# Sun Sentinel vs PBSO ConnectProtect

The clearest difference is review sentiment: PBSO ConnectProtect at 75% against Sun Sentinel's 27%. PBSO ConnectProtect also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 5) and ads (none vs shown). Sun Sentinel's advantage is update cadence (monthly vs every 7 months) and rating (4.5 vs 4.1). On price and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Sun Sentinel sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $19.99 per month. PBSO ConnectProtect asks for nothing beyond the download.

Sun Sentinel holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 4.1. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Sun Sentinel has 7K ratings behind it against 9, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 27% of Sun Sentinel's written reviews are positive against 75% of PBSO ConnectProtect's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Sun Sentinel ships an update monthly, PBSO ConnectProtect every 7 months. The most recent releases landed on September 24, 2026 and June 1, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Sun Sentinel | PBSO ConnectProtect |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.5 (7K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sun-sentinel/id402230662/reviews)** | [4.1 (9 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pbso-connectprotect/id1104318930/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **7K** | 9 |
| Positive reviews | 27.4% of reviews | **75.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Monthly** | Every 7 months |
| Monetization | Subscription | **Free** |
| Best chart rank | **#120** | — |
| Size | 191 MB | 14 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | **9.0** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Tribune Publishing Company, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/290161713) | [Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office](https://appshunter.io/developer/1451813207) |

## What reviewers say

### Sun Sentinel

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sun-sentinel/id402230662)

**Currently charting:** #120 Top Grossing · News (US App Store)

Access in-depth local news, sports, business, and entertainment from South Florida's premier news source. Customize your reading experience with personalized sections, exclusive videos, and photo galleries. Read stories offline and receive breaking news alerts.

**Highlights:** Local news, sports, business, entertainment, Push notifications for breaking news, Exclusive videos and photo galleries, Customizable section order, Save stories for later, Offline reading, Progress tracking for read articles

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

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| News App Only | $19.99 | per month |
| Unlimited Digital Access | $19.99 | per month |
| Sun Sentinel | $199.99 | per year |
| Premium Story Credits | $0.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 📰 Great reporting and articles
- 🗞️ Excellent local news coverage
- 🗞️ Variety of content

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🗞️ Biased and one-sided reporting
- 🔍 Difficult to navigate and search
- 💻 Buggy and glitchy app
- 📢 Intrusive and excessive ads
- 🔒 Issues with account login and subscription access

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes frequently
- Repeated login issues for subscribers
- Inability to access subscriber-only content
- Outdated and repetitive content

**Requested features**

- Restore landscape mode on iPad
- Improve search functionality
- Reduce ads for paid subscribers
- Provide a dark mode option


### PBSO ConnectProtect

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pbso-connectprotect/id1104318930)

This app facilitates direct, location-aware communication between Palm Beach County residents and the Sheriff's Office. Receive instant, relevant neighborhood alerts and report suspicious activity to enhance community safety.

**Highlights:** Two-way communication with Sheriff's Office, Location-based alerts, Report suspicious activity, Instant information updates, Community safety enhancement

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Sun Sentinel free?

Sun Sentinel is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is PBSO ConnectProtect free?

PBSO ConnectProtect is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Sun Sentinel or PBSO ConnectProtect?

Sun Sentinel is rated higher. Sun Sentinel averages 4.5 out of 5 from 7K ratings, while PBSO ConnectProtect averages 4.1 from 9 ratings.

### Do Sun Sentinel or PBSO ConnectProtect have ads?

Sun Sentinel shows ads; PBSO ConnectProtect does not.

### Which is updated more often, Sun Sentinel or PBSO ConnectProtect?

Sun Sentinel ships an update monthly, and PBSO ConnectProtect every 7 months. Most recently, Sun Sentinel was updated on September 24, 2026 and PBSO ConnectProtect on June 1, 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.*