# MSN vs Harbor

The clearest difference is rating: MSN at 4.6 against Harbor's 4.1. MSN also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 2) and ratings volume (125K vs 9). Harbor's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (daily vs every 2 weeks). On price there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Harbor sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month. MSN asks for nothing beyond the download.

MSN holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 4.1. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: MSN has 125K ratings behind it against 9, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 38% of MSN's written reviews are positive against 60% of Harbor's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

MSN ships an update every 2 weeks, Harbor daily. The most recent releases landed on November 14, 2026 and November 3, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | MSN | Harbor |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.6 (125K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/msn/id945416273/reviews)** | [4.1 (9 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/harbor/id1519611102/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **125K** | 9 |
| Positive reviews | 38.1% of reviews | **60.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 2 weeks | **Daily** |
| Monetization | **Ad-supported** | Freemium |
| Best chart rank | **#70** | — |
| Size | 263 MB | 10 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | **13.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac** |
| Age rating | 17+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Microsoft Corporation](https://appshunter.io/developer/298856275) | [Pixel Foundry, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1519611104) |

## What reviewers say

### MSN

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/msn/id945416273)

**Currently charting:** #70 Top Free · News (US App Store)

Stay informed, productive, and entertained with personalized news, real-time weather forecasts, and financial market updates. Enjoy a curated feed of short videos and content from trusted publishers.

**Highlights:** Personalized news feed, Real-time weather forecasts, Financial news and stock tracking, Short video feed, Content from trusted publishers

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Fast and responsive
- 📰 Comprehensive news coverage
- 🌐 Customizable news sources
- 🔍 Useful search functionality
- 🕰️ Timely updates

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes and bugs
- 🔍 Inconsistent search and navigation
- 📢 Excessive ads and sponsored content
- 🤖 Biased or inaccurate news curation
- 🔄 Inability to save reading progress

**Reported bugs**

- Inability to comment on articles
- Inconsistent behavior when clicking back button
- News articles not loading properly
- Personalization settings not saving
- Compatibility issues on older devices

**Requested features**

- Customizable news feed and interests
- Offline reading mode
- Dark mode option
- Improved article sharing capabilities
- Better integration with other Microsoft services


### Harbor

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/harbor/id1519611102)

This app aggregates content from various sources into a unified timeline. It allows users to customize their reading experience with a unique feed rating system and discover new content through a curated directory. An optional subscription unlocks advanced features for power users.

**Highlights:** Unified timeline aggregation, Customizable feed rating system, Curated feed directory, Add feeds by URL, Ad-free and algorithm-free experience, Optional premium subscription

**Features:** Family Sharing

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Harbor Premium Monthly | $0.99 | per month |
| Harbor Premium Yearly | $9.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is MSN free?

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

### Is Harbor free?

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

### Which has better reviews, MSN or Harbor?

MSN is rated higher. MSN averages 4.6 out of 5 from 125K ratings, while Harbor averages 4.1 from 9 ratings.

### Do MSN or Harbor have ads?

MSN shows ads; Harbor does not.

### Which is updated more often, MSN or Harbor?

MSN ships an update every 2 weeks, and Harbor daily. Most recently, MSN was updated on November 14, 2026 and Harbor on November 3, 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.*