# Virginian Pilot vs Magzter Library

The clearest difference is rating: Virginian Pilot at 4.4 against Magzter Library's 2.9. Virginian Pilot also leads on ratings volume (2.3K vs 43) and chart position (#148 vs unranked). Magzter Library's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 5) and ads (none vs shown). On price, update cadence, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Virginian Pilot sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $7.99 per month. Magzter Library asks for nothing beyond the download.

Virginian Pilot holds the better App Store score, 4.4 against 2.9. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Virginian Pilot has 2.3K ratings behind it against 43, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 29% of Virginian Pilot's written reviews are positive against 52% of Magzter Library's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Virginian Pilot ships an update monthly, Magzter Library every 6 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 10, 2026 and November 8, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Virginian Pilot | Magzter Library |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.4 (2.3K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/virginian-pilot/id537988905/reviews)** | [2.9 (43 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/magzter-library/id1215547865/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **2.3K** | 43 |
| Positive reviews | 28.7% of reviews | **52.4% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Monthly** | Every 6 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Best chart rank | **#148** | — |
| Size | 190 MB | 79 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | **14.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 12+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Pilot Media](https://appshunter.io/developer/537988908) | [Magzter Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/406791755) |

## What reviewers say

### Virginian Pilot

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/virginian-pilot/id537988905)

**Currently charting:** #148 Top Grossing · News (US App Store)

Access essential news, sports, business, and entertainment coverage from Virginia's leading source. Receive breaking news alerts, save articles for later, and read content offline. Share stories easily via social media or email.

**Highlights:** Essential news coverage, Push notifications for breaking news, Save stories, photos, and videos, Offline reading capabilities, Easy social media sharing, Breaking news alerts

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

**In-app purchases (5)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Unlimited Digital Access | $7.99 | per month |
| Unlimited Digital Access | $19.99 | per month |
| Monthly Subscription | $19.99 | per month |
| Virginia Pilot | $199.99 | per year |
| Annual Subscription | $199.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🇺🇸 Excellent military coverage
- 📰 Coastal Virginia information hub
- 🗞 Keeps me connected to my hometown

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🤯 Overwhelming ads
- 🔒 Subscription issues and login problems
- 📱 Buggy and crash-prone app
- 🧭 Poor navigation and user experience
- 📦 Delivery and distribution problems

**Reported bugs**

- Frequent app crashes
- Paywall issues even for subscribers
- Inability to access full articles

**Requested features**

- Restore landscape mode for e-edition
- Improve search and filtering capabilities
- Provide access to previous day's editions
- Make puzzles and comics more accessible


### Magzter Library

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/magzter-library/id1215547865)

This application provides libraries with access to a vast collection of digital magazines and newspapers. Readers can enjoy the latest and back issues, download content for offline access, and share articles on social media.

**Highlights:** Access latest and back issues, Download titles for offline reading, Share content on social media, Thousands of magazines and newspapers

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Virginian Pilot free?

Virginian Pilot is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Magzter Library free?

Magzter Library is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Virginian Pilot or Magzter Library?

Virginian Pilot is rated higher. Virginian Pilot averages 4.4 out of 5 from 2.3K ratings, while Magzter Library averages 2.9 from 43 ratings.

### Do Virginian Pilot or Magzter Library have ads?

Virginian Pilot shows ads; Magzter Library does not.

### Which is updated more often, Virginian Pilot or Magzter Library?

Virginian Pilot ships an update monthly, and Magzter Library every 6 weeks. Most recently, Virginian Pilot was updated on November 10, 2026 and Magzter Library on November 8, 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.*