months. Most recently, Journal Star was updated on November 10, 2026 and Albuquerque Journal Newspaper on November 10, 2026.

### Which is more popular, Journal Star or Albuquerque Journal Newspaper?

Journal Star currently peaks at #168 in the App Store charts, and Albuquerque Journal Newspaper at #143. 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.*