# Reason vs The Free Press

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.

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.

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.

Reason ships an update every 3 months, The Free Press monthly. The most recent releases landed on November 8, 2026 and November 10, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Reason | The Free Press |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.9 (398 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/reason/id6480322558/reviews) | **[4.9 (15K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-free-press/id6742335623/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 398 | **15K** |
| Positive reviews | **100.0% of reviews** | 82.9% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | **Monthly** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | #177 | **#81** |
| Size | 28 MB | 32 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | 17.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 17+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Reason](https://appshunter.io/developer/340034132) | [Runaway Media Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1797850726) |

## What reviewers say

### Reason

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/reason/id6480322558)

**Currently charting:** #177 Top Free · Magazines & Newspapers (US App Store)

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:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


### The Free Press

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-free-press/id6742335623)

**Currently charting:** #81 Top Free · News (US App Store)

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

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly Subscription | $11.99 | per month |
| Annual Subscription | $119.99 | per year |
| Premium Subscription | $359.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 User-friendly
- 🚀 Centralized and comprehensive
- 🗣️ Diverse perspectives
- ✍️ High-quality journalism
- 🎨 Clean and intuitive layout

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Sign-in issues
- 🔒 Subscription recognition problems
- 💡 Lack of dark mode

**Reported bugs**

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

**Requested features**

- Dark mode option
- Improved sign-in and subscription management


## Frequently asked 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 10, 2026.

### Which is more popular, Reason or The Free Press?

Reason currently peaks at #177 in the App Store charts, and The Free Press at #81. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

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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.*