Comparison

City Journal vs Reason

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

City Journal

This app delivers in-depth articles on urban policy, covering topics from public order and education to architecture and social welfare. It offers a blend of practical advice and theoretical insights for discerning readers, featuring full-color illustrations.

Highlights
  • Urban policy articles
  • Public order and policing
  • Education policy
  • Urban architecture
  • Social welfare
  • Full-color illustrations
Features
Read full description

City Journal is the nation's premier urban-policy magazine, "the Bible of the new urbanism," as London's Daily Telegraph puts it. The magazine offers a stimulating mix of hard-headed practicality and cutting-edge theory, with articles on everything from public order and policing strategy, education policy, and social welfare to urban architecture, family policy, and the latest theorizing emanating from universities and law schools. Since urban policy encompasses almost all domestic-policy questions, as well as the largest issues of our culture and society, the magazine views its canvas as very broad indeed. City Journal holds itself to the highest intellectual, journalistic, and literary standards, aiming to produce absorbing reading for intelligent and discerning readers. The app includes all the articles of the print edition, including full-color illustrations, and much more. City Journal Pricing: • Subscription 1 Year - USD 9.99* * For non-US app stores, the equivalent currency charges will apply. Please note: App subscriptions do not include access to subscription-only content on our website. Additional Subscription Information: • Payment will be charged to iTunes Account at confirmation of purchase. • Subscription automatically renews unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24-hours before the end of the current period. • Account will be charged for renewal within 24-hours prior to the end of the current period, and identify the cost of the renewal. • Subscriptions may be managed by the user and auto-renewal may be turned off by going to the user's Account Settings after purchase. • No cancellation of the current subscription is allowed during active subscription period. Privacy Policy - https://bit.ly/2J5Ujfh Terms of Use - https://bit.ly/2J1YZqL • Any unused portion of a free trial period, if offered, will be forfeited when the user purchases a subscription to that publication, where applicable.

About

Reason

Access accurate and honest news, ideas, videos, and podcasts from a libertarian perspective. Personalize notifications and stream exclusive content, including documentaries and newsletters.

Highlights
  • Libertarian news and ideas
  • Exclusive videos and documentaries
  • Podcast streaming
  • Personalized news notifications
  • Newsletter access
  • Reason Plus subscription for early magazine access
Features
Read full description

The Reason app helps you stay on top of the news and better understand your world without all the tired left-wing or right-wing spin. You won’t find a better source for accurate and honest news, ideas, videos, and podcasts from a libertarian perspective. Turn on notifications and personalize your settings to get alerts about issues you care about. Stream new episodes of Reason podcasts: The Reason Roundtable, The Reason Interview With Nick Gillespie, and The Soho Forum Debates. Click to listen to every article and build your own content playlist. Access Reason’s latest vertical videos. Watch Reason’s documentaries, video essays, and comedy videos, including Remy and Andrew Heaton. Browse Reason’s newsletters: Reason Roundup by Liz Wolfe, The Rattler by J.D. Tuccille, Free Media by Robby Soave, and more. Play Reason’s weekly crossword plus special puzzles when magazine issues publish online. Subscribe to Reason Plus for exclusive early access to new issues of Reason magazine on your phone, tablet, or computer. To join, visit reason.com/subscribe on any browser.

Screenshots

City Journal4 screens
Reason4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Reason at none against City Journal's 10. Reason also leads on ads (none vs shown) and review sentiment (100% vs 86%). City Journal's advantage is iOS requirement (15.6 vs 17.0). On price, rating, ratings volume and update cadence there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. City Journal sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per year. Reason asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.9 for City Journal against 4.9 for Reason. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 812 and 396 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 86% of City Journal's written reviews are positive against 100% of Reason's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

City Journal ships an update every 4 months, Reason every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and November 4, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 5 level
City Journal versus Reason: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterCity JournalReason
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.9 (812 ratings) — better4.9 (396 ratings)
Positive reviews86.4% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings812 — better396
Update frequencyEvery 4 monthsEvery 3 months — better
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationSubscriptionFree — better
Best chart rank—#95 — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS15.6 — better17.0
Further details — not scored
Size72 MB28 MB
Age rating12+17+
DeveloperManhattan Institute for Policy Research, Inc.Reason

Customer experience

City Journal

All ratings809 ratings
Positive97.7%
Neutral0.6%
Negative1.7%
Written reviews22 reviews
Positive86.4%
Neutral0.0%
Negative13.6%

Reason

All ratings385 ratings
Positive97.7%
Neutral1.8%
Negative0.5%
Written reviews6 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

10 purchases

City Journal

Subscriptions1
  • City Journal1 Month trial$9.991 Year
One-time9
  • Summer 2011$1.99
  • Autumn 2011$1.99
  • Winter 2012$2.99
Show 6 more
  • Spring 2012$2.99
  • Summer 2012$2.99
  • Autumn 2012$2.99
  • Winter 2013$2.99
  • Autumn 2016$3.99
  • City Journal Feed 47$3.99
None

Reason

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is City Journal free?
City Journal is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Reason free?
Reason is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, City Journal or Reason?
City Journal is rated higher. City Journal averages 4.9 out of 5 from 812 ratings, while Reason averages 4.9 from 396 ratings.
Do City Journal or Reason have ads?
City Journal shows ads; Reason does not.
Which is updated more often, City Journal or Reason?
City Journal ships an update every 4 months, and Reason every 3 months. Most recently, City Journal was updated on November 1, 2026 and Reason on November 4, 2026.

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