# Des Moines Register vs Elect Connect

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Elect Connect at 83% against Des Moines Register's 39%. Elect Connect also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 3) and ads (none vs shown). Des Moines Register's advantage is update cadence (every 4 weeks vs every 5 months) and ratings volume (2.9K vs 15). On price, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

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

Elect Connect holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Des Moines Register has 2.9K ratings behind it against 15, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 39% of Des Moines Register's written reviews are positive against 83% of Elect Connect's.

Des Moines Register ships an update every 4 weeks, Elect Connect every 5 months. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and October 30, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Des Moines Register | Elect Connect |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.3 (2.9K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/des-moines-register/id524153305/reviews) | **[4.7 (15 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/elect-connect/id6753926496/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **2.9K** | 15 |
| Positive reviews | 39.3% of reviews | **83.3% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Every 4 weeks** | Every 5 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Best chart rank | **#109** | — |
| Size | 190 MB | 2 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.6 | **18.1** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 12+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [USA TODAY Co., Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/404843797) | [Aaron Percy](https://appshunter.io/developer/1845736198) |

## What reviewers say

### Des Moines Register

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

**Currently charting:** #109 Top Grossing · Magazines & Newspapers, #153 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


### Elect Connect

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/elect-connect/id6753926496)

Stay informed about your elected officials and their activities. Access unbiased news tailored to your interests, connect with representatives, and get essential voting information. Future updates will include candidate livestreams and live fact-checking.

**Highlights:** Unbiased, tailored news, Political lean analysis, View local representatives, Legislator activity tracking, Ask questions to representatives, Voting eligibility and registration

**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 Elect Connect free?

Elect Connect is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Des Moines Register or Elect Connect?

Elect Connect is rated higher. Des Moines Register averages 4.3 out of 5 from 2.9K ratings, while Elect Connect averages 4.7 from 15 ratings.

### Do Des Moines Register or Elect Connect have ads?

Des Moines Register shows ads; Elect Connect does not.

### Which is updated more often, Des Moines Register or Elect Connect?

Des Moines Register ships an update every 4 weeks, and Elect Connect every 5 months. Most recently, Des Moines Register was updated on November 1, 2026 and Elect Connect on October 30, 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.*