# Patch vs News 12 Mobile

Patch and News 12 Mobile both sit at 4.7 stars, but that hides the real split: 58% of Patch's written reviews are positive against 31% of News 12 Mobile's. Patch also leads on iOS requirement (15.6 vs 18.0). News 12 Mobile's advantage is chart position (#36 vs #147). On price, rating, ratings volume and update cadence there is nothing between them.

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

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.7 for Patch against 4.8 for News 12 Mobile. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 26K and 66K respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 58% of Patch's written reviews are positive against 31% of News 12 Mobile's.

Patch ships an update every 2 months, News 12 Mobile monthly. Both last shipped on September 27, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Patch | News 12 Mobile |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.7 (26K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/patch-everything-local/id430049632/reviews) | **[4.8 (66K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/news-12-mobile/id444268184/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 26K | **66K** |
| Positive reviews | **58.3% of reviews** | 30.7% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Monthly** |
| Monetization | Ad-supported | Ad-supported |
| Best chart rank | #147 | **#36** |
| Size | 66 MB | 59 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.6** | 18.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple TV** |
| Age rating | 12+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Patch Media](https://appshunter.io/developer/1088403234) | [NEWS 12 INTERACTIVE, INC.](https://appshunter.io/developer/672275788) |

## What reviewers say

### Patch

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

**Currently charting:** #147 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


### News 12 Mobile

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/news-12-mobile/id444268184)

**Currently charting:** #36 Top Free · News (US App Store)

Access local news, weather, and traffic updates from a dedicated regional news network. Stay informed with breaking news, detailed forecasts, and multimedia content. Receive personalized alerts on topics important to you.

**Highlights:** Local breaking news, Local weather forecasts, Storm coverage, Daily videos and articles, Push alerts

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- ⭐️ Helpful local news coverage
- ⭐️ Reliable weather updates
- ⭐️ Convenient morning routine
- ⭐️ Thorough and educational weather reporting

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Bugs and glitches in the app
- 📺 Excessive ads for paying customers
- 🔄 Outdated or repeated news content
- 🔍 Confusing navigation and layout
- 📱 Lack of support for landscape mode

**Reported bugs**

- Frequent app crashes
- Inability to stay in selected section
- Incorrect or outdated weather information
- Notification links leading to wrong content

**Requested features**

- Live news stream option
- Customizable location-based weather
- Improved article organization and search
- Removal of ads for paying customers


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Patch free?

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

### Is News 12 Mobile free?

News 12 Mobile is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Patch or News 12 Mobile?

News 12 Mobile is rated higher. Patch averages 4.7 out of 5 from 26K ratings, while News 12 Mobile averages 4.8 from 66K ratings.

### Do Patch or News 12 Mobile have ads?

Both Patch and News 12 Mobile show ads.

### Which is updated more often, Patch or News 12 Mobile?

Patch ships an update every 2 months, and News 12 Mobile monthly. Most recently, Patch was updated on September 27, 2026 and News 12 Mobile on September 27, 2026.

### Which is more popular, Patch or News 12 Mobile?

Patch currently peaks at #147 in the App Store charts, and News 12 Mobile at #36. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*