# TBC eEdition vs CalMatters

The clearest difference is rating: CalMatters at 5.0 against TBC eEdition's 4.4. CalMatters also leads on ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 21 months). TBC eEdition's advantage is ratings volume (1.5K vs 18). On price, in-app purchases, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

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

CalMatters holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: TBC eEdition has 1.5K ratings behind it against 18, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 33% of TBC eEdition's written reviews are positive against 50% of CalMatters's.

TBC eEdition ships an update every 21 months, CalMatters every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 23, 2026 and October 27, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | TBC eEdition | CalMatters |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.4 (1.5K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tbc-eedition/id438878223/reviews) | **[5.0 (18 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/calmatters/id6475375084/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **1.5K** | 18 |
| Positive reviews | 33.3% of reviews | **50.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 21 months | **Every 2 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Ad-supported** |
| Best chart rank | — | **#196** |
| Size | 50 MB | 53 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | 15.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [The Bakersfield Californian Apps](https://appshunter.io/developer/685842269) | [CalMatters](https://appshunter.io/developer/1724098439) |

## What reviewers say

### TBC eEdition

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tbc-eedition/id438878223)

Access an interactive replica of the daily Bakersfield Californian newspaper on your iPad and iPhone. Read local news, save stories, and view past editions offline. Requires a paid print or digital subscription.

**Highlights:** Interactive replica edition, Share and save stories, Access previous editions, Download for offline viewing, Local news coverage

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- ⭐ Great paper
- 📱 Awesome reading experience
- 🗞️ Excellent layout and easy to use

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔒 Always having login problems
- 🔍 Search feature doesn't work
- 📱 New app is not user friendly
- 📱 Glitches and won't scroll
- 📱 Bugs in the app

**Reported bugs**

- New newspapers not showing since Wednesday
- App stops picking the latest edition
- Asked to log in repeatedly for no reason
- Current edition not available, only archived issues

**Requested features**

- Seamless transition from subscription expiration to renewal
- Ability to share comments on stories and post letters to the editor
- Option to change between landscape and portrait views
- Ability to print coupons


### CalMatters

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/calmatters/id6475375084)

**Currently charting:** #196 Top Free · Magazines & Newspapers (US App Store)

Access in-depth, nonpartisan news and analysis focused on California's quality of life issues. Hold leaders accountable with investigative journalism covering the Golden State and its global economic impact.

**Highlights:** In-depth news analysis, Focus on quality of life issues, Investigative journalism, Accountability reporting, Covers California and its economy

**Features:** Apple Wallet, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is TBC eEdition free?

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

### Is CalMatters free?

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

### Which has better reviews, TBC eEdition or CalMatters?

CalMatters is rated higher. TBC eEdition averages 4.4 out of 5 from 1.5K ratings, while CalMatters averages 5.0 from 18 ratings.

### Do TBC eEdition or CalMatters have ads?

TBC eEdition shows ads; CalMatters does not.

### Which is updated more often, TBC eEdition or CalMatters?

TBC eEdition ships an update every 21 months, and CalMatters every 2 weeks. Most recently, TBC eEdition was updated on October 23, 2026 and CalMatters on October 27, 2026.

---

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