# PCN Select vs Observer

The clearest difference is rating: Observer at 4.1 against PCN Select's 2.1. Observer also leads on ratings volume (473 vs 48). PCN Select's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and monetization model (free vs ad-supported). On price, review sentiment, update cadence and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Observer holds the better App Store score, 4.1 against 2.1. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Observer has 473 ratings behind it against 48, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 13% of PCN Select's written reviews are positive against 12% of Observer's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

PCN Select ships an update every 2 months, Observer every 4 months. The most recent releases landed on October 16, 2026 and October 15, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | PCN Select | Observer |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [2.1 (48 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pcn-select/id703135744/reviews) | **[4.1 (473 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/observer-reporter/id1174048954/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 48 | **473** |
| Positive reviews | **13.3% of reviews** | 11.5% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 months** | Every 4 months |
| Monetization | **Free** | Ad-supported |
| Size | 76 MB | 75 MB |
| Requires iOS | 13.0 | 13.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Pennsylvania Educational Communications Systems](https://appshunter.io/developer/991783758) | [Observer Publishing Company](https://appshunter.io/developer/888430805) |

## What reviewers say

### PCN Select

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pcn-select/id703135744)

Access Pennsylvania's non-profit television network for unbiased politics, policy, history, culture, and sports programming. Stream live TV, watch on-demand videos, and explore a multi-week schedule with predictive search.

**Highlights:** Multiple Live TV Streams, Video On Demand, Multi-week Schedule, Predictive Search, Politics & Policy Programs, History & Culture Programs, Sports Programs

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### Observer

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/observer-reporter/id1174048954)

Access daily news for Washington County, Greene County, and the Mon Valley in southwestern Pennsylvania. This app delivers localized news content directly to your mobile device.

**Highlights:** Daily newspaper coverage, Washington County news, Greene County news, Mon Valley news, Southwestern PA news, Mobile access

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is PCN Select free?

PCN Select is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Observer free?

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

### Which has better reviews, PCN Select or Observer?

Observer is rated higher. PCN Select averages 2.1 out of 5 from 48 ratings, while Observer averages 4.1 from 473 ratings.

### Do PCN Select or Observer have ads?

Observer shows ads; PCN Select does not.

### Which is updated more often, PCN Select or Observer?

PCN Select ships an update every 2 months, and Observer every 4 months. Most recently, PCN Select was updated on October 16, 2026 and Observer on October 15, 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.*