# Journal Star vs KSNB Local4

The clearest difference is review sentiment: KSNB Local4 at 60% against Journal Star's 4%. KSNB Local4 also leads on rating (3.8 vs 2.7) and in-app purchases (none vs 7). Journal Star's advantage is ratings volume (311 vs 22) and chart position (#192 vs unranked). On price, update cadence, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Journal Star sells 7 in-app purchases, starting at $29.99 per month. KSNB Local4 asks for nothing beyond the download.

KSNB Local4 holds the better App Store score, 3.8 against 2.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Journal Star has 311 ratings behind it against 22, 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 60% of KSNB Local4's.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly monthly. The most recent releases landed on October 18, 2026 and October 10, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Journal Star | KSNB Local4 |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [2.7 (311 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/journal-star/id372575588/reviews) | **[3.8 (22 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ksnb-local4/id476178064/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **311** | 22 |
| Positive reviews | 4.0% of reviews | **60.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | Monthly | Monthly |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Ad-supported** |
| Best chart rank | **#192** | — |
| Size | 103 MB | 81 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 15.6 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple TV** |
| Age rating | 12+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Lee Enterprises](https://appshunter.io/developer/366562520) | [Gray Television Group, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/416888140) |

## What reviewers say

### Journal Star

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

**Currently charting:** #192 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


### KSNB Local4

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ksnb-local4/id476178064)

Stay informed with breaking news and top local stories from Central Nebraska. Stream live broadcasts from the Local4 News Team and catch up on sports highlights and scores.

**Highlights:** Breaking news alerts, Top local stories, Live news broadcasts, Sports highlights, Game scores

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Journal Star free?

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

### Is KSNB Local4 free?

KSNB Local4 is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Journal Star or KSNB Local4?

KSNB Local4 is rated higher. Journal Star averages 2.7 out of 5 from 311 ratings, while KSNB Local4 averages 3.8 from 22 ratings.

### Do Journal Star or KSNB Local4 have ads?

Both Journal Star and KSNB Local4 show ads.

### Which is updated more often, Journal Star or KSNB Local4?

Journal Star ships an update monthly, and KSNB Local4 monthly. Most recently, Journal Star was updated on October 18, 2026 and KSNB Local4 on October 10, 2026.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*