# Argus Leader vs SD.Net App

The clearest difference is review sentiment: SD.Net App at 100% against Argus Leader's 32%. SD.Net App also leads on rating (5.0 vs 4.3) and in-app purchases (none vs 4). Argus Leader's advantage is update cadence (monthly vs every 10 months) and ratings volume (996 vs 6). On price and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Argus Leader sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $14.99 per month. SD.Net App asks for nothing beyond the download.

SD.Net App holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Argus Leader has 996 ratings behind it against 6, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 32% of Argus Leader's written reviews are positive against 100% of SD.Net App's.

Argus Leader ships an update monthly, SD.Net App every 10 months. The most recent releases landed on October 16, 2026 and October 6, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Argus Leader | SD.Net App |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.3 (996 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/argus-leader/id493262204/reviews) | **[5.0 (6 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sdnet-app/id1178657953/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **996** | 6 |
| Positive reviews | 32.1% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Monthly** | Every 10 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Best chart rank | **#177** | — |
| Size | 188 MB | 47 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.6 | **14.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [USA TODAY Co., Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/404843797) | [South Dakota Public Broadcasting](https://appshunter.io/developer/881275529) |

## What reviewers say

### Argus Leader

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/argus-leader/id493262204)

**Currently charting:** #177 Top Grossing · Magazines & Newspapers (US App Store)

Access in-depth local journalism, including community events, sports, and breaking news. Enjoy a fast, customizable reading experience with real-time notifications and an eNewspaper replica. Save stories, adjust text, and read offline.

**Highlights:** In-depth local journalism, Breaking news notifications, Sports coverage, Streamlined reading experience, Offline reading, eNewspaper replica, Customizable text size and night mode

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly Digital Rate | $14.99 | per month |
| Monthly Digital Subscription | $19.99 | per month |
| Argus Leader Digital Subscription | $24.99 | per month |
| Argus Leader Annual Digital Subscription | $69.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Great local news
- 🚀 Easy to navigate
- 👍 Clean eEdition PDF
- 👍 Keeps us updated on South Dakota news

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 App frequently crashes or freezes
- 🔍 Stories are out of date or sports-focused
- 💸 Ads even with paid subscription
- 🤔 Difficult to cancel subscription
- 🤯 Confusing and not user-friendly

**Reported bugs**

- Sign-on process frequently freezes
- App doesn't update with latest news
- Links to sections lead to outdated content
- Compatibility issues with iOS 14 update

**Requested features**

- Bring back the old print edition app
- Improve navigation to read the paper front to back
- Reduce the number of ads for paid subscribers


### SD.Net App

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sdnet-app/id1178657953)

Access live and on-demand broadcasts of South Dakota legislative sessions, court hearings, and public commission meetings. Enjoy DVR-like controls for easy navigation of past programs and share content with others.

**Highlights:** Live streaming of events, On-demand access to past programs, DVR-like playback controls, Easy program sharing, Associated web page information

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Argus Leader free?

Argus Leader is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is SD.Net App free?

SD.Net App is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Argus Leader or SD.Net App?

SD.Net App is rated higher. Argus Leader averages 4.3 out of 5 from 996 ratings, while SD.Net App averages 5.0 from 6 ratings.

### Do Argus Leader or SD.Net App have ads?

Argus Leader shows ads; SD.Net App does not.

### Which is updated more often, Argus Leader or SD.Net App?

Argus Leader ships an update monthly, and SD.Net App every 10 months. Most recently, Argus Leader was updated on October 16, 2026 and SD.Net App on October 6, 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.*