# Observer & Eccentric vs State News

The clearest difference is review sentiment: State News at 100% against Observer & Eccentric's 38%. State News also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 4) and ads (none vs shown). Observer & Eccentric's advantage is ratings volume (99 vs 3). On price and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Observer & Eccentric sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. State News asks for nothing beyond the download.

State News holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Observer & Eccentric has 99 ratings behind it against 3, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 38% of Observer & Eccentric's written reviews are positive against 100% of State News's.

Observer & Eccentric ships an update monthly, State News fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on October 20, 2026 and October 8, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Observer & Eccentric | State News |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.6 (99 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/observer-and-eccentric/id900203119/reviews) | **[5.0 (3 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/state-news/id6742459771/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **99** | 3 |
| Positive reviews | 38.1% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Monthly | **Fortnightly** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 184 MB | 52 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.6 | **14.0.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [USA TODAY Co., Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/404843797) | [State News](https://appshunter.io/developer/1798523797) |

## What reviewers say

### Observer & Eccentric

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/observer-and-eccentric/id900203119)

Stay informed with local news, in-depth journalism, and engaging multimedia content. Get real-time alerts for breaking news, sports scores, and weather. Customize your reading experience and access content offline.

**Highlights:** In-depth journalism, Local news coverage, Photography and videos, Real-time notifications, Customizable reading experience, Offline reading

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Ad-Free Monthly | $1.99 | per month |
| Monthly Digital Rate | $9.99 | per month |
| O&E Digital Subscription | $16.99 | per month |
| Annual Digital Subscription | $69.99 | per year |


### State News

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/state-news/id6742459771)

Get the latest news and in-depth reporting from Michigan State University and the Lansing area. Stay updated on campus events, sports, arts, and student-led journalism delivered through breaking news and a daily e-newsletter.

**Highlights:** Breaking news alerts, Campus news and investigations, Daily e-newsletter, Opinion and editorial content, Live sports coverage, Arts and entertainment updates, Multimedia content

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Observer & Eccentric free?

Observer & Eccentric is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is State News free?

State News is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Observer & Eccentric or State News?

State News is rated higher. Observer & Eccentric averages 4.6 out of 5 from 99 ratings, while State News averages 5.0 from 3 ratings.

### Do Observer & Eccentric or State News have ads?

Observer & Eccentric shows ads; State News does not.

### Which is updated more often, Observer & Eccentric or State News?

Observer & Eccentric ships an update monthly, and State News fortnightly. Most recently, Observer & Eccentric was updated on October 20, 2026 and State News on October 8, 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.*