Comparison

Castanet vs The Province ePaper

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Castanet

Access local and national news, classifieds, events, and more from the Okanagan region. Features include direct messaging for classifieds, posting ads, webcams, and an airport arrivals/departures page.

Highlights
  • Local and national news
  • Classifieds with messaging
  • Post classified ads
  • Scenic and traffic webcams
  • Airport arrivals/departures
  • Events listings
  • Obituaries
Features
Read full description

Since launching in November 2000, Castanet has become one of the most visited media websites in Western Canada. The free Castanet.net app is the B.C. Interior's source for the latest local, national and world news, classifieds, events, webcams and more. The Castanet.net site is visited by 600,000 people every week. The Castanet.net app has all the features our desktop and mobile sites have with improved usability for smartphones.

About

The Province ePaper

Access a digital replica of the printed newspaper, featuring all stories, photos, and artwork. Navigate pages like a physical paper or use website-like search and sharing functionalities. Enjoy your favorite publication on any device, anywhere.

Highlights
  • Digital replica of printed edition
  • All stories, features, photos, and artwork included
  • Leisurely page flipping interface
  • Search articles
  • Share articles with friends
  • Access on any device
Features
Read full description

The Province ePaper is a complete digital replica of the printed edition that includes all the stories, features, photos and artwork just as it is in print. The easy to use interface lets you flip leisurely through the pages like a newspaper, or conduct searches and share articles with friends like a website. Whether you are at home, work or on the go you can enjoy your ePaper delivered on your favourite device. •The Province ePaper app allows you to subscribe to a 1 month subscription for $12.99/month or purchase a single issue at $1.99/issue. •Payment will be charged to iTunes Account at confirmation of purchase •The 1 month subscription will automatically renew unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24-hours before the end of the current period •Your account will be charged for renewal within 24-hours prior to the end of the current period, and the cost of renewal is •You may manage your subscriptions and auto-renewal may be turned off by going to the your Account Settings after purchase •No cancellation of the current subscription is allowed during active subscription period Privacy Policy: https://epaper.theprovince.com/help/PrivacyPolicy Terms of Use: https://epaper.theprovince.com/help/TermsOfUse

Screenshots

Castanet4 screens
The Province ePaper4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Castanet at 5.0 against The Province ePaper's 4.4. Castanet also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 2) and update cadence (every 6 weeks vs every 6 months). The Province ePaper's advantage is review sentiment (39% vs 19%) and ratings volume (18 vs 1). On price, 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. The Province ePaper sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $10.99 per month. Castanet asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Castanet holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: The Province ePaper has 18 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 19% of Castanet's written reviews are positive against 39% of The Province ePaper's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Castanet ships an update every 6 weeks, The Province ePaper every 6 months. Both last shipped on October 29, 2026.

Scorecard7 real differences · 3 level
Castanet versus The Province ePaper: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterCastanetThe Province ePaper
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (1 ratings) — better4.4 (18 ratings)
Positive reviews19.4% of reviews39.5% of reviews — better
Number of ratings118 — better
Update frequencyEvery 6 weeks — betterEvery 6 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree — betterFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS15 — better17.6
Further details — not scored
Size31 MB54 MB
Age rating4+12+
DeveloperCastanet Media Ltd.Postmedia Network INC.

Customer experience

Castanet

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews67 reviews
Positive19.4%
Neutral17.9%
Negative62.7%

The Province ePaper

All ratings16 ratings
Positive87.5%
Neutral0.0%
Negative12.5%
Written reviews38 reviews
Positive39.5%
Neutral23.7%
Negative36.8%

In-app purchases

None

Castanet

No in-app purchases

2 purchases

The Province ePaper

Subscriptions1
  • The Province ePaper$10.991 Month
One-time1
  • The Province ePaper$1.99

Questions

Is Castanet free?
Castanet is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is The Province ePaper free?
The Province ePaper is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Castanet or The Province ePaper?
Castanet is rated higher. Castanet averages 5.0 out of 5 from 1 ratings, while The Province ePaper averages 4.4 from 18 ratings.
Do Castanet or The Province ePaper have ads?
Neither Castanet nor The Province ePaper shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Castanet or The Province ePaper?
Castanet ships an update every 6 weeks, and The Province ePaper every 6 months. Most recently, Castanet was updated on October 29, 2026 and The Province ePaper on October 29, 2026.

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