Comparison

Reason vs The Free Press

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Reason

Access accurate and honest news, ideas, videos, and podcasts from a libertarian perspective. Personalize notifications and stream exclusive content, including documentaries and newsletters.

Highlights
  • Libertarian news and ideas
  • Exclusive videos and documentaries
  • Podcast streaming
  • Personalized news notifications
  • Newsletter access
  • Reason Plus subscription for early magazine access
Features
Read full description

The Reason app helps you stay on top of the news and better understand your world without all the tired left-wing or right-wing spin. You won’t find a better source for accurate and honest news, ideas, videos, and podcasts from a libertarian perspective. Turn on notifications and personalize your settings to get alerts about issues you care about. Stream new episodes of Reason podcasts: The Reason Roundtable, The Reason Interview With Nick Gillespie, and The Soho Forum Debates. Click to listen to every article and build your own content playlist. Access Reason’s latest vertical videos. Watch Reason’s documentaries, video essays, and comedy videos, including Remy and Andrew Heaton. Browse Reason’s newsletters: Reason Roundup by Liz Wolfe, The Rattler by J.D. Tuccille, Free Media by Robby Soave, and more. Play Reason’s weekly crossword plus special puzzles when magazine issues publish online. Subscribe to Reason Plus for exclusive early access to new issues of Reason magazine on your phone, tablet, or computer. To join, visit reason.com/subscribe on any browser.

About

The Free Press

Access investigative journalism, provocative commentary, and in-depth analysis. Read articles, listen to podcasts, and watch video investigations. Stay informed with personalized notifications on topics and contributors you care about.

Highlights
  • Investigative stories and commentary
  • Listen to articles and podcasts
  • Watch video investigations and livestreams
  • Browse topics and columnists
  • Personalized notifications
  • Connect with the community
Currently charting
Read full description

We publish investigative stories and provocative commentary about the world as it actually is—with the quality once expected from the legacy press, and the fearlessness of the new. For us, curiosity isn’t a liability. It’s a necessity. Read, watch, and listen to our journalism, and connect with the Free Press community using our app. Features: Read what matters: We publish stories and commentary about the world as it actually is. Listen to the latest: Listen to articles and podcasts including Honestly with Bari Weiss, Breaking History with Eli Lake, and more. Watch smarter: Watch our latest video investigations, livestreams, and more. Go deeper: Browse our topics and columnists, and find out about our next event. Follow the story: Get notifications on the subjects and contributors that matter most to you. Terms of Use: https://substack.com/tos

Screenshots

Reason4 screens
The Free Press4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Reason at none against The Free Press's 3. Reason also leads on review sentiment (100% vs 83%). The Free Press's advantage is ratings volume (15K vs 398) and update cadence (monthly vs every 3 months). On price, rating, ads and chart position there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. The Free Press sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $11.99 per month. Reason asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.9 for Reason against 4.9 for The Free Press. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: The Free Press has 15K ratings behind it against 398, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 100% of Reason's written reviews are positive against 83% of The Free Press's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Reason ships an update every 3 months, The Free Press monthly. The most recent releases landed on November 8, 2026 and November 9, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 6 level
Reason versus The Free Press: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterReasonThe Free Press
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.9 (398 ratings)4.9 (15K ratings) — better
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews — better82.9% of reviews
Number of ratings39815K — better
Update frequencyEvery 3 monthsMonthly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree — betterFree with in-app purchases
Best chart rank#171#75 — better
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS17.017.0
Further details — not scored
Size28 MB32 MB
Age rating17+12+
DeveloperReasonRunaway Media Inc.

Customer experience

Reason

All ratings385 ratings
Positive97.7%
Neutral1.8%
Negative0.5%
Written reviews6 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

The Free Press

All ratings14,721 ratings
Positive97.6%
Neutral1.1%
Negative1.2%
Written reviews234 reviews
Positive82.9%
Neutral4.3%
Negative12.8%

Bugs and requests

Reason

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

The Free Press

Reported bugs

2 issues
  • Sign-in not working
  • Inability to access paid content despite subscription

Requested features

2 requests
  • Dark mode option
  • Improved sign-in and subscription management

In-app purchases

None

Reason

No in-app purchases

3 purchases

The Free Press

Subscriptions3
  • Monthly Subscription$11.991 Month
  • Annual Subscription$119.991 Year
  • Premium Subscription$359.991 Year

Questions

Is Reason free?
Reason is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is The Free Press free?
The Free Press is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Reason or The Free Press?
The Free Press is rated higher. Reason averages 4.9 out of 5 from 398 ratings, while The Free Press averages 4.9 from 15K ratings.
Do Reason or The Free Press have ads?
Neither Reason nor The Free Press shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Reason or The Free Press?
Reason ships an update every 3 months, and The Free Press monthly. Most recently, Reason was updated on November 8, 2026 and The Free Press on November 9, 2026.
Which is more popular, Reason or The Free Press?
Reason currently peaks at #171 in the App Store charts, and The Free Press at #75. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

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