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Free vs Paid Daily News Apps of 2022
There's a lot going on in the world and a news app can help you keep up with it all. But do you need to pay for one? We tested the major apps to find out.

Table of Contents
Best overall news app
This cable news channel has a well-designed app to help you keep up with the news of the day.
Why we chose CNN:
- This free app is the best app for a single news source we tested.
- On the app, you can read articles, watch video clips, or listen to audio (and watch live TV if you subscribe to cable providers), so you can pick your favorite way to consume news.
- Clear layout allows you to quickly get the headlines, and click through for deeper analysis on stories you want to know more about. This makes the app both efficient and detailed.
- While it obviously only has CNN content, the network has so much coverage that you can stay fully informed without going elsewhere.
Best aggregator app
If you're looking for a free app that curates the most important stories from a wide array of sources, check out the Google News app.
Why we chose Google News:
- This free app was our favorite news aggregator of them all.
- When you open the app, the major stories of the day are shown, giving you the highlights quickly. You can browse through or click on a story for more information from a variety of different news sources
- Select your favorite publications and topics to create a curated news stream. If this includes sources that you subscribe to, you can log in to read in the app
- Easy to browse. The app offers lots of information displayed cleanly
- Newsstand allows you to browse tons of different news sources and topics
Best value subscription app
While most subscription news sources have high-quality apps, the Washington Post's was the best of those we tested for more serious newsreaders.
Why we chose Washington Post:
- App is technically free, but in order to access more than 7 articles a month, you need a $9.99/month Washington Post subscription (Although pandemic coverage is free)
- Access all the Post’s news and analysis from a beautifully laid out and easy-to-navigate app. The white-on-black font display is easy on the eyes
- In addition to the typical mobile scrolling format, the app lets you look at the print edition. Although the print is too small to read this way (at least on a phone), you can tap in to go to each article This reproduces the traditional news reading experience (and makes it feel like the news has an end, rather than constantly refreshing all day long.)
- Easy to bookmark stories to read later, so you can browse through quickly and note what you want to read more carefully when you have time.
Best local news
If you want to make sure your news diet includes sources close to home, check out the aggregator app News Break.
Why we chose News Break:
- News Break is a free app that is focused on local news, so it’s a great app for staying up to date on what’s happening in your town and state
- Complements its local coverage with classifieds, so you can find local deals
- The app also displays major news headlines, and allows you to create a feed of your favorite news sources, so you can get all your news in one place
- Lots of ads and annoying notifications are some snags with this app, so best to turn them off and tune them out
Best for: getting news from around the world -- including your own backyard.
Read News Break's Full ReviewBest audio content
The NPR app allows you to enjoy national public radio audio content right from your phone. If you prefer to read, there's plenty of print articles on the app as well.
Why we chose NPR:
- This free app allows you to read or listen to NPR stories, listen to your local station live, and access NPR podcasts.
- Simple, minimal layout is easy to use and not overwhelming
- Allows you to create playlists of stories you want to hear, so you can create your own personal feed to listen to when you want to
- App features lots of arts and culture content, for people who want to keep up with new art, music, books, and movies
- Of all the apps tested, this one probably has the least content, but NPR listeners should definitely download
Everything We Recommend
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Our PickCNN has correspondents and bureaus reporting from across the world to keep you updated and informed on what matters most.
Never miss a breaking news story or important update again. Personalize your experience and choose the news you want by category: Politics, Business, Health, Entertainment and more. Get the news you want, the way you want.
Stay informed with CNN:
• Get daily news, in-depth reporting, expert commentary and more.
• Read articles and save them for later.
• Set custom alerts and notifications for news updates.
• Listen to CNN Live audio.
• Watch exclusive news programs from the anchors you trust.
• U.S. and Canada: Watch CNN, CNNi and HLN live coverage with your TV provider.
• U.S. and Canada: Watch CNN Original Series and Films on-demand with your TV provider.
Enjoy a 10-minute preview of live CNN coverage each day. Log in with your TV provider for unlimited viewing.
Data rates may apply.
CNN Privacy Policy: https://www.cnn.com/privacy
For California residents only, manage sharing your data at: https://www.warnermediaprivacy.com/do-not-sellCostFreeFreeIn-App Purchases$5.99 - $59.99 per itemNo -
Runner UpGoogle News is a personalized news aggregator that organizes and highlights what’s happening in the world so you can discover more about the stories that matter to you.
With Google News, you’ll find:
YOUR BRIEFING: It can be nearly impossible to keep up with every story you care about, Your Briefing makes it easy to stay in the know about what’s important and relevant in your world. It updates throughout the day to bring you the top local, national, and world headlines, plus personalized news tailored to your interests.
LOCAL NEWS: Explore your community through stories and articles from news outlets in your local area. Customize and choose multiple locations so you can know what’s happening near you or wherever home is.
FULL COVERAGE: Dive deeper into a story with multiple perspectives. The Full Coverage feature organizes everything online about a story, surfacing and highlighting coverage from different outlets and mediums. With just a tap, you’ll uncover how the story is unfolding and how everyone is reporting on it.
STORIES FOR YOU: The For You section delivers personalized news related to your interests. Take control and customize the articles you see by following the topics and sources you care about.
ACCESS FROM ANY DEVICE: Google News is designed to meet the needs of users with different phones and levels of connection. When your connection isn’t strong or you need to save data, Google News will continue to work smoothly by slimming down the size of images and downloading less data. Articles can be downloaded over Wi-Fi to save for later when you are offline.
Do you prefer to access your news on your Laptop or Desktop? Pair the Google News mobile app with our Desktop website, news.google.com, so you can stay up to date and access the news no matter what device you’re on.CostFreeFreeIn-App PurchasesNoNo -
Also Groovy
Washington Post
4.8 Ratings 581K+ Reviews 1M+ DownloadsGet award-winning global reporting from The Washington Post. The app is free to download and keeps you informed with expert coverage from Post journalists.
PRODUCT FEATURES
• Stay informed with the 24/7 feed of today’s news.
• Wake up with The 7, a better morning briefing on the day’s most important and interesting stories.
• Customize your alerts to be the first to know when news is breaking.
• Catch up with today’s stories by listening to original podcasts and audio articles.
• Discover something new in My Post, a curated feed with recommendations just for you.
• Dive deeper into Post journalism with innovative graphics, video, and augmented reality exclusives.CostFreeFreeIn-App Purchases$9.99 - $149.99 per item$5.99 - $149.99 per itemGet daily news alerts & updates on current events sent straight to your phone, because a small news reader makes a big difference to communities! Keep up to date with news that impacts you & your community! Read trending headlines on live local news updates, international news, weather alerts, & more!
Small news makes a big difference! NewsBreak is your #1 local news app for current events, free live news, local weather alerts for your community. Download today to stay up to date on all things local!
Local news is different from national US news, trending headlines or global news. NewsBreak believes that local news helps bring neighborhoods together around the unique stories they share in common. Only local, small news has the unique ability to meaningfully inform the decisions we make throughout the day.
Are there any weather alerts or winter storm updates for my area? What about traffic updates? What important events are happening nearby? Stay updated with a crime map for the neighborhood & check for local weather alerts. Join NewsBreak’s growing local news community & see why over 45M people across the United States have helped make us the nation’s #1 local news app!
Remember - we don’t just do small news! Local breaking news, sports news, trending national & international news – NewsBreak’s got it all. Get everything from sports updates to national news headlines & live stream news sent straight to your phone while coming together with your neighborhood to share interesting conversations related to local news in your area.
Join the 45M+ locals across the U.S. that trust NewsBreak as their #1 local news app!
NewsBreak Features:
Local News Highlights
• Get local news, traffic, events near by, local weather alerts, news widget, & more in a curated daily briefing
• Live stream news on local channels: follow local news, events, newspapers, & activities
• Get local weather reports & traffic updates at a glance
Breaking News, National & Local
• Both small news & breaking news, stay up to date with our current news coverage
• Daily news aggregated right onto your device
• Browse national news headlines & read comprehensive, in-depth stories
• Use the discovery engine to discover stories from over 10,000 trusted sources
Personalized News Feed
• Get the stories that matter to you with a highly personalized feed, relevant to your likes & dislikes
• Get coverage on the tv news that matters most to you, including sports news, business news, tech news, health news, real estate news, science news, finance news, celebrity news, market news, & more!
• Keep up with the latest coverage of headline news & events, nationally & locally!
• Our news aggregator collects & delivers the news that matters to you
• Get news alerts customized to your tastes to make NewsBreak your personalized news reader
Your Community News
• Find local eats, small news updates, traffic alerts, deals, local shopping, & more ahead of time
• Read personal & vivid stories from our local news writers & content creators
• Treat us as your personal newsstand, magazine collector, news picker, blog reader, restaurant reviewer, & more
• Stay updated with daily life, events near you, & neighborhood crime with the local safety map
Create Civic Value - Support the Cause
• Use NewsBreak to revive the local news maker ecosystem & support small US news publishers
• Increase local story volume & geographic coverage to stimulate local storytelling & community power
Follow or Block the Trend - It’s Up to You
• It’s totally cool to stay on top of some topics, or totally hate them!
• NewsBreak allows you to follow what is trending, or completely block some topics you don’t appreciate
• You can laugh, share, think, cry, upvote, downvote, comment, reply...
• NewsBreak is a free ground that welcomes you to express emotions & opinions
Download NewsBreak today to stay informed on local news, national headlines, & world news!
Better informed, better life.CostFreeFreeIn-App PurchasesNoNo- Read, listen, or create a playlist of your favorite NPR stories and share with friends.
- Hear live streams from hundreds of NPR stations: search by location (GPS) or zip code / call letters
- Listen to programs like Morning Edition, All Things Considered, Talk of the Nation, Fresh Air, and Wait, Wait…Don’t Tell Me More
*Data Protection Choices*
At NPR, we understand how important privacy is to you, and we are committed to transparency about how we collect, use and share your information. Please take a moment to read our privacy policy: https://n.pr/privacypolicy.
By downloading this app:
*You agree to NPR's terms of use, available at https://n.pr/termsofuse.
*You acknowledge that NPR may process your personal data as described in NPR's privacy policy, available at https://n.pr/privacypolicy.
*You agree that NPR uses devices identifiers, tracking technologies, and information about the device you use to access NPR's apps to enhance your viewing, listening, and user experience, personalize content, personalize messages from NPR's sponsors, provide social media features, and analyze NPR's traffic. This information is shared with social media services, sponsorship, analytics, and other third-party service providers. See details in NPR's privacy policy.CostFreeFreeIn-App PurchasesNoNo
The 411 from our Appventurer
How we tested?
Here at AppGrooves, we generally try to test all the major apps in a category, but there are so many news apps that for this one, we tried to collect a wide range of different apps, but please be aware there is a lot more out there. For testing, we chose some free apps, some with paid subscriptions, some single-source apps, and some aggregators. We were trying to answer two questions: what are the best apps? And do you need to pay for them?
In determining which apps were best, I considered how much content was offered, how well it was laid out, how easy the app was to browse, whether you could personalize the content, if video or audio options were available, and how much advertising there was.
I selected a single-source app as the number one because it shined in all those categories, but the choice between a single-source and aggregator app is quite personal -- those who have a particular source they like and trust may want to stick to that rather than wade through many different options, while others may prefer to get a range of takes on a given subject.
The "freemium" model isn't very prevalent in news apps (although one app we tested has a premium version that is ad-free and allows you to access an audio version of news stories but otherwise has the same content). For the most part, publications use a subscription model, where you can read a certain number of articles for free each month, and after that, have to pay to access the content. So the question is not so much whether or not you need extra features as how many articles from a news source you want to read.
One final note: I evaluated these apps as apps, not on the quality of their content. If there is a particular news source that you like best, you will probably prefer that app, regardless of the app's overall quality.
Why get the app?
If you’re one of those balanced and healthy people who checks the news once a day from their laptop, finds out what’s going on, and then moves on with their life, don’t download any of these apps. You’re doing great. (Teach me your ways!)
For those of us who are refreshing ten different browser tabs on our phone for different news sites all day long, these apps save time and make the news junkie life a little easier. Having an app dedicated to presenting the most important stories in one place saves you from visiting multiple sites. And most apps allow you to set up notifications so you know when something important happens without checking all the time. Free or paid, news apps are a great value.
More About CNN: Our Pick
As a 24-hour news network, CNN has tons of news content, both breaking news, and analysis. The CNN app brings that wealth of information to your phone or tablet. In terms of both breadth of content and user-friendliness, the CNN app was the best of all apps tested.
The app opens on a feed for top news, which presents the major headlines of the day with links to click for further information. Generally, each topic is followed by several different articles and video clips, so you can delve into stories that interest you.
A menu of categories (akin to the sections of a traditional newspaper) lets you quickly access what is most important to you. You can browse through the following offerings: world, politics, business, health, style, travel, sports, entertainment, and opinion. While these sections have a lot of in-depth information, you can see what CNN prioritizes -entertainment and style, for instance, do not have as much content as politics and business.
Whether you like to read, watch, or listen to your news, the CNN app has options for you. The app features short video clips, articles, and even live audio. If you subscribe to select cable providers, you can also watch CNN live right through the app. You can also view the app over your television if you have a Roku. This lets you watch video clips from the app on a bigger screen, and for cord-cutters who don't have cable, it might be a good substitute for cable news.
I like to scan headlines in the morning and then read more later on, and the CNN app makes that easy to do so. When you bookmark articles, they are automatically stored in an easy-to-access icon on the bottom of the screen. The bookmark function saves time because you only have to browse once.
CNN's alert functionality is also a time saver. You can customize alerts to notify you when there is new content in topics you want to follow. You can receive updates on US politics, 2020 elections, race and inequality, coronavirus, and many more. With this feature, you can stay up-to-date without checking the app frequently.
Whether you're a cable news watcher or just want a high-quality news source to read on your phone, the CNN app is a great choice.
Snags but not drags:
While the CNN app features tons of content and will definitely keep you up to date on breaking news, it is just one source, and many people like to diversify their news a bit more. They are also very focused on "hard" news -- if you want to follow entertainment, arts and culture, and other "soft" news topics, you may want to add another app to your news diet.
While CNN's multimedia features are high quality (CNN is, of course, a TV network first), both video and audio content has a lot of ads. For a quick video clip, watching an ad seems like a waste of time. That said, most people are used to ads before video content these days, so it may not feel particularly burdensome.
More About Google News: Runner Up
If you prefer to use an aggregator app to get news from a variety of different sources, Google News is a great choice. Aggregators offer an efficient reading experience by letting you access all your favorite news sources in one place. Google News features curated news from over 50,000 sources across the internet, and also lets you customize feeds with sources and topics of your choice.
One time-saving feature of the app is the headline tab, which displays the most important stories of the day with a few sentences of explanation and links to several articles on the subject. With this feature, you can get a quick sense of what’s going on in the world, and then dig in to what you want to learn more about when you have time. Although it consists of multiple sources, the headline view really feels like reading a newspaper.
If you have favorite publications/websites or topics that you want to follow, you can set up a personalized feed in Google News to get it all in one place. Using the “following” button on the bottom of the screen, you can add topics, sources, and locations to your feed so you don’t miss anything. And you can discover new favorites as well. In the Newsstand section of the app, you can browse publications to find and follow new sources.
The news sources in Google News are a combination of free and paid, so while you can see headlines from the New York Times and other paywalled sources, you will only be able to read as many free articles as the publication allows. However, there are often similar stories from other sources. And if you do subscribe to a publication, you can access it within the Google News app by entering your password. Following a paywalled publication on the app is also a good way to find out if you want to subscribe -- if you consistently want to read past your monthly allotment, it might be time to subscribe.
The Google News app is well-designed, presenting a lot of information in a clear and navigable way. It is easier to browse than to search, so it's better for getting an overview of all that's going on in the world than digging deep on a specific topic, although there is plenty of substantive content available on the app.
More About The Washington Post: Also Groovy
While it’s certainly possible to stay informed without paying for news, many of the oldest and most trusted newspapers keep their digital versions behind a paywall. These publications often have some of the most in-depth reporting and analysis available, as well as extensive culture sections. If you tend to burn through the free articles these sources offer each month; you may want to subscribe.
If you subscribe to the Washington Post for $9.99 per month, you can enjoy the paper on one of the best looking and user-friendly news apps out there. That rate is for the monthly all-access digital subscription, which includes unlimited web and app access. At $100, the annual subscription offers a better rate but gives you less flexibility if you find you don't read or like the content as much as you expected.
There is also a premium digital subscription ($15/month or $150/year). In addition to the web and app access, this package comes with a bonus subscription and 30-day passes to share with friends, as well as some ebooks by Post reporters. Unless you really want to share the Washington Post with friends, this seems like an unnecessary expense.
The app is laid out intuitively, with top stories scrollable on the main page and sections and topics (i.e., transfer of power, coronavirus, race and reckoning, etc.) easily accessible on a horizontal menu at the top. Breaking stories pop up in red at the top of the screen. I found the white text on the black background easy on the eyes.
As you browse, you can bookmark articles to save. These are accessible from the bottom of the screen. This can save time because you don't have to go searching for something you saw but didn't have time to read. Since so many people browse news sites during spare moments and may not have time to read a long or complicated article, bookmarking things to read later is an efficient way to use those spare moments.
The Post’s notifications were the most customizable and least intrusive of any app I tested. You can sign up for alerts in a variety of categories and are told when you sign up how frequently alerts occur. This made them genuinely useful and can help users save time by notifying them of the most important developments in their areas of interest.
A final feature of the app is one that I initially didn’t understand the use of but came to really appreciate: the print edition view. It’s just what it sounds like — an exact digital replica of the paper that print subscribers receive. All of the articles are available elsewhere on the app, and although you can read the headlines clearly, the text is too small to be a comfortable read on a phone. However, when you click on the articles, you link to the normal digital version.
So what’s the point? I liked it because it made me feel like the news had an end. On the Post app and all the other news apps I tested, you can refresh all day long, waiting for new stories. With the print edition, you can read it “cover to cover,” and then you’re done until the next day. It feels like a time before 24-hour news, and I found that reduced my stress levels. It also saves time if you can really stick to just reading the paper and not taking moments throughout the day to check on constantly updating news site.
More About News Break: Also Groovy
While national and world news is easy to find, many people are just as interested in what's going on close to home. And if you don't live in major cities, it can be difficult to find local news on apps. News Break is an aggregator app that spotlights the local while also featuring national news and other major stories.
The app opens on a "For You" feed that combines local news, major national and world headlines, and updates from any topics and sources you follow (which you can add via a button at the bottom of the screen). Your local news is included in the "For You" stream, but it also has its own tab, so you can look at it on its own.
There are also curated feeds for a variety of topics, including science, entertainment, sports, health, and many more. I personally appreciated the section devoted to animals because I knew I could access cute content as a break from some of the more stressful aspects of headline news.
One unique highlight is the app's collection of local deals. These local classifieds help you save money by spotlighting local deals as well as items for sale in your community. Job hunters will appreciate the local job listings, and there are also postings for local events, so you can keep up with what's going on in your community.
In addition to the many local and national news sources available on the app, News Break also has a creators' program, which features contributions from independent local content creators. Who knows your hometown better than its residents? The creators' program lets your neighbors tell you what’s going on, as well as offering content from various experts in hobbies, entertainment, and other topics.
While News Break is a good source for local news, the app has some issues. There are many ads, which can be irritating when you are trying to access the content. I would also recommend turning off notifications if you use the app. News Break sends more notifications than the other apps I tested, and they also are frequently grisly stories that are tragic but not necessarily newsworthy -- and I prefer not to read about isolated shooting deaths while I'm just trying to do the dishes.
More About NPR News: Also Groovy
The free app for National Public Radio is the most minimalist of all the apps I tested, for better or worse. After spending hours on busier apps, I definitely appreciated the app's simplicity, but it also has less content than most of the others I tested. That can help you streamline your news intake, but some folks may want an app with more robust offerings.
The home screen shows major headlines, with links to complete articles. Because NPR is radio-first, the content is a combination of articles and audio content accompanied by a transcript or article. While audio is certainly a priority, the articles on the app are clearly written, deeply reported, and often contain information not in the accompanying audio.
For more in-depth information, the topics tab sorts news and culture content into sections. Go deep on news topics like politics, business, science, and education, and browse the app's rich collection of arts and culture reporting. You can get the latest news on books, movies, pop culture, food, and other topics, as well as browsing NPR's many music-oriented shows.
I especially appreciated NPR's playlist functionality. You can add audio clips to a playlist and listen to all your content at once. I don't really like to listen to short clips and would rather hear everything at once (probably while folding laundry), so the playlist option fits really well into my life.
For my podcast-and-laundry friends out there, the playlist is not all this app has to offer. You can also play NPR shows and podcasts, as well as listen to your local station live. NPR favorites like Fresh Air, All Things Considered, Code Switch, Wait Wait Don't Tell Me, and many more are all available to stream on-demand, both new and past episodes. You can also listen to your local station of live, commercial-free radio. Many areas have multiple stations, so you can find your favorite.
One caveat: I liked this app a lot and will probably continue using it. I thought it was easy to use but still pretty content-rich, and I loved the audio features. However, it was by far the worst-reviewed app on this list, so your mileage may vary. For me, it was a great way to get my NPR.
Other Apps Considered
A beautifully designed aggregator that turns your favorite news sources into a magazine. You can read articles curated by Flipboard’s team and also create your own collections of sources and topics. Browsing is smooth, and the app is easy to use. This nearly made our list, but we preferred google news as an aggregator.
There's a lot to like about this app, but it is organized strangely, with multiple streams of content that are not always sorted by topic. But for people who like the app's unique magazine format and enjoy spending time curating different topics, this free app may become a favorite.
In an earlier era of internet life, RSS feeds were popular tools for following your favorite websites in one place. In the social media age, most RSS readers have gone out of fashion and out of business. But Feedly remains, and with good reason. The clean and simple app lets you track updates on your favorite websites. It also helps you find new sources, with collections of content from various topics.
Feedly is particularly good for following tech, science, and industry news, but you can add any source you want. It doesn’t have any pre-set sources, so when you download it, you have to add any publications/websites you want to follow. For those looking for a quick way to access major headlines right off the bat, this is not the app for you.
Feedly has a free version and a premium upgrade for $16 per month. The premium version lets you access more sources, track Google keyword alerts, and follow Twitter feeds. Probably more than most people need, but there is a free trial if you want to check it out.
A solid app that aggregates tons of news sources and has easy-to-access local news. The basic layout is similar to News Break, with top news, local news, and various categories displayed across the top.
However, it is quite cluttered, with lots of information packed in. It has lots of advertising as well. One nice feature is the social tab, which allows you to follow Twitter feeds in the app. This could be a useful tool for those who get a lot of news over social media.
A free aggregator with a premium version that removes ads and allows you to listen to summaries of news stories or the full articles. The premium version offers a free trial, but only for 24 hours. However, the premium price is on the low end: $1.99 for a month, $4.99 for three months, and $15.99 for a year. Even at that price point, the additional features don't seem worth it.
News360 collects many different news sources and is easy to use. However, compared to some other aggregators on our list, it doesn’t have much to set it apart.
One of the most respected and popular news sources, the New York Times app is worth downloading if you regularly read the paper. The app isn’t quite as user-friendly and feature-rich as the other paid subscription app we tested, so it didn’t make our list. However, it is a solid choice, particularly if you prefer the Times to other news sources. And, with a basic subscription available for $4 per month, it’s a low-cost way to access a large collection of news, reporting, and opinion.
You can read 10 free New York Times articles per month, so if you find yourself going through those quickly and wanting more, it might be worth subscribing, particularly since there are often introductory rates for new subscribers.
Caroline Rothnie
Hard as I try to keep a minimalist phone, I can't stop downloading more apps. In addition to my can't-live-without apps for organization, music and podcasts, fitness, and meditation, I'm constantly trying out new ones. So I love apps, but it's a complicated relationship -- some of my favorites are for keeping me off my phone/internet.
In second grade, I attempted to do a book report on a story I had written myself, so you could say I've always thought of myself as a writer. These days, I write a wide variety of web content with a focus on mental health and productivity. I also write personal essays. I live in Kansas with my husband and two dogs.
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Whether you're a news junkie or just want to keep informed about current events, there are tons of options for news apps. We tested 10, some free and some with paid subscriptions, to see which were the best. For most people, paying for news is not necessary since there is so much high-quality free content out there, but more serious news readers may want to pay for the additional analysis and reporting offered by their publication of choice. We found that CNN was the best single-source news app and Google News was the best aggregator. Read on for our other favorites: