# NM Bluebird vs CT Insider

NM Bluebird and CT Insider both sit at 4.5 stars, but that hides the real split: 88% of NM Bluebird's written reviews are positive against 37% of CT Insider's. NM Bluebird also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 2). CT Insider's advantage is update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 6 months) and ratings volume (4.7K vs 234). On price, rating, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. CT Insider sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $14.99 per month. NM Bluebird asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.5 for NM Bluebird against 4.6 for CT Insider. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: CT Insider has 4.7K ratings behind it against 234, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 88% of NM Bluebird's written reviews are positive against 37% of CT Insider's.

NM Bluebird ships an update every 6 months, CT Insider every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 27, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | NM Bluebird | CT Insider |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.5 (234 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nm-bluebird/id873112729/reviews) | **[4.6 (4.7K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ct-insider/id1518822730/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 234 | **4.7K** |
| Positive reviews | **88.2% of reviews** | 36.7% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 6 months | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | **Ad-supported** | Subscription |
| Best chart rank | — | **#64** |
| Size | 42 MB | 106 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.1 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Tecnavia](https://appshunter.io/developer/366664051) | [Hearst Newspapers](https://appshunter.io/developer/397018366) |

## What reviewers say

### NM Bluebird

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nm-bluebird/id873112729)

Enhance your reading experience on iOS devices with this app. Navigate publications using intuitive gestures, zoom into pages, or switch to article mode for adjustable text. Access the latest and past editions for online or offline reading.

**Highlights:** iOS multi-gestures navigation, Swipe to browse pages/sections, Tap to zoom page image, Article mode with adjustable font size, Full text search, Online and offline reading, Access to back issues

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 📰 Authentic newspaper reading experience with page-turning interface
- 👍 Intuitive and easy-to-navigate design
- 🔍 Flexible zoom and text sizing options
- 📥 Ability to download editions for offline reading
- ⚡ Quick access to recent editions

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent technical issues and crashes
- 🐛 Page-turning swipe sensitivity too high
- 🐛 Random logout and session interruptions
- 🐛 Occasional blank pages and content rendering failures
- 🐛 Download failures and incomplete loading

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes after recent iOS updates
- Page turning swipe too sensitive causing accidental navigation
- Random logout and authentication failures
- Blank pages and content rendering issues
- Download hangs at 75% completion

**Requested features**

- Add New York Times to app
- Add Financial Times to app
- Add Barron's to app
- Add more newspaper publications
- Full-screen text reading mode


### CT Insider

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ct-insider/id1518822730)

**Currently charting:** #64 Top Grossing · Magazines & Newspapers, #81 Top Grossing · News, #106 Top Free · Magazines & Newspapers (US App Store)

Access statewide Connecticut news, from local communities to statewide sports. Receive customized alerts, read the e-Edition, and enjoy text-to-audio storytelling. Offers puzzles and local guides.

**Highlights:** Connecticut news alerts, Customizable homepage, Sports coverage, e-Edition replica, Text-to-audio stories, Local guides and commentary

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

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| CT Insider Monthly | $14.99 | per month |
| CT Insider Monthly | $14.99 | per month |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Easy to read news
- 👍 Clean interface
- 👍 Brings together local CT news

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 App not working/freezing
- 🐛 Unable to log in/stay logged in
- 🐛 Outdated/missing local news
- 🔍 Poor search/sorting options
- 💰 Expensive subscription

**Reported bugs**

- Notifications don't open articles
- Subscription issues/double billing
- Compatibility problems on Android

**Requested features**

- Add search by keyword
- Allow saving favorite articles
- Enable article commenting
- Improve integration with email/website


## Frequently asked questions

### Is NM Bluebird free?

NM Bluebird is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is CT Insider free?

CT Insider is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, NM Bluebird or CT Insider?

CT Insider is rated higher. NM Bluebird averages 4.5 out of 5 from 234 ratings, while CT Insider averages 4.6 from 4.7K ratings.

### Do NM Bluebird or CT Insider have ads?

Both NM Bluebird and CT Insider show ads.

### Which is updated more often, NM Bluebird or CT Insider?

NM Bluebird ships an update every 6 months, and CT Insider every 3 weeks. Most recently, NM Bluebird was updated on October 24, 2026 and CT Insider on October 27, 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.*