# Des Moines Register vs theBeat.hr

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: theBeat.hr at none against Des Moines Register's 3. theBeat.hr also leads on ads (none vs shown) and iOS requirement (8.0 vs 18.6). Des Moines Register's advantage is chart position (#94 vs unranked). On price, update cadence and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Des Moines Register sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $19.99 per month. theBeat.hr asks for nothing beyond the download.

Des Moines Register ships an update every 4 weeks, theBeat.hr fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on October 29, 2026 and October 25, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Des Moines Register | theBeat.hr |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.3 (2.9K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/des-moines-register/id524153305/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **2.9K** | — |
| Positive reviews | 39.3% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 4 weeks | **Fortnightly** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Best chart rank | **#94** | — |
| Size | 190 MB | 98 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.6 | **8.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 12+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [USA TODAY Co., Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/404843797) | [Marijan Geric](https://appshunter.io/developer/1441705744) |

## What reviewers say

### Des Moines Register

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/des-moines-register/id524153305)

**Currently charting:** #94 Top Grossing · Magazines & Newspapers, #133 Top Grossing · News (US App Store)

Stay informed with local news, in-depth journalism, and breaking alerts. Access a digital replica of the print edition, customize your reading experience, and enjoy content on the go.

**Highlights:** In-depth local journalism, Breaking news and alerts, Digital eNewspaper replica, Customizable reading experience, Offline reading, Sports and events coverage

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Des Moines Register Digital Subscription | $19.99 | per month |
| Monthly Digital Rate | $24.99 | per month |
| Des Moines Register Annual Digital Subscription | $69.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🌟 Best local news
- 📰 Like reading the paper
- 🗞️ Excellent newspaper
- 🔍 Great source for up-to-date local and state news
- 📰 Excellent news

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🚫 Doesn't work well for paid subscribers
- 🚫 Useless
- 🚫 Every Article Needs a Subscription
- 🚫 Terrible app that replaced Print Edition app
- 🚫 Hard to enlarge and read

**Reported bugs**

- Login screen freezes
- Incompatible with older devices
- Page crashes when video is embedded in article
- Can't sign in
- Keeps asking for renewal though I have done that

**Requested features**

- Dark mode option
- Advanced analytics dashboard
- Search function
- Ability to pause subscription
- Option to turn off sports news


### theBeat.hr

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/thebeathr/id1441705745)

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Des Moines Register free?

Des Moines Register is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is theBeat.hr free?

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

### Do Des Moines Register or theBeat.hr have ads?

Des Moines Register shows ads; theBeat.hr does not.

### Which is updated more often, Des Moines Register or theBeat.hr?

Des Moines Register ships an update every 4 weeks, and theBeat.hr fortnightly. Most recently, Des Moines Register was updated on October 29, 2026 and theBeat.hr on October 25, 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.*