# The Week US vs Utne Reader

The clearest difference is review sentiment: The Week US at 52% against Utne Reader's 0%. The Week US also leads on ads (none vs shown) and ratings volume (6.6K vs 16). Utne Reader's advantage is monetization model (free with in-app purchases vs subscription) and rating (4.9 vs 4.7). On price, update cadence, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. The Week US sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $12.99 per month and Utne Reader sells 11 in-app purchases, starting at $17.99 per 6 months. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Utne Reader holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: The Week US has 6.6K ratings behind it against 16, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 52% of The Week US's written reviews are positive against 0% of Utne Reader's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

The Week US ships an update every 2 months, Utne Reader every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on October 19, 2026 and October 9, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | The Week US | Utne Reader |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.7 (6.6K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-week-us-daily-analysis/id498216307/reviews) | **[4.9 (16 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/utne-reader/id735180387/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **6.6K** | 16 |
| Positive reviews | **52.3% of reviews** | 0.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 months** | Every 3 months |
| Monetization | Subscription | **Free with in-app purchases** |
| Best chart rank | **#91** | — |
| Size | 26 MB | 48 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **11.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Future plc](https://appshunter.io/developer/378460265) | [Ogden Publications, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/450808661) |

## What reviewers say

### The Week US

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-week-us-daily-analysis/id498216307)

**Currently charting:** #91 Top Grossing · Magazines & Newspapers, #124 Top Grossing · News (US App Store)

This app curates the week's most important news from U.S. and international media into a concise digest. It offers provocative perspectives and in-depth insights into vital stories, designed for busy readers. Enjoy a seamless reading experience with various formatting options and offline access.

**Highlights:** Curated news digest, Print magazine format, Audio versions of articles, Twice-daily news digests, Adjustable text size and background color, Offline reading

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 1 Month - The Week | $12.99 | per month |
| 6 Months - The Week | $59.99 | per 6 months |
| 1 Year - The Week | $89.99 | per year |
| The Week Single Issue 570 | $3.99 | one-time |
| The Week Single Issue 571 | $3.99 | one-time |
| The Week Single Issue 575 | $3.99 | one-time |
| The Week Single Issue 577 | $3.99 | one-time |
| The Week Single Issue 578 | $3.99 | one-time |
| The Week Single Issue 579 | $3.99 | one-time |
| The Week Single Issue 580 | $3.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🙏 Couldn't start my day without it
- 📰 My go to news source
- 🌟 Favorite magazine
- 🗣️ True Free Press
- 📚 Wide Ranging News Topics

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🤖 Digital Edition
- 🤬 The cancellation process is ridiculous
- 📰 Left-leaning news curation
- 🤖 I can't get it to reliably download
- 🤖 New iPad app is _bad_

**Reported bugs**

- Login screen freezes
- Incompatible with older devices
- Frequent crashes
- Unreliable downloads
- Syncing issues across devices

**Requested features**

- Dark mode option
- Advanced analytics dashboard
- Text to speech option
- Ability to adjust font size
- Offline reading mode


### Utne Reader

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/utne-reader/id735180387)

This app curates essential stories from independent voices, focusing on environmental issues, marginalized communities, and political events. It also highlights the impact of art, philosophy, and spirituality.

**Highlights:** Independent voices, Cultural zeitgeist focus, Environmental crisis coverage, Marginalized communities spotlight, Political strife analysis, Art, philosophy, spirituality appreciation

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (11)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Utne Reader - The best of the alternative press | $17.99 | per 6 months |
| Utne Reader - The best of the alternative press | $35.99 | per year |
| November/December 2013 | $6.99 | one-time |
| March/April 2014 | $6.99 | one-time |
| Winter 2014 | $6.99 | one-time |
| September 2016 Digital | $6.99 | one-time |
| Utne Reader Feed 2 | $6.99 | one-time |
| Utne Reader Feed 3 | $6.99 | one-time |
| Winter 2016 | $9.99 | one-time |
| Winter 2017 | $9.99 | one-time |
| Summer 2018 | $9.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is The Week US free?

The Week US is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Utne Reader free?

Utne Reader is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, The Week US or Utne Reader?

Utne Reader is rated higher. The Week US averages 4.7 out of 5 from 6.6K ratings, while Utne Reader averages 4.9 from 16 ratings.

### Do The Week US or Utne Reader have ads?

Utne Reader shows ads; The Week US does not.

### Which is updated more often, The Week US or Utne Reader?

The Week US ships an update every 2 months, and Utne Reader every 3 months. Most recently, The Week US was updated on October 19, 2026 and Utne Reader on October 9, 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.*