# Des Moines Register vs Kenyon Leader

The clearest difference is rating: Kenyon Leader at 5.0 against Des Moines Register's 4.3. Kenyon Leader also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 3) and iOS requirement (15.1 vs 18.6). Des Moines Register's advantage is ratings volume (2.9K vs 1) and update cadence (every 4 weeks vs every 4 months). On price, ads, monetization model 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. Kenyon Leader asks for nothing beyond the download.

Kenyon Leader holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Des Moines Register has 2.9K ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

Des Moines Register ships an update every 4 weeks, Kenyon Leader every 4 months. The most recent releases landed on November 10, 2026 and October 16, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Des Moines Register | Kenyon Leader |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.3 (2.9K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/des-moines-register/id524153305/reviews) | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/kenyon-leader/id6447645073/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **2.9K** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | 39.3% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 4 weeks** | Every 4 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | **#104** | — |
| Size | 190 MB | 39 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.6 | **15.1** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [USA TODAY Co., Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/404843797) | [Adams Publishing Group, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/874921190) |

## What reviewers say

### Des Moines Register

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

**Currently charting:** #104 Top Grossing · Magazines & Newspapers, #152 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


### Kenyon Leader

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/kenyon-leader/id6447645073)

Access a digital replica of the printed Kenyon Leader newspaper. This application is included with your all-access subscription. Contact customer service for assistance with app usage.

**Highlights:** Digital newspaper replica, All-access subscription included, Customer service support

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**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 Kenyon Leader free?

Kenyon Leader is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Des Moines Register or Kenyon Leader?

Kenyon Leader is rated higher. Des Moines Register averages 4.3 out of 5 from 2.9K ratings, while Kenyon Leader averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.

### Do Des Moines Register or Kenyon Leader have ads?

Both Des Moines Register and Kenyon Leader show ads.

### Which is updated more often, Des Moines Register or Kenyon Leader?

Des Moines Register ships an update every 4 weeks, and Kenyon Leader every 4 months. Most recently, Des Moines Register was updated on November 10, 2026 and Kenyon Leader on October 16, 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.*