# Patch vs The

The clearest difference is rating: Patch at 4.7 against The's 4.0. Patch also leads on update cadence (every 2 months vs every 29 months) and ratings volume (27K vs 2). The's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and monetization model (free vs ad-supported). On price, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Patch holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Patch has 27K ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two.

Patch ships an update every 2 months, The every 29 months. The most recent releases landed on November 8, 2026 and November 3, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Patch | The |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (27K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/patch-everything-local/id430049632/reviews)** | [4.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-sandpaper/id1500607774/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **27K** | 2 |
| Positive reviews | 59.2% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 months** | Every 29 months |
| Monetization | Ad-supported | **Free** |
| Best chart rank | **#175** | — |
| Size | 66 MB | 53 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 | **12.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 12+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Patch Media](https://appshunter.io/developer/1088403234) | [Our Hometown, Inc](https://appshunter.io/developer/429747057) |

## What reviewers say

### Patch

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/patch-everything-local/id430049632)

**Currently charting:** #175 Top Free · News (US App Store)

Stay informed about your local community with real-time news, events, and weather updates. Discover schools, homes for sale, jobs, and announcements in a single, easy-to-scroll feed. Receive breaking news alerts and share stories with friends.

**Highlights:** Local news and events for 1,200+ towns, Breaking news push notifications, Local weather forecasts and alerts, Find local jobs and announcements, One-scroll feed for town happenings, Bookmark articles for later reading, Support for following multiple towns

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🗞️ Informative local news
- 📰 Comprehensive coverage of community events
- 🔍 Useful for staying up-to-date on local happenings
- 🗓️ Timely and relevant information
- 💻 Convenient online/mobile access to local news

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔌 App stability and performance issues
- 🔍 Limited ability to customize content and notifications
- 📢 Concerns about removal of reader comments
- 🗺️ Lack of location-specific focus in some areas
- 💲 Paid subscription model for full access

**Reported bugs**

- Articles failing to load or open properly
- Notification issues, including duplicate or missing alerts
- Inconsistent app behavior after updates
- Difficulty clearing unread article indicators

**Requested features**

- Allow users to select specific news categories of interest
- Improve notification system to be more reliable and customizable
- Restore reader comment functionality
- Enhance location-based targeting and content curation
- Offer more affordable or free access options


### The

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-sandpaper/id1500607774)

Access the latest Print and Online editions of a local newspaper directly on your mobile device. Stay informed with current news and articles from your community.

**Highlights:** Digital newspaper editions, Online edition access, Mobile access, Latest news updates

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Patch free?

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

### Is The free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Patch or The?

Patch is rated higher. Patch averages 4.7 out of 5 from 27K ratings, while The averages 4.0 from 2 ratings.

### Do Patch or The have ads?

Patch shows ads; The does not.

### Which is updated more often, Patch or The?

Patch ships an update every 2 months, and The every 29 months. Most recently, Patch was updated on November 8, 2026 and The on November 3, 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.*