The Southern vs Argus Observer
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
The Southern
Access local news, sports, and community stories from Southern Illinois. Personalize your feed, receive breaking news alerts, and enjoy exclusive commentary, photography, and podcasts. Read articles in a news feed or e-edition format.
- Personalized news topics
- Breaking news notifications
- Easy swipe navigation
- News Feed and E-edition reading
- Video and podcast content
- Reading history
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Your story lives in The Southern Illinoisan. From reporting on all of your favorite teams to the news that matters most in your community, we cover it all. Get in-depth stories from Carbondale and beyond – including news, sports, opinion, obituaries, entertainment, and politics. Easily access the very latest news in an app built for you. Read, see, and hear exclusive commentary, stunning photography, video updates, and binge-worthy podcasts. Our app features: * Your Stories – personalize your experience by selecting the news topics that matter most to you * Get notified – stay in the loop by selecting alerts for breaking news, sports, weather, and more * Easy navigation – See all the latest local stories by simply swiping up/down, and left/right. * Read stories your way – either in the News Feed or via the E-edition * Breaking news updates – top banners let you know what’s happening right now * Continue watching – Pause a video and pick up where you left off across devices * See your history – Easily view stories you’ve read Free to download. Subscribers enjoy unlimited access. https://thesouthern.com/terms
Argus Observer
Stay informed about your local community with award-winning journalism. Discover news about neighbors, local government, school sports, and issues impacting your home.
- Local government news
- High school sports coverage
- Community events and issues
- Retailer promotions
- Award-winning journalism
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Join our community! Stay informed with the Argus Observer’s award-winning journalism. Learn about your neighbors, what’s going on with local governments, high school athletes, local, regional and national retailer promotions and issues affecting the place we call home.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: Argus Observer at 4.5 against The Southern's 2.5. Argus Observer also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 1). The Southern's advantage is ratings volume (13 vs 2). On price, update cadence, ads and device support there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS
Both are free to download. The Southern sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $25.99 per month. Argus Observer asks for nothing beyond the download.
Argus Observer holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 2.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: The Southern has 13 ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two.
The Southern ships an update every 3 months, Argus Observer every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 6, 2026 and October 10, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | The Southern | Argus Observer |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 2.5 (13 ratings) | 4.5 (2 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 25.0% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 13 — better | 2 |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | Every 2 months — better |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Ad-supported — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 13.0 | 13.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 60 MB | 99 MB |
| Age rating | 12+ | 12+ |
| Developer | Paxton Media Group LLC | Wick News Corporation |
Customer experience
The Southern
Argus Observer
In-app purchases
The Southern
- Subscriptions$25.991 Month
Argus Observer
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is The Southern free?
Is Argus Observer free?
Which has better reviews, The Southern or Argus Observer?
Do The Southern or Argus Observer have ads?
Which is updated more often, The Southern or Argus Observer?
Other comparisons
