# Sun Sentinel vs The Gainesville Sun

The clearest difference is monetization model: The Gainesville Sun at free with in-app purchases against Sun Sentinel's subscription. Sun Sentinel's advantage is rating (4.5 vs 4.2) and ratings volume (7K vs 511). On price, review sentiment, 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 The Gainesville Sun sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $19.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Sun Sentinel holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 4.2. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Sun Sentinel has 7K ratings behind it against 511, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 27% of Sun Sentinel's written reviews are positive against 33% of The Gainesville Sun's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly monthly. Both last shipped on November 1, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Sun Sentinel | The Gainesville Sun |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.5 (7K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sun-sentinel/id402230662/reviews)** | [4.2 (511 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-gainesville-sun/id429457788/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **7K** | 511 |
| Positive reviews | 27.2% of reviews | **33.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | Monthly | Monthly |
| Monetization | Subscription | **Free with in-app purchases** |
| Best chart rank | **#127** | — |
| Size | 191 MB | 185 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:** #127 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


### The Gainesville Sun

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-gainesville-sun/id429457788)

Stay informed with local news, in-depth journalism, and real-time alerts. Access a digital replica of the print edition, customize your reading experience, and enjoy offline access to important stories and updates.

**Highlights:** In-depth local journalism, Breaking news and alerts, Streamlined reading experience, Customizable text size and night mode, Offline reading, Digital eNewspaper access

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly Digital Rate | $19.99 | per month |
| Monthly Digital Subscription | $24.99 | per month |
| Gainesville Sun monthly | $24.99 | per month |
| Gainesville Sun annual | $69.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🌟 Excellent local news coverage
- 📰 Great for staying up-to-date on community events
- 📚 Comprehensive reporting on national and international news
- 👍 User-friendly app design

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes and bugs
- 📱 Clunky and unintuitive user interface
- 🗞️ Lack of local opinion pieces and editorial content
- 💰 Frustration with paywall and subscription issues

**Reported bugs**

- App freezes and becomes unresponsive
- Inability to access archived or older content
- Inconsistent performance across different devices
- Paywall issues and problems with subscription management

**Requested features**

- Improved search functionality
- Ability to customize news feed and section preferences
- Integration of local event calendars and community information
- Offline reading mode


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Sun Sentinel free?

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

### Is The Gainesville Sun free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Sun Sentinel or The Gainesville Sun?

Sun Sentinel is rated higher. Sun Sentinel averages 4.5 out of 5 from 7K ratings, while The Gainesville Sun averages 4.2 from 511 ratings.

### Do Sun Sentinel or The Gainesville Sun have ads?

Both Sun Sentinel and The Gainesville Sun show ads.

### Which is updated more often, Sun Sentinel or The Gainesville Sun?

Sun Sentinel ships an update monthly, and The Gainesville Sun monthly. Most recently, Sun Sentinel was updated on November 1, 2026 and The Gainesville Sun on November 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.*