# MSN vs Brainerd Dispatch

The clearest difference is rating: MSN at 4.6 against Brainerd Dispatch's 3.4. MSN also leads on review sentiment (38% vs 0%) and update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 2 months). Brainerd Dispatch's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1) and ads (none vs shown). On price and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. MSN sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $20.00 per month. Brainerd Dispatch asks for nothing beyond the download.

MSN holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 3.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: MSN has 124K ratings behind it against 5, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 38% of MSN's written reviews are positive against 0% of Brainerd Dispatch's.

MSN ships an update every 2 weeks, Brainerd Dispatch every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 7, 2026 and October 1, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | MSN | Brainerd Dispatch |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.6 (124K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/msn/id945416273/reviews)** | [3.4 (5 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/brainerd-dispatch/id1523288607/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **124K** | 5 |
| Positive reviews | **38.2% of reviews** | 0.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 weeks** | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | Ad-supported | **Free** |
| Best chart rank | **#90** | — |
| Size | 262 MB | 137 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 17+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Microsoft Corporation](https://appshunter.io/developer/298856275) | [Forum Communications Company](https://appshunter.io/developer/476437936) |

## What reviewers say

### MSN

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

**Currently charting:** #90 Top Free · News (US App Store)

Stay informed, productive, and entertained with a personalized feed of news, weather, stock updates, and short videos. Access quality content from trusted publishers and track your favorite stocks with real-time market data.

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Microsoft Copilot Pro | $20.00 | per month |

**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


### Brainerd Dispatch

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/brainerd-dispatch/id1523288607)

Access the full digital edition of your local newspaper on your mobile device. Read articles with adjustable text size, search for topics, and enjoy puzzles and comics.

**Highlights:** Read full newspaper editions, Adjustable text size, Searchable articles, Crossword puzzles and comics, Print and share articles

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is MSN free?

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

### Is Brainerd Dispatch free?

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

### Which has better reviews, MSN or Brainerd Dispatch?

MSN is rated higher. MSN averages 4.6 out of 5 from 124K ratings, while Brainerd Dispatch averages 3.4 from 5 ratings.

### Do MSN or Brainerd Dispatch have ads?

MSN shows ads; Brainerd Dispatch does not.

### Which is updated more often, MSN or Brainerd Dispatch?

MSN ships an update every 2 weeks, and Brainerd Dispatch every 2 months. Most recently, MSN was updated on October 7, 2026 and Brainerd Dispatch on October 1, 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.*