# Journal Star vs Scottsbluff Star

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Scottsbluff Star at 50% against Journal Star's 4%. Scottsbluff Star also leads on rating (4.6 vs 2.7). Journal Star's advantage is chart position (#142 vs unranked) and ratings volume (311 vs 69). 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 Scottsbluff Star sells 7 in-app purchases, starting at $25.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Scottsbluff Star holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 2.7. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 311 and 69 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 4% of Journal Star's written reviews are positive against 50% of Scottsbluff Star's.

Journal Star ships an update monthly, Scottsbluff Star every 2 months. Both last shipped on November 6, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Journal Star | Scottsbluff Star |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [2.7 (311 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/journal-star/id372575588/reviews) | **[4.6 (69 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/scottsbluff-star-herald/id960545728/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **311** | 69 |
| Positive reviews | 4.0% of reviews | **50.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Monthly** | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | **#142** | — |
| Size | 102 MB | 102 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 12+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Lee Enterprises](https://appshunter.io/developer/366562520) | [BH Media Group](https://appshunter.io/developer/663389623) |

## What reviewers say

### Journal Star

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

**Currently charting:** #142 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


### Scottsbluff Star

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/scottsbluff-star-herald/id960545728)

Access local news, sports, opinion, and entertainment from your community. Enjoy exclusive commentary, photography, and podcasts. Subscribers can upgrade to an ad-free premium experience.

**Highlights:** Personalized news topics, Breaking news alerts, Audio playback for articles, Customizable text size, Hourly and 10-day weather forecasts, Bookmark articles for later

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (7)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Subscriptions | $25.99 | per month |
| Subscriptions | $38.99 | per month |
| Subscriptions | $42.99 | per month |
| Subscriptions | $50.00 | per year |
| Subscriptions | $249.99 | per year |
| Subscriptions | $314.99 | per year |
| Subscriptions | $349.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Journal Star free?

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

### Is Scottsbluff Star free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Journal Star or Scottsbluff Star?

Scottsbluff Star is rated higher. Journal Star averages 2.7 out of 5 from 311 ratings, while Scottsbluff Star averages 4.6 from 69 ratings.

### Do Journal Star or Scottsbluff Star have ads?

Both Journal Star and Scottsbluff Star show ads.

### Which is updated more often, Journal Star or Scottsbluff Star?

Journal Star ships an update monthly, and Scottsbluff Star every 2 months. Most recently, Journal Star was updated on November 6, 2026 and Scottsbluff Star 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.*