# Hawk Central vs Drake Relays

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Drake Relays at none against Hawk Central's 3. Drake Relays also leads on rating (5.0 vs 4.7) and review sentiment (100% vs 80%). Hawk Central's advantage is ratings volume (2.1K vs 4). On price, update cadence, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Hawk Central sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month. Drake Relays asks for nothing beyond the download.

Drake Relays holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Hawk Central has 2.1K ratings behind it against 4, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 80% of Hawk Central's written reviews are positive against 100% of Drake Relays's.

Hawk Central ships an update every 3 weeks, Drake Relays monthly. The most recent releases landed on October 29, 2026 and October 11, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Hawk Central | Drake Relays |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.7 (2.1K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hawk-central/id908833409/reviews) | **[5.0 (4 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/drake-relays/id1451747289/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **2.1K** | 4 |
| Positive reviews | 80.3% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 weeks** | Monthly |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Ad-supported** |
| Size | 186 MB | 125 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.6 | **17.0** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 12+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [USA TODAY Co., Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/404843797) | [Drake University](https://appshunter.io/developer/486642945) |

## What reviewers say

### Hawk Central

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hawk-central/id908833409)

Get comprehensive coverage of the University of Iowa Hawkeyes, including news, scores, opinions, and exclusive analysis. Access award-winning photos and videos from top local sources, all in one convenient app.

**Highlights:** Latest news and headlines, Exclusive commentary and analysis, Award-winning photos and videos, Real-time scores, Opinion pieces

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (2)**

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

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Great information
- 👍 Excellent reporting
- 👍 Thorough Hawkeyes news
- 👍 Balanced, in-depth coverage
- 👍 Timely and accurate information

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Crashes and loading issues
- 🔒 Inconsistent login and access to subscription content
- 💰 Overpriced subscription
- 📉 Declining content quality and quantity

**Reported bugs**

- Frequent crashes and loading errors
- Subscription access issues
- Compatibility problems on older devices

**Requested features**

- Improve sign-in process
- Provide better customer support
- Increase free content access


### Drake Relays

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/drake-relays/id1451747289)

Stay updated with all the action from the Drake Relays. Access event schedules, live results, athlete information, and interactive stadium maps. Receive custom alerts and exclusive offers to enhance your fan experience.

**Highlights:** Event schedule, Live results, Athlete information, Fan guide, Interactive stadium maps, Custom notifications, Special offers

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Hawk Central free?

Hawk Central is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Drake Relays free?

Drake Relays is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Hawk Central or Drake Relays?

Drake Relays is rated higher. Hawk Central averages 4.7 out of 5 from 2.1K ratings, while Drake Relays averages 5.0 from 4 ratings.

### Do Hawk Central or Drake Relays have ads?

Both Hawk Central and Drake Relays show ads.

### Which is updated more often, Hawk Central or Drake Relays?

Hawk Central ships an update every 3 weeks, and Drake Relays monthly. Most recently, Hawk Central was updated on October 29, 2026 and Drake Relays on October 11, 2026.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*