# Utne Reader vs Mother Jones

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.

Both are free to download. Utne Reader sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $17.99 per 6 months and Mother Jones sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $13.99 per year. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

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.

Utne Reader ships an update every 3 months, Mother Jones every 4 months. The most recent releases landed on November 3, 2026 and November 2, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Utne Reader | Mother Jones |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.9 (16 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/utne-reader/id735180387/reviews)** | [3.5 (168 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mother-jones/id1116910496/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 16 | **168** |
| Positive reviews | 0.0% of reviews | **20.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 months** | Every 4 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 48 MB | 29 MB |
| Requires iOS | 11.0 | 11.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Ogden Publications, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/450808661) | [Magzter Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/406791755) |

## What reviewers say

### Utne Reader

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/utne-reader/id735180387)

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:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Utne Reader - The best of the alternative press | $17.99 | per 6 months |
| Utne Reader - The best of the alternative press | $35.99 | per year |
| November/December 2013 | $6.99 | one-time |
| March/April 2014 | $6.99 | one-time |
| Winter 2014 | $6.99 | one-time |
| September 2016 Digital | $6.99 | one-time |
| Utne Reader Feed 2 | $6.99 | one-time |
| Utne Reader Feed 3 | $6.99 | one-time |
| Winter 2016 | $9.99 | one-time |
| Winter 2017 | $9.99 | one-time |


### Mother Jones

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mother-jones/id1116910496)

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

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 1 Year Digital Subscription | $13.99 | per year |
| Mother Jones - May/June 2016 | $6.99 | one-time |
| Mother Jones - July/August 2016 | $6.99 | one-time |
| Mother Jones - September/October 2016 | $6.99 | one-time |
| Mother Jones - November - December 2016 | $6.99 | one-time |
| Mother Jones - January - February 2017 | $6.99 | one-time |
| Mother Jones - July - August 2017 | $6.99 | one-time |
| Mother Jones Jan/Feb 2024 | $6.99 | one-time |
| January/February 2025 | $6.99 | one-time |
| Mother Jones Nov/Dec 2024 | $6.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked 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 November 3, 2026 and Mother Jones on November 2, 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.*