New Republic vs ProtagonistLit
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
New Republic
Access in-depth journalism and analysis on social justice, climate change, and political reform. Enjoy the complete magazine, web content, and a podcast. Offers a limited number of free articles before requiring a subscription for unlimited access.
- Read complete magazine issues
- Access latest web content
- Bookmark articles for offline reading
- Listen to podcast
- Share articles
- Subscribe to newsletters
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Since 1914, TNR has been a platform for public-minded thinkers and writers advocating liberal reform in a new industrial age. Today, TNR remains more committed than ever to its social democratic first principles—and most of all, to the project of restoring flagging liberal confidence in the public arena while reclaiming the embattled legacy of civic republican self-rule in America. Our journalism isn’t afraid to debate complex issues and take a stance—from social injustice to climate change. TNR App Features * Read the complete magazine—10 issues a year * Read our latest web content * Access three free articles before subscribing * With a monthly or annual subscription, enjoy unlimited access to any TNR article in the app or on the TNR website * Share articles to your favorite social networks—or via email or text—using our Share or Clip tools * Bookmark articles to read later—or offline * Listen to The Politics of Everything, our new podcast * Subscribe to our newsletters: TNR Daily, The Soapbox, Critical Mass, Apocalypse Soon, Sold Short, American Jitters, and Listen Up. The New Republic Pricing: • Subscription 1 Month - USD 2.99* • Subscription 1 Year - USD 10.99* * For non-US app stores, the equivalent currency charges will apply. 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 billing period. To turn off auto-renewal, please find details on the FAQ page (Subscriptions) in the TNR app. • Account will be charged for the renewal within 24 hours prior to the end of the current billing period. • No cancellation of the current subscription is allowed during the user’s active subscription period. Privacy Policy - https://newrepublic.com/pages/privacy Terms of Use - http://www.mazsystems.com/outputs-terms/ • Any unused portion of a free trial period, if offered, will be forfeited when the user purchases a subscription.
ProtagonistLit
Discover new short reads like stories, poems, and essays from independent publishers. Search by genre, writer, or publication, and explore curated lists. This app offers an easy-to-use interface for a community of readers, writers, and editors.
- Discover short stories, poems, and essays
- Search by genre, writer, and publication
- Explore curated reading lists
- Content curated by editors
- Community of readers, writers, and editors
- Independent publisher content
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We can’t read your mind but we can mind your read. Stories, poems, essays, interviews, and more—discover your new favorite short read right on your phone. Search by genre, writer, publication, and more. Flip through our curated lists. Easy to use and easy on the eyes. A community of readers, writers, and editors. Reading is for everyone. The best independent publishers in one place, Protagonist's content is 100% curated by editors. From the most celebrated creative magazines to the most current ones. Read into Protagonist. Change the way you read—change the way you see the world.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is ratings volume: New Republic at 2.6K against ProtagonistLit's 2. New Republic also leads on device support (3 vs 1) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 16.2). ProtagonistLit's advantage is rating (5.0 vs 4.7) and update cadence (monthly vs every 4 months). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model 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
Both are free to download. New Republic sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month and ProtagonistLit sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
ProtagonistLit holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: New Republic has 2.6K ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two.
New Republic ships an update every 4 months, ProtagonistLit monthly. The most recent releases landed on October 22, 2026 and October 12, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | New Republic | ProtagonistLit |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.7 (2.6K ratings) | 5.0 (2 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 35.7% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 2.6K — better | 2 |
| Update frequency | Every 4 months | Monthly — better |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Freemium | Free with in-app purchases |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better | iPhone |
| Requires iOS | 13.0 — better | 16.2 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 62 MB | 21 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | The New Republic | Protagonist Lit, LLC |
Customer experience
New Republic
ProtagonistLit
Bugs and requests
New Republic
Reported bugs
3 issues- Issues downloading new issues
- App crashes and freezes
- Login and subscription problems
Requested features
3 requests- Audio version of articles
- Ability to adjust font size
- Landscape mode support
ProtagonistLit
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
New Republic
- The New Republic for iPad$2.991 Month
- TNR for iPad (Current Subscribers)$2.991 Month
- TNR for iPad (Current Subscribers)$10.991 Year
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- The New Republic for iPad1 Month trial$34.991 Year
- 25 Historical Covers$0.99
- February 25, 2013$4.99
- April 08, 2013$4.99
Show 3 moreShow fewer
- May 27, 2013$4.99
- June 10, 2013$4.99
- August 5, 2013$4.99
ProtagonistLit
- Super Reader Monthly$9.991 Month
- Super Reader Yearly$99.991 Year
Questions
Is New Republic free?
Is ProtagonistLit free?
Which has better reviews, New Republic or ProtagonistLit?
Do New Republic or ProtagonistLit have ads?
Which is updated more often, New Republic or ProtagonistLit?
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