# StarPhoenix vs Penticton Herald

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Penticton Herald at none against StarPhoenix's 1. Penticton Herald also leads on iOS requirement (14.0 vs 16.0). StarPhoenix's advantage is update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 13 months). On price, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. StarPhoenix sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $9.99 per month. Penticton Herald asks for nothing beyond the download.

StarPhoenix ships an update every 3 weeks, Penticton Herald every 13 months. The most recent releases landed on November 10, 2026 and November 1, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | StarPhoenix | Penticton Herald |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Positive reviews | 0.0% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 weeks** | Every 13 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Size | 65 MB | 49 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | **14.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Postmedia Network INC.](https://appshunter.io/developer/406384675) | [PressReader Inc](https://appshunter.io/developer/313904714) |

## What reviewers say

### StarPhoenix

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/starphoenix/id406393011)

Access local and national news with a personalized feed. Enjoy in-depth articles, photo and video coverage, and curated content from top journalists. Stay informed about your community and beyond.

**Highlights:** Personalized news feed, In-depth articles and longreads, Photo and video coverage, Community and national news, Curated content from top journalists, Discover trending stories

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Full Access | $9.99 | per month |

**What reviewers complain about**

- 📉 App constantly freezes
- 💥 App crashes frequently
- 🐌 Slow loading times
- ⚪ Blank/white screens
- 🔄 App doesn't update

**Reported bugs**

- App freezes constantly
- App crashes on load
- Articles do not load or display
- App causes phone to restart
- Incorrect images displayed with articles

**Requested features**

- Restore dark mode
- Fix incorrect article images
- Improve app stability
- Update app for new iOS versions
- Add back obituaries


### Penticton Herald

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/penticton-herald/id980667234)

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is StarPhoenix free?

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

### Is Penticton Herald free?

Penticton Herald is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Do StarPhoenix or Penticton Herald have ads?

Both StarPhoenix and Penticton Herald show ads.

### Which is updated more often, StarPhoenix or Penticton Herald?

StarPhoenix ships an update every 3 weeks, and Penticton Herald every 13 months. Most recently, StarPhoenix was updated on November 10, 2026 and Penticton Herald 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.*