# The Spectrum vs Franklin County Now

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Franklin County Now at none against The Spectrum's 4. Franklin County Now also leads on ads (none vs shown) and iOS requirement (15.0 vs 18.6). On price, update cadence and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. The Spectrum sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month. Franklin County Now asks for nothing beyond the download.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly monthly. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and October 27, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | The Spectrum | Franklin County Now |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.2 (160 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-spectrum/id520602256/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **160** | — |
| Positive reviews | 65.2% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Monthly | Monthly |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Size | 184 MB | 10 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.6 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [USA TODAY Co., Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/404843797) | [Saga Communications](https://appshunter.io/developer/333180331) |

## What reviewers say

### The Spectrum

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-spectrum/id520602256)

Access in-depth local journalism, including community events, sports, and photography. Enjoy a fast, customizable reading experience with real-time notifications and offline access. Includes a digital replica of the print edition and access to other eNewspapers.

**Highlights:** In-depth local journalism, Streamlined, fast-loading experience, Real-time notifications, Customizable reading experience, Offline reading, eNewspaper replica, Access to USA TODAY and other eNewspapers

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly Digital Rate | $9.99 | per month |
| The Spectrum Digital Subscription | $16.99 | per month |
| The Spectrum Digital Subscription | $69.99 | per year |


### Franklin County Now

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/franklin-county-now/id6737202973)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is The Spectrum free?

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

### Is Franklin County Now free?

Franklin County Now is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Do The Spectrum or Franklin County Now have ads?

The Spectrum shows ads; Franklin County Now does not.

### Which is updated more often, The Spectrum or Franklin County Now?

The Spectrum ships an update monthly, and Franklin County Now monthly. Most recently, The Spectrum was updated on November 1, 2026 and Franklin County Now on October 27, 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.*