# Courier Journal vs Statesman Journal

Courier Journal and Statesman Journal both sit at 4.3 stars, but that hides the real split: 50% of Courier Journal's written reviews are positive against 29% of Statesman Journal's. Courier Journal also leads on ratings volume (3.2K vs 850). On price, rating, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Courier Journal sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $19.99 per month and Statesman Journal sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $14.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.3 for Courier Journal against 4.2 for Statesman Journal. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 3.2K and 850 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 50% of Courier Journal's written reviews are positive against 29% of Statesman Journal's.

Courier Journal ships an update every 4 weeks, Statesman Journal monthly. Both last shipped on November 6, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Courier Journal | Statesman Journal |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.3 (3.2K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/courier-journal/id525811534/reviews)** | [4.2 (850 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/statesman-journal/id525828348/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **3.2K** | 850 |
| Positive reviews | **50.0% of reviews** | 29.2% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 4 weeks** | Monthly |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | **#90** | #138 |
| Size | 189 MB | 190 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.6 | 18.6 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 12+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [USA TODAY Co., Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/404843797) | [USA TODAY Co., Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/404843797) |

## What reviewers say

### Courier Journal

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/courier-journal/id525811534)

**Currently charting:** #90 Top Grossing · Magazines & Newspapers, #126 Top Grossing · News (US App Store)

Access local news, in-depth journalism, and a digital replica of the print edition. Get breaking news alerts, sports scores, and weather updates. Customize your reading experience with offline access and adjustable text size.

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

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (5)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly Digital Rate | $19.99 | per month |
| Annual Digital Subscription | $19.99 | per year |
| Monthly Digital Rate | $24.99 | per month |
| The Courier-Journal Digital Subscription | $24.99 | per month |
| The Courier-Journal Annual Digital Subscription | $69.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Good app for reading the newspaper
- 👍 Ease of e-paper
- 👍 Enjoy keeping up with local and national news
- 👍 Solid journalism

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Glitchy at times
- 🐛 Crashes and freezes
- 🐛 Difficult to navigate
- 🐛 Requires frequent sign-in
- 🐛 Outdated content

**Reported bugs**

- Login issues
- Subscription problems
- Printing and viewing issues
- Unreliable updates

**Requested features**

- Bring back old app
- Improve layout and readability
- Add more local news coverage
- Improve login and account management
- Provide print-friendly version


### Statesman Journal

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/statesman-journal/id525828348)

**Currently charting:** #138 Top Grossing · Magazines & Newspapers (US App Store)

Stay informed with local news, in-depth journalism, and real-time alerts. Access a digital replica of the print edition and enjoy a personalized reading experience with customizable features and offline access.

**Highlights:** In-depth local journalism, Breaking news and alerts, Streamlined reading experience, Customizable text size and night mode, Offline reading, eNewspaper access, Real-time notifications

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly Digital Subscription | $14.99 | per month |
| Monthly Digital Rate | $14.99 | per month |
| Statesman Journal News Digital Subscription | $16.99 | per month |
| Statesman Journal News Annual Digital Subscription | $69.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Fast and informative app
- 👍 Helpful for staying up-to-date
- 👍 Supports local journalism
- 👍 Better than print version

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Buggy and unstable
- 🤖 Too much sports coverage
- 🤖 Outdated and redundant content
- 💸 Expensive subscription
- 🔍 Poor search and navigation

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes and freezes
- Login issues and lost subscriptions
- Blurry text and images
- Unreliable downloads

**Requested features**

- More local Salem news coverage
- Ability to customize content preferences
- Improved login and account management
- Better offline support


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Courier Journal free?

Courier Journal is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Statesman Journal free?

Statesman Journal is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Courier Journal or Statesman Journal?

Courier Journal is rated higher. Courier Journal averages 4.3 out of 5 from 3.2K ratings, while Statesman Journal averages 4.2 from 850 ratings.

### Do Courier Journal or Statesman Journal have ads?

Both Courier Journal and Statesman Journal show ads.

### Which is updated more often, Courier Journal or Statesman Journal?

Courier Journal ships an update every 4 weeks, and Statesman Journal monthly. Most recently, Courier Journal was updated on November 6, 2026 and Statesman Journal on November 6, 2026.

### Which is more popular, Courier Journal or Statesman Journal?

Courier Journal currently peaks at #90 in the App Store charts, and Statesman Journal at #138. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*
