# MLive.com vs Caller Times

MLive.com and Caller Times both sit at 4.4 stars, but that hides the real split: 52% of Caller Times's written reviews are positive against 11% of MLive.com's. Caller Times also leads on monetization model (free with in-app purchases vs subscription). MLive.com's advantage is ratings volume (16K vs 600). On price, rating, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. MLive.com sells 17 in-app purchases, starting at $7.99 per month and Caller Times 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 — 4.4 for MLive.com against 4.5 for Caller Times. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: MLive.com has 16K ratings behind it against 600, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 11% of MLive.com's written reviews are positive against 52% of Caller Times's.

MLive.com ships an update every 3 weeks, Caller Times monthly. The most recent releases landed on September 29, 2026 and September 28, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | MLive.com | Caller Times |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.4 (16K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mlivecom/id419886579/reviews) | **[4.5 (600 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/caller-times/id1119331659/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **16K** | 600 |
| Positive reviews | 11.3% of reviews | **52.4% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 weeks** | Monthly |
| Monetization | Subscription | **Free with in-app purchases** |
| Best chart rank | **#66** | #165 |
| Size | 33 MB | 189 MB |
| Requires iOS | **17.0** | 18.6 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 12+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [MLive.com](https://appshunter.io/developer/419886587) | [USA TODAY Co., Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/404843797) |

## What reviewers say

### MLive.com

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mlivecom/id419886579)

**Currently charting:** #66 Top Grossing · News (US App Store)

Stay informed with local news, sports, and weather that directly impacts your community. Access timely and reliable reporting from trusted journalists who live and work in your area. Coverage spans news, politics, business, culture, and more, ensuring you're always aware of what's happening in your backyard.

**Highlights:** Local news reporting, Sports coverage, Weather updates, Politics and business news, Culture and community events, Unlimited premium content access

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

**In-app purchases (17)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Wolverine Confidential. | $7.99 | per month |
| Digital Access | $9.99 | per month |
| Digital Access | $9.99 | per month |
| Digital Access | $9.99 | per month |
| Subscriber Exclusive Content | $9.99 | per month |
| Monthly Access | $10.00 | per month |
| All Access to MLive.com | $11.99 | per month |
| All Access to MLive | $15.00 | per month |
| All Access to MLive.com | $75.00 | per year |
| Wolverine Confidential. | $79.99 | per year |
| All access to MLive.com | $99.99 | per year |
| Digital Access | $99.99 | per year |
| Subscriber Exclusive Content | $99.99 | per year |
| Subscriber Exclusive Content | $99.99 | per year |
| Annual Access | $100.00 | per year |
| All access to MLive.com | $119.99 | per year |
| All Access to MLive | $150.00 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Quick, accurate, and well-written news
- 👍 Good coverage of Michigan news
- 🌐 Broad spectrum news coverage

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔒 Paywalled content, too many articles behind subscription
- 🐛 Buggy, crashes, freezes, and loading issues
- 💤 Outdated, repetitive, and lacking in real reporting
- 🔍 Poor search functionality and content organization
- 📢 Excessive ads and intrusive advertising

**Reported bugs**

- Login issues and inconsistent subscription handling
- Notifications not working as expected
- Scrolling and navigation problems

**Requested features**

- Ability to filter and customize content
- Improved local news coverage and focus
- Removal of paywall for breaking news and essential content


### Caller Times

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/caller-times/id1119331659)

**Currently charting:** #165 Top Grossing · Magazines & Newspapers (US App Store)

Access in-depth local journalism, including news, sports, and community events. Enjoy a fast, customizable reading experience with real-time alerts and offline access. Includes a digital replica of the print edition and access to other eNewspapers.

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

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly Digital Rate | $14.99 | per month |
| Monthly Digital Subscription | $19.99 | per month |
| Corpus Christi Caller-Times Digital Subscription | $19.99 | per month |
| Corpus Christi Caller-Times Annual Digital Subscription | $69.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 📰 Comprehensive local news coverage
- 👍 User-friendly interface and navigation
- 📱 Accessible on mobile devices
- ⚡ Current and timely news updates
- ✍️ Well-written, specific articles

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 App frequently freezes or malfunctions
- 📉 Limited local news content
- 💰 High subscription cost relative to content
- ⏰ Outdated news due to Houston printing delays
- 📄 Poor display format compared to print version

**Reported bugs**

- App won't load on iPad despite paid subscription
- Password authentication loop prevents account access
- Bonus section shows available but won't open
- Crossword puzzles require screenshots to complete
- Sunday crossword impossible to use on iPad

**Requested features**

- Restore previous app version display format
- Correct time zone display for sports listings
- Improve crossword puzzle functionality on iPad
- Add coupon access to digital subscription
- Faster access to obituaries section


## Frequently asked questions

### Is MLive.com free?

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

### Is Caller Times free?

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

### Which has better reviews, MLive.com or Caller Times?

Caller Times is rated higher. MLive.com averages 4.4 out of 5 from 16K ratings, while Caller Times averages 4.5 from 600 ratings.

### Do MLive.com or Caller Times have ads?

Both MLive.com and Caller Times show ads.

### Which is updated more often, MLive.com or Caller Times?

MLive.com ships an update every 3 weeks, and Caller Times monthly. Most recently, MLive.com was updated on September 29, 2026 and Caller Times on September 28, 2026.

### Which is more popular, MLive.com or Caller Times?

MLive.com currently peaks at #66 in the App Store charts, and Caller Times at #165. 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.*