# Sun Sentinel vs TCPalm

The clearest difference is monetization model: TCPalm at free with in-app purchases against Sun Sentinel's subscription. TCPalm also leads on review sentiment (43% vs 27%). Sun Sentinel's advantage is ratings volume (7K vs 1.7K) and iOS requirement (15.0 vs 18.6). On price, rating, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Sun Sentinel sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $19.99 per month and TCPalm sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $14.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.5 for Sun Sentinel against 4.4 for TCPalm. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 7K and 1.7K respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 27% of Sun Sentinel's written reviews are positive against 43% of TCPalm's.

Sun Sentinel ships an update monthly, TCPalm every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 23, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Sun Sentinel | TCPalm |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.5 (7K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sun-sentinel/id402230662/reviews)** | [4.4 (1.7K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tcpalm/id1119325185/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **7K** | 1.7K |
| Positive reviews | 27.2% of reviews | **42.9% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | Monthly | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | Subscription | **Free with in-app purchases** |
| Best chart rank | #123 | **#110** |
| Size | 191 MB | 190 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 18.6 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 12+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Tribune Publishing Company, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/290161713) | [USA TODAY Co., Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/404843797) |

## What reviewers say

### Sun Sentinel

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

**Currently charting:** #123 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


### TCPalm

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tcpalm/id1119325185)

**Currently charting:** #110 Top Grossing · Magazines & Newspapers, #156 Top Grossing · News (US App Store)

Stay informed with local news, in-depth journalism, and engaging multimedia content. Receive real-time alerts for breaking news, sports scores, and weather. Customize your reading experience and access a digital replica of the print edition.

**Highlights:** In-depth local journalism, Breaking news and alerts, Sports coverage, Streamlined reading experience, Customizable reader settings, Offline reading, eNewspaper access

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly Digital Rate | $14.99 | per month |
| Monthly Digital Rate | $24.99 | per month |
| Treasure Coast Newspapers Digital Subscription | $24.99 | per month |
| Treasure Coast Newspapers Annual Digital Subscription | $69.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Fast and eco-friendly delivery
- 👍 Easy to use app
- 🌐 Great local and national news coverage
- 💡 Informative and well-written articles

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Buggy app with frequent crashes
- 🔒 Difficult login and account management
- 📱 Poor navigation and user experience
- 💰 Excessive ads and paywalls

**Reported bugs**

- App frequently signs users out
- Pages fail to load or get stuck
- Incorrect edition displayed for subscribers
- Incompatibility with newer iOS versions

**Requested features**

- Allow users to set default edition
- Improve stability and performance
- Add more customization options
- Streamline login and subscription management


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Sun Sentinel free?

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

### Is TCPalm free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Sun Sentinel or TCPalm?

Sun Sentinel is rated higher. Sun Sentinel averages 4.5 out of 5 from 7K ratings, while TCPalm averages 4.4 from 1.7K ratings.

### Do Sun Sentinel or TCPalm have ads?

Both Sun Sentinel and TCPalm show ads.

### Which is updated more often, Sun Sentinel or TCPalm?

Sun Sentinel ships an update monthly, and TCPalm every 3 weeks. Most recently, Sun Sentinel was updated on October 23, 2026 and TCPalm on October 24, 2026.

### Which is more popular, Sun Sentinel or TCPalm?

Sun Sentinel currently peaks at #123 in the App Store charts, and TCPalm at #110. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

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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.*