# Richmond Times vs Better DReader

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Better DReader at none against Richmond Times's 7. Better DReader also leads on ads (none vs shown). Richmond Times's advantage is chart position (#199 vs unranked) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.1). On price, update cadence and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Richmond Times sells 7 in-app purchases, starting at $29.99 per month. Better DReader asks for nothing beyond the download.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on September 27, 2026 and September 26, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Richmond Times | Better DReader |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.1 (1.7K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/richmond-times-dispatch/id389660678/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **1.7K** | — |
| Positive reviews | 26.3% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Best chart rank | **#199** | — |
| Size | 103 MB | 23 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 15.1 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 12+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [BH Media Group](https://appshunter.io/developer/663389623) | [Trolls Dev](https://appshunter.io/developer/6792976448) |

## What reviewers say

### Richmond Times

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/richmond-times-dispatch/id389660678)

**Currently charting:** #199 Top Grossing · News (US App Store)

Access in-depth local news, sports, and weather for Richmond and central Virginia. Personalize your news feed, receive breaking alerts, and enjoy multimedia content including podcasts and videos. Support local journalism with a subscription for unlimited digital access.

**Highlights:** Personalized news topics, Breaking news alerts, Multimedia content (video, podcasts), Audio playback for articles, Customizable text size, Hourly and 10-day weather forecasts

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (7)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Subscriptions | $29.99 | per month |
| Subscriptions | $42.99 | per month |
| Subscriptions | $46.99 | 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**

- 👍 Great content
- 👍 Convenient digital version
- 👍 Provides local and state news
- 👍 Positive and accurate news

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Unreliable zooming
- 🐛 Frequent login issues
- 🐛 Buggy and glitchy app
- 🔍 Lack of local investigative journalism
- 🔍 Perceived liberal bias

**Reported bugs**

- App frequently crashes or freezes
- Login issues and constant re-logins required
- Content not loading or showing 'no content available'
- Formatting issues with e-edition

**Requested features**

- Add ability to read and share comments
- Improve formatting for digital viewing
- Add search functionality
- Provide more options for push notifications


### Better DReader

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/better-dreader/id6763263104)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Richmond Times free?

Richmond Times is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Better DReader free?

Better DReader is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Do Richmond Times or Better DReader have ads?

Richmond Times shows ads; Better DReader does not.

### Which is updated more often, Richmond Times or Better DReader?

Richmond Times ships an update every 2 months, and Better DReader every 2 months. Most recently, Richmond Times was updated on September 27, 2026 and Better DReader on September 26, 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.*