Utne Reader vs Democracy Now!
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
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.
- Independent voices
- Cultural zeitgeist focus
- Environmental crisis coverage
- Marginalized communities spotlight
- Political strife analysis
- Art, philosophy, spirituality appreciation
Read full descriptionHide 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.
Democracy Now!
Access award-winning independent news with daily global headlines and in-depth interviews. This app offers content in video, audio, and transcript formats, including web exclusives and a live video stream.
- Daily news headlines
- In-depth interviews
- Web exclusives
- Audio and video on-demand
- Live video stream
Read full descriptionHide full description
Democracy Now! produces a daily, global, independent news hour hosted by award-winning journalists Amy Goodman and Juan González. Our reporting includes breaking daily news headlines and in-depth interviews. All content available in video, audio and transcript format. *Daily News Headlines* 10-minute roundup of global news headlines. *In-Depth Interviews* Conversations with people on the front lines of the world’s most pressing issues. On Democracy Now!, you’ll hear a diversity of voices speaking for themselves, providing a unique and sometimes provocative perspective on global events. *Web Exclusives* Extended interviews and exclusive digital-only content. *Audio & Video On-Demand* All content is available in audio and video formats. *Live Video Stream* Tune in LIVE for the news hour weekdays at 8am ET.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is review sentiment: Democracy Now! at 66% against Utne Reader's 0%. Democracy Now! also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 11) and ads (none vs shown). Utne Reader's advantage is rating (4.9 vs 4.4) and iOS requirement (11.0 vs 13.4). On price and device support 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
Both are free to download. Utne Reader sells 11 in-app purchases, starting at $17.99 per 6 months. Democracy Now! asks for nothing beyond the download.
Utne Reader holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Democracy Now! has 416 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 66% of Democracy Now!'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, Democracy Now! every 6 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 9, 2026 and October 16, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Utne Reader | Democracy Now! |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.9 (16 ratings) — better | 4.4 (416 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 0.0% of reviews | 65.5% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 16 | 416 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | Every 6 weeks — better |
| Ads | Yes | No — better |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 11.0 — better | 13.4 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 48 MB | 30 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | Ogden Publications, Inc. | DEMOCRACY NOW PRODUCTIONS INC |
Customer experience
Utne Reader
Democracy Now!
Bugs and requests
Utne Reader
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
Democracy Now!
Reported bugs
4 issues- Refresh issues on headlines tab
- App not optimized for larger screens
- Occasional audio/video desync
- Crashes when trying to share content
Requested features
5 requests- Push notification support
- Landscape mode support
- Chromecast/AirPlay integration
- Ability to download episodes for offline viewing
- Improved sharing capabilities
In-app purchases
Utne Reader
- 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
- November/December 2013$6.99
- March/April 2014$6.99
- Winter 2014$6.99
Show 6 moreShow fewer
- 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
Democracy Now!
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Utne Reader free?
Is Democracy Now! free?
Which has better reviews, Utne Reader or Democracy Now!?
Do Utne Reader or Democracy Now! have ads?
Which is updated more often, Utne Reader or Democracy Now!?
Other comparisons
