Comparison

Utne Reader vs Mother Jones

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

Head to head
About

Utne Reader

This app curates essential stories from independent voices, focusing on environmental issues, marginalized communities, and political events. It also highlights the impact of art, philosophy, and spirituality.

Highlights
  • Independent voices
  • Cultural zeitgeist focus
  • Environmental crisis coverage
  • Marginalized communities spotlight
  • Political strife analysis
  • Art, philosophy, spirituality appreciation
Features
Read full description

Utne Reader assembles the most relevant stories of the day with a focus on independent voices – agents of change working from the trenches of the cultural zeitgeist. We profile the issues that matter most, shining a spotlight on environmental crises, marginalized communities, and political strife. Plus, we make time to appreciate the regenerative power of art, philosophy, and spirituality in all its forms.

About

Mother Jones

Access award-winning investigative journalism on politics, climate, and more. This nonprofit news outlet provides in-depth reporting and storytelling that informs and inspires.

Highlights
  • Award-winning investigative journalism
  • Reporting on politics and climate change
  • In-depth investigations
  • Storytelling that informs and inspires
  • Magazine subscriptions available
Read full description

Mother Jones is a nonprofit news outlet that delivers bold and original award-winning reporting on the urgent issues of our day, from politics and climate change to education and the food we eat. We investigate stories that are in the public and the nation's interest. From revelatory scoops to deep-dive investigations, Mother Jones journalism is storytelling that informs and inspires 9 million monthly readers. We are headquartered in San Francisco and have bureaus in Washington, DC, and New York City. Mother Jones has been nominated for more than 30 National Magazine Awards and has won seven times, including for General Excellence in 2001, 2008, and 2010. In addition, Mother Jones has been recognized repeatedly with top industry honors, including two National Press Club Awards, three Online News Association Awards, and the Society of Professional Journalists Sigma Delta Chi Award two years in a row. Mother Jones has also been named a finalist for eight Data Journalism Awards. Magazine Subscriptions are available for purchase inside this app. One year subscription - $13.99 (automatically renewed until canceled) Your subscription automatically renews unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24-hours before the end of the current period. Your iTunes account will automatically be charged at the same price for renewal within 24-hours prior to the end of the current period unless you change your subscription preferences in your account settings. You can manage your subscriptions through your account settings after purchase on your device. No cancellation of the current subscription is allowed during active subscription period. Please visit http://www.magzter.com/ns/privacy-policy.html for our Privacy Policy and http://www.magzter.com/ns/terms_condition.html for our Terms & Conditions

Screenshots

Utne Reader4 screens
Mother Jones4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Utne Reader at 4.9 against Mother Jones's 3.5. Mother Jones's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and review sentiment (20% vs 0%). On price, update cadence, in-app purchases and monetization model 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. Utne Reader sells 11 in-app purchases, starting at $17.99 per 6 months and Mother Jones sells 36 in-app purchases, starting at $13.99 per year. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Utne Reader holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 3.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Mother Jones has 168 ratings behind it against 16, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 0% of Utne Reader's written reviews are positive against 20% of Mother Jones's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Utne Reader ships an update every 3 months, Mother Jones every 4 months. The most recent releases landed on October 23, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
Utne Reader versus Mother Jones: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterUtne ReaderMother Jones
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.9 (16 ratings) — better3.5 (168 ratings)
Positive reviews0.0% of reviews20.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings16168 — better
Update frequencyEvery 3 months — betterEvery 4 months
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS11.011.0
Further details — not scored
Size48 MB29 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperOgden Publications, Inc.Magzter Inc.

Customer experience

Utne Reader

All ratings16 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive0.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative100.0%

Mother Jones

All ratings167 ratings
Positive62.3%
Neutral3.6%
Negative34.1%
Written reviews45 reviews
Positive20.0%
Neutral6.7%
Negative73.3%

In-app purchases

11 purchases

Utne Reader

Subscriptions2
  • Utne Reader - The best of the alternative press1 Month trial$17.996 Months
  • Utne Reader - The best of the alternative press1 Month trial$35.991 Year
One-time9
  • November/December 2013$6.99
  • March/April 2014$6.99
  • Winter 2014$6.99
Show 6 more
  • September 2016 Digital$6.99
  • Utne Reader Feed 2$6.99
  • Utne Reader Feed 3$6.99
  • Winter 2016$9.99
  • Winter 2017$9.99
  • Summer 2018$9.99
36 purchases

Mother Jones

Subscriptions1
  • 1 Year Digital Subscription7 Days trial$13.991 Year
One-time35
  • Mother Jones - May/June 2016$6.99
  • Mother Jones - July/August 2016$6.99
  • Mother Jones - September/October 2016$6.99
Show 32 more
  • Mother Jones - November - December 2016$6.99
  • Mother Jones - January - February 2017$6.99
  • Mother Jones - March - April 2017$6.99
  • Mother Jones - May - June 2017$6.99
  • Mother Jones - July - August 2017$6.99
  • Nov Dec 2017$6.99
  • Mother Jones Mar Apr 2022$6.99
  • Mother Jones May June 2022$6.99
  • Mother Jones Sep/Oct 2023$6.99
  • Mother Jones Jan/Feb 2024$6.99
  • Mother Jones$6.99
  • Mother Jones - July/August 2026$6.99
  • Mother Jones Nov Dec 2022$6.99
  • Mother Jones - May/June 2026$6.99
  • Mother Jones Nov - Dec 2025$6.99
  • Mother Jones January/February 2026$6.99
  • Mother Jones - March/April 2026$6.99
  • Mother Jones Sept - Oct 2025$6.99
  • Mother Jones July/August 2025$6.99
  • Mother Jones March/April 2025$6.99
  • Mother Jones Jul Aug 2020$6.99
  • January/February 2025$6.99
  • Mother Jones Nov/Dec 2023$6.99
  • Mother Jones Nov/Dec 2024$6.99
  • Mother Jones May Jun 2021$6.99
  • Mother Jones Jul Aug 2021$6.99
  • Mother Jones Sept Oct 2022$6.99
  • Mother Jones Jul/Aug 2023$6.99
  • Mother Jones Sep/Oct 2024$6.99
  • Mother Jones Mar/Apr 2024$6.99
  • Mother Jones May/Jun 2024$6.99
  • Mother Jones July/Aug 2024$6.99

Questions

Is Utne Reader free?
Utne Reader is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Mother Jones free?
Mother Jones is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Utne Reader or Mother Jones?
Utne Reader is rated higher. Utne Reader averages 4.9 out of 5 from 16 ratings, while Mother Jones averages 3.5 from 168 ratings.
Do Utne Reader or Mother Jones have ads?
Utne Reader shows ads; Mother Jones does not.
Which is updated more often, Utne Reader or Mother Jones?
Utne Reader ships an update every 3 months, and Mother Jones every 4 months. Most recently, Utne Reader was updated on October 23, 2026 and Mother Jones on October 24, 2026.

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