# Cyclone Insider vs ISU Cyclones

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: ISU Cyclones at none against Cyclone Insider's 4. ISU Cyclones also leads on ads (none vs shown). Cyclone Insider's advantage is review sentiment (64% vs 35%) and rating (4.7 vs 4.3). On price, ratings volume, update cadence and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Cyclone Insider sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month. ISU Cyclones asks for nothing beyond the download.

Cyclone Insider holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.3. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 1.1K and 386 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 64% of Cyclone Insider's written reviews are positive against 35% of ISU Cyclones's.

Cyclone Insider ships an update monthly, ISU Cyclones every 5 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 29, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Cyclone Insider | ISU Cyclones |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (1.1K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cyclone-insider/id908832878/reviews)** | [4.3 (386 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/isu-cyclones/id1148751660/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **1.1K** | 386 |
| Positive reviews | **63.6% of reviews** | 35.4% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Monthly** | Every 5 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 186 MB | 271 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.6 | **17.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [USA TODAY Co., Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/404843797) | [SIDEARM Sports](https://appshunter.io/developer/329195539) |

## What reviewers say

### Cyclone Insider

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cyclone-insider/id908832878)

Stay updated with Iowa State Cyclones news, scores, and analysis. Access exclusive content, live game coverage, photos, and videos from a trusted local source. Manage your subscription easily through your device settings.

**Highlights:** Latest news and headlines, Live game coverage, Exclusive commentary and analysis, Award-winning photos and videos, Scores, stats, and rosters, Tweet integration

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 1 Month of App Access | $3.99 | per month |
| Cyclone Insider | $9.99 | per month |
| 1 Year of App Access | $35.99 | per year |
| 1 Month of App Access | $39.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Great app for ISU sports info
- 💡 Provides inside information on Cyclones
- 🚀 Excellent reporting and coverage

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 App not working/loading issues
- 🔒 Articles now behind paywall
- 💡 Could be updated more frequently

**Reported bugs**

- App not working on iPad
- Loading errors on various devices

**Requested features**

- Restore play-by-play updates
- Make all articles accessible without subscription


### ISU Cyclones

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/isu-cyclones/id1148751660)

Stay connected with Iowa State University athletics. Access exclusive video content, engage with interactive social media, and get real-time scores and stats for all games. Receive custom alerts for important Gameday information.

**Highlights:** Exclusive video content, Interactive social media integration, Live scores and stats, Play-by-play information, Custom Gameday notifications

**Features:** Apple Wallet, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 📱 Comprehensive coverage of all ISU athletics
- 🎥 Ability to watch games and coaches' shows on-demand
- 📍 Reliable schedule updates and event notifications
- 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Great resource for out-of-state fans and families
- 📊 In-depth articles and stats on student athletes

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent app crashes and loading failures
- 🎬 Video streaming unreliable and slow
- 🔋 Excessive battery drain in background
- 📺 Screen rotation functionality broken
- 📰 Outdated event information and late postings

**Reported bugs**

- App won't launch or crashes on startup
- Video playback stuck on loading spinner
- Screen rotation disabled after updates
- Login keyboard blocks submit button
- Streaming stops randomly and restarts from beginning

**Requested features**

- Chromecast support for streaming to TV
- Ability to skip to specific times in radio broadcasts
- Search functionality by sport
- Landscape mode video viewing
- Access to archived/on-demand games library


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Cyclone Insider free?

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

### Is ISU Cyclones free?

ISU Cyclones is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Cyclone Insider or ISU Cyclones?

Cyclone Insider is rated higher. Cyclone Insider averages 4.7 out of 5 from 1.1K ratings, while ISU Cyclones averages 4.3 from 386 ratings.

### Do Cyclone Insider or ISU Cyclones have ads?

Cyclone Insider shows ads; ISU Cyclones does not.

### Which is updated more often, Cyclone Insider or ISU Cyclones?

Cyclone Insider ships an update monthly, and ISU Cyclones every 5 weeks. Most recently, Cyclone Insider was updated on October 29, 2026 and ISU Cyclones on October 24, 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.*