# The Town Talk vs PCT NOW

The clearest difference is rating: PCT NOW at 5.0 against The Town Talk's 4.2. PCT NOW also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 4) and ads (none vs shown). The Town Talk's advantage is ratings volume (132 vs 3). On price and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. The Town Talk sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month. PCT NOW asks for nothing beyond the download.

PCT NOW holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.2. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: The Town Talk has 132 ratings behind it against 3, so its average is the more settled of the two.

The Town Talk ships an update monthly, PCT NOW fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on October 29, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | The Town Talk | PCT NOW |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.2 (132 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-town-talk/id528046166/reviews) | **[5.0 (3 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pct-now/id1524677880/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **132** | 3 |
| Positive reviews | 33.3% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Monthly | **Fortnightly** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 185 MB | 72 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.6 | **12.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [USA TODAY Co., Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/404843797) | [Portland Chinese Times, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1524677882) |

## What reviewers say

### The Town Talk

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-town-talk/id528046166)

Access in-depth local journalism, including news, sports, and community events. Enjoy a fast-loading experience with real-time notifications, customizable reading options, and an eNewspaper replica. Stay informed with breaking news and weather alerts.

**Highlights:** In-depth local journalism, Breaking news and weather alerts, Real-time notifications, Customizable reading experience, Offline reading, eNewspaper access

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly Digital Rate | $9.99 | per month |
| Monthly Digital Rate | $14.99 | per month |
| The Town Talk Digital Subscription | $16.99 | per month |
| The Town Talk Annual Digital Subscription | $69.99 | per year |


### PCT NOW

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pct-now/id1524677880)

This app provides Chinese-language news coverage for the Portland area, covering local, national, and international events. It aims to engage the Chinese community in American political, cultural, and business activities, with over sixty free distribution points.

**Highlights:** Local Chinese news coverage, US and world news updates, Promotes community engagement, Free distribution points, Archive from 1997

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is The Town Talk free?

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

### Is PCT NOW free?

PCT NOW is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, The Town Talk or PCT NOW?

PCT NOW is rated higher. The Town Talk averages 4.2 out of 5 from 132 ratings, while PCT NOW averages 5.0 from 3 ratings.

### Do The Town Talk or PCT NOW have ads?

The Town Talk shows ads; PCT NOW does not.

### Which is updated more often, The Town Talk or PCT NOW?

The Town Talk ships an update monthly, and PCT NOW fortnightly. Most recently, The Town Talk was updated on October 29, 2026 and PCT NOW on October 24, 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.*