# Utne Reader vs Pocket Congress

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Pocket Congress at 67% against Utne Reader's 0%. Pocket Congress also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 11) and ads (none vs shown). Utne Reader's advantage is rating (4.9 vs 4.5) and iOS requirement (11.0 vs 26.0). On price and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Utne Reader sells 11 in-app purchases, starting at $17.99 per 6 months. Pocket Congress asks for nothing beyond the download.

Utne Reader holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.5. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 16 and 75 respectively. Written reviews complicate that: 0% of Utne Reader's written reviews are positive against 67% of Pocket Congress'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, Pocket Congress every 5 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 9, 2026 and October 15, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Utne Reader | Pocket Congress |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.9 (16 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/utne-reader/id735180387/reviews)** | [4.5 (75 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pocket-congress/id6444019265/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 16 | **75** |
| Positive reviews | 0.0% of reviews | **66.7% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | **Every 5 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 48 MB | 23 MB |
| Requires iOS | **11.0** | 26.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Ogden Publications, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/450808661) | [Siddharth Bhatia](https://appshunter.io/developer/1775268961) |

## 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 (11)**

| 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 |
| Summer 2018 | $9.99 | one-time |


### Pocket Congress

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pocket-congress/id6444019265)

Access information about your representatives and Congress with this app. Track bills, view voting records, and search legislative data. Easily find your representative and stay informed about government actions.

**Highlights:** View recent bills, Find your Representative by zip code, See Congress members' votes, Read bill descriptions and vote trends, Call representative offices, Follow bills for updates, Search 30 years of historical bill data

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Utne Reader free?

Utne Reader is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Pocket Congress free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Utne Reader or Pocket Congress?

Utne Reader is rated higher. Utne Reader averages 4.9 out of 5 from 16 ratings, while Pocket Congress averages 4.5 from 75 ratings.

### Do Utne Reader or Pocket Congress have ads?

Utne Reader shows ads; Pocket Congress does not.

### Which is updated more often, Utne Reader or Pocket Congress?

Utne Reader ships an update every 3 months, and Pocket Congress every 5 weeks. Most recently, Utne Reader was updated on October 9, 2026 and Pocket Congress 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.*