# The eCourier vs THE BLADE

The clearest difference is rating: THE BLADE at 4.0 against The eCourier's 3.2. THE BLADE also leads on ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (every 5 weeks vs every 15 months). The eCourier's advantage is review sentiment (50% vs 23%) and iOS requirement (11.0 vs 15.6). On price, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

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

THE BLADE holds the better App Store score, 4.0 against 3.2. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: THE BLADE has 2.1K ratings behind it against 13, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 50% of The eCourier's written reviews are positive against 23% of THE BLADE's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

The eCourier ships an update every 15 months, THE BLADE every 5 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 20, 2026 and October 21, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | The eCourier | THE BLADE |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.2 (13 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-ecourier/id714920240/reviews) | **[4.0 (2.1K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-blade/id1290364358/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 13 | **2.1K** |
| Positive reviews | **50.0% of reviews** | 22.7% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 15 months | **Every 5 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 24 MB | 73 MB |
| Requires iOS | **11.0** | 15.6 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 12+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Findlay Publishing Company](https://appshunter.io/developer/714920243) | [Toledo Blade](https://appshunter.io/developer/1190372458) |

## What reviewers say

### The eCourier

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-ecourier/id714920240)

Access a digital replica of a daily print newspaper, featuring local news, sports, weather, and obituaries. This app is available for iOS devices and is included with a digital membership.

**Highlights:** Digital newspaper replica, Local news coverage, Sports updates, Weather forecasts, Obituaries section, iOS device compatibility

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### THE BLADE

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-blade/id1290364358)

Access trusted, timely, and comprehensive news coverage from the Toledo area's leading source. Stay informed about local news, politics, sports, and entertainment with engaging content from award-winning journalists. Connect with your community through impactful stories and insightful commentary.

**Highlights:** Trusted local news source, Award-winning journalism, Local news and politics, Sports and entertainment coverage, Community connection stories, Future-forward news experience

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Convenient news source
- 👍 Easy to consume news format
- 🚀 Timely news delivery
- 🚀 Useful for local news

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes and freezes
- 🐛 Unreliable article loading
- 🐛 Slow performance
- 🐛 Buggy navigation
- 🐛 Incomplete content

**Reported bugs**

- Sections fail to load
- App freezes and crashes
- Inconsistent performance
- Forced updates with no delay option

**Requested features**

- Ability to adjust text size
- Vertical display option
- Search functionality
- Archiving of past editions
- Improved photo viewing experience


## Frequently asked questions

### Is The eCourier free?

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

### Is THE BLADE free?

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

### Which has better reviews, The eCourier or THE BLADE?

THE BLADE is rated higher. The eCourier averages 3.2 out of 5 from 13 ratings, while THE BLADE averages 4.0 from 2.1K ratings.

### Do The eCourier or THE BLADE have ads?

The eCourier shows ads; THE BLADE does not.

### Which is updated more often, The eCourier or THE BLADE?

The eCourier ships an update every 15 months, and THE BLADE every 5 weeks. Most recently, The eCourier was updated on October 20, 2026 and THE BLADE on October 21, 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.*