Castanet vs The StarPhoenix ePaper
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
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.
- Local and national news
- Classifieds with messaging
- Post classified ads
- Scenic and traffic webcams
- Airport arrivals/departures
- Events listings
- Obituaries
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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.
The StarPhoenix ePaper
Access a digital replica of the printed newspaper, featuring all original content, photos, and artwork. Browse pages like a physical paper or search and share articles online. Enjoy your daily news on any of your favorite devices, whether at home or on the go.
- Digital replica of printed edition
- Full stories, features, and photos
- Page-flipping interface
- Article search functionality
- Article sharing
- Available on multiple devices
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Saskatoon StarPhoenix 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. •Saskatoon StarPhoenix 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.thestarphoenix.com/help/PrivacyPolicy Terms of Use: https://epaper.thestarphoenix.com/help/TermsOfUse
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Castanet at none against The StarPhoenix ePaper's 2. Castanet also leads on update cadence (every 6 weeks vs every 7 months) and rating (5.0 vs 4.7). The StarPhoenix ePaper's advantage is ratings volume (16 vs 1) and review sentiment (28% vs 19%). On price, ads, device support and iOS requirement 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 StarPhoenix ePaper sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $10.99 per month. Castanet asks for nothing beyond the download.
Castanet holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: The StarPhoenix ePaper has 16 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 28% of The StarPhoenix ePaper's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.
Castanet ships an update every 6 weeks, The StarPhoenix ePaper every 7 months. The most recent releases landed on October 21, 2026 and October 18, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Castanet | The StarPhoenix ePaper |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 5.0 (1 ratings) — better | 4.7 (16 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 19.4% of reviews | 28.0% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 1 | 16 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 6 weeks — better | Every 7 months |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | Free — better | Free with in-app purchases |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 15 | 15.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 31 MB | 49 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | Castanet Media Ltd. | Postmedia Network INC. |
Customer experience
Castanet
The StarPhoenix ePaper
In-app purchases
Castanet
No in-app purchases
The StarPhoenix ePaper
- The Star Phoenix ePaper$10.991 Month
- The StarPhoenix ePaper Single Issue$1.99
Questions
Is Castanet free?
Is The StarPhoenix ePaper free?
Which has better reviews, Castanet or The StarPhoenix ePaper?
Do Castanet or The StarPhoenix ePaper have ads?
Which is updated more often, Castanet or The StarPhoenix ePaper?
Other comparisons
