# Journal Star vs Lansing State Journal

The clearest difference is rating: Lansing State Journal at 4.3 against Journal Star's 2.7. Lansing State Journal also leads on review sentiment (33% vs 4%) and ratings volume (1.4K vs 309). Journal Star's advantage is iOS requirement (13.0 vs 18.6). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Journal Star sells 7 in-app purchases, starting at $29.99 per month and Lansing State Journal sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $14.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Lansing State Journal holds the better App Store score, 4.3 against 2.7. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 309 and 1.4K respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 4% of Journal Star's written reviews are positive against 33% of Lansing State Journal's.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly monthly. The most recent releases landed on September 26, 2026 and September 27, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Journal Star | Lansing State Journal |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [2.7 (309 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/journal-star/id372575588/reviews) | **[4.3 (1.4K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/lansing-state-journal/id515305181/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 309 | **1.4K** |
| Positive reviews | 4.0% of reviews | **32.5% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | Monthly | Monthly |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | #184 | **#121** |
| Size | 98 MB | 188 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 18.6 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 12+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Lee Enterprises](https://appshunter.io/developer/366562520) | [USA TODAY Co., Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/404843797) |

## What reviewers say

### Journal Star

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

**Currently charting:** #184 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


### Lansing State Journal

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/lansing-state-journal/id515305181)

**Currently charting:** #121 Top Grossing · Magazines & Newspapers, #167 Top Grossing · News (US App Store)

Stay informed with local news, in-depth journalism, and real-time alerts. Access a digital replica of the print edition, customize your reading experience, and enjoy content on the go.

**Highlights:** In-depth local journalism, Breaking news and alerts, Digital eNewspaper replica, Customizable reading experience, Offline reading, Sports coverage

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly Digital Rate | $14.99 | per month |
| Monthly Digital Subscription | $24.99 | per month |
| Lansing State Journal Digital Subscription | $24.99 | per month |
| Lansing State Journal Annual Digital Subscription | $69.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 📰 Good local and state news coverage
- 🗞️ Familiar newspaper-like format
- 💻 Convenient digital access

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔍 Difficult to navigate and find content
- 💤 Outdated and stale news
- 📢 Excessive ads and pop-ups
- 🔒 Unreliable account and subscription management

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes and freezes
- Login and access issues
- Rendering and display problems

**Requested features**

- Improve page navigation and layout
- Enhance content freshness and timeliness
- Reduce disruptive ads and pop-ups
- Streamline account and subscription management


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Journal Star free?

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

### Is Lansing State Journal free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Journal Star or Lansing State Journal?

Lansing State Journal is rated higher. Journal Star averages 2.7 out of 5 from 309 ratings, while Lansing State Journal averages 4.3 from 1.4K ratings.

### Do Journal Star or Lansing State Journal have ads?

Both Journal Star and Lansing State Journal show ads.

### Which is updated more often, Journal Star or Lansing State Journal?

Journal Star ships an update monthly, and Lansing State Journal monthly. Most recently, Journal Star was updated on September 26, 2026 and Lansing State Journal on September 27, 2026.

### Which is more popular, Journal Star or Lansing State Journal?

Journal Star currently peaks at #184 in the App Store charts, and Lansing State Journal at #121. 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.*