We’re living in a time when everything is becoming fast-paced—including the news. If you want to stay updated on current events, you have to be updated on current news day-in and day-out. News travels fast and becomes outdated just as quickly. Luckily, we’re also living in an age of technology with access to the news right at our fingertips. However, the amount of options we have is downright staggering. It can be hard to choose the best mobile apps not to mention a proper news app with all the features we want too. That’s why in this article, we’re going to help you pick the best news app.
Best News Apps on iOS & Android
1. AP News
Looking for the best news app might mean looking for an app that covers everything. Associated Press (AP) is a news app that gives you all the latest news worldwide. It’s the best news app if you’re looking for something traditional.
They have an entire team of reporters dedicated to giving you all sorts of news. The app covers several such as Sports, Entertainment, Tech, Lifestyle, Business, etc. You’ll find that the app even has an Oddities topic for more quirky news.
Additionally, you can check out photo galleries, videos, and radio news for a change of pace. You can also get customized notifications based on topics you choose to follow. Best of all, you can get AP News mobile regardless of OS. So, if you have both Android and iOS devices, you can still centralize your news source.
2. Apple News
The best apps for the iPhone are arguably the ones that Apple makes itself. If you’re entirely within the Apple ecosystem, then your best news app just might be Apple News. It’s Apple’s pre-installed news app that will give you all the latest and most relevant news.
Apple News gets its content from a variety of news sources. You can even have feeds that are specifically curated by editors. This will give you the latest pieces and headlines from a specialized editor.
If you want something more personal, you also have a tailored news feed. All your selected favorite topics will appear in this feed. Plus, Apple’s algorithm will learn your habits and choices providing you with an even more personalized feed. The more you use it, the more relevant it gets.
If you’re looking for more than just news, Apple offers a $9.99/month subscription for premium content. This includes access to over 300 magazines like Wired, Time, The Wall Street Journal, etc. All your favorite news and magazine content all in one app. However, this app is only available on iOS.
3. BBC News
One criterion for the best news app should be that it’s a trustworthy source of news. The best way to do that is to make sure your news app gets its content from a reliable source. With that said, BBC is a well-known, well-respected news organization with unbiased views.
It’s a dedicated organization that keeps you updated on the latest news. The app gives you the latest news from all over the world at one glance. You’ll also have a curated news section based on your personalization. BBC News even has a live-streaming channel right in the app itself. You’ll be alerted when any urgent news pops up keeping you up-to-date on all the latest stories. On top of all that, it also asks for permission before it uses your data, unlike many other sneaky apps.
It’s available on both Android and iOS so you can easily check it out for yourself.
4. CNN News
Similar to BBC, CNN is a popular and widely known news channel. It was the very first channel that offered cable news 24 hours. Nowadays, since most news channels have migrated to mobile, CNN also has an app. If you’re looking for the best news app, it’s a viable candidate.
Within the app, you’ll find that it’s like a mini version of its website. The news stories are condensed with photos and headlines to catch your eye. There’s a large variety of stories and articles. However, it does mainly focus on users in the United States. If you’re from the U.S., that shouldn’t be a problem.
CNN News also adds many original CNN content unavailable elsewhere. Plus, it uses video as one of its main mediums when it comes to news coverage. If you like watching more than reading, that’s a bonus. Moreover, it’s a better way to get a feel of the context when you’re watching rather than reading.
CNN News is available on both iOS and Android so you won’t have to worry about the platform.
5. Feedly
The best news app doesn’t always have to take from one source. Many apps like Feedly offer some variety by taking its source from many different places.
With Feedly, you can access reader-style content via RSS. That means you can follow their topics plus a whole host of other things. Blogs, social media accounts, keywords, websites, and more are all accessible. All the latest topics and things you follow should all be available here.
The app is free, however, if you want more features there’s a $7/month subscription fee. This allows for features like a better article search and integrations to save content to other services. It also adds automation and inter-app integration through IFTTT, Zapier, and the like.
Feedly is available on both iOS and Android so you shouldn’t have a problem downloading it.
6. Flipboard
One of the more famous apps on the list Flipboard is a well-respected news app. It’s known for being engaging and exciting with a magazine-style user interface. No doubt the best news app should be engaging and easy to use.
Once you’re on Flipboard, you might find yourself constantly flipping through stories. They have an expansive library with hundreds of articles available on the newsreader. It also gives you a host of topics that you can follow. With this, you can have a magazine-style feed that’s both aesthetically pleasing and intellectually engaging. You can even be updated on the latest Star Wars news!
The Flipboard app is available on Android, iOS, Microsoft, and even macOS. Plus, it’s free and comes in 21 different languages.
7. Google News
Google is great at a lot of things — including having its own Google News apps. Google News is a successor to the previously known Google Play Newsstand. It’s smooth and well-made as expected of the widely respected tech giant. Plus, as one might expect, Google pulls its sources from all over the world. Its worldwide data reach can arguably make it the best news app internationally.
Through Google News, you’ll find all your go-to publications and sites. You’re able to subscribe to your favorite sources and even opt for premium subscriptions to other publications.
With the app, you can view the most relevant daily news for a quick read. If you want to go in-depth, you can also view full coverage without any curation. The stories and publications are also downloadable so you can read them later offline.
As with any algorithm-based app, the more you use Google News the better it gets. It’s available on both iOS and Android free for you to check out.
8. Inkl
If you’re looking for premium sources, the best news app apart from Apple News might just be Inkl. Through Inkl, you can access premium content from sources like the Washington Post, Straits Times, The Economist, and more. All for a $15 monthly subscription fee.
With Inkl, you’ll get an interface to follow all your favorite and most relevant topics. There are also related articles with different perspectives to give you a more holistic reading. They even have a good news portion since a lot of the world’s news isn’t exactly happy. Plus, it’s all ad-free!
If you want to dip your toes into paid content, you can also do so with Inkl. They have a prepaid subscription in $10 increments. This means you’ll be able to read articles for 10 cents apiece. It’s a chance to check out paid content without fully subscribing for $15/month.
9. Inoreader
If you like a versatile reading experience, then Inoreader might be the best news app for you. Both its free and paid users have something to gain.
With Inoreader, you’ll be able to customize your feed with many different things. Using the RSS feature, you can get RSS feeds, social media posts, blogs, and more. All your favorite sources all in one place.
Additionally, the app gives you features like saving to different services like Google Drive or Pocket. You can even share the content via different scheduling services. For example, HootSuite or Buffer.
The pro subscription is $50 annually but don’t let that fool you. If you opt to upgrade, you’ll be able to get unlimited feed and topic subscriptions. Plus, you’ll be able to filter your feed or even automate your experience via rule-based automation. Inoreader is available on both iOS and Android.
10. Microsoft News
Some people may consider the best news app as something coming from a recognized brand. Knowing this, Microsoft has stepped into the game with its very own Microsoft News.
Microsoft News gives its readers curated publications that are both topical and personalized. They pull in articles from an expansive list of sources including all your favorites. That includes traditional news channels, newspapers, media sources, and even entertainment magazines and sites. With their easily accessible widgets, all the essential news stories are available right on your main screen.
If you’re a fan of dark mode, Microsoft News also comes with a dark theme for easy viewing. It also offers the option to sync across your account settings and save news stories to read offline.
If you want the app, it’s easily available off the App Store for iOS or the Play Store for Android.
11. News Break: Local And Breaking
Do you fancy reading about topics you’re more interested in over others? How about easily accessing those stories right on your lock screen? If so, the News Break app just might be the best news app for you.
It’s not as well-known as other apps, but News Break is slowly becoming more popular. It curates your feed to highlight the news that you’re more interested in. You can find these under the “For You” and “Following” tabs.
News Break employs a simple interface that’s also pretty interactive. If you try out its “Instant News” mode, you’ll see all the latest news headlines right on your lock screen. This is great if you have a thirst for keeping up-to-date. Moreover, their content can be easily shared through different social media apps. Plus, they have a dark mode.
Unfortunately, this app is still limited in terms of reach so its availability depends on your country. If it’s available in your area, NewsBreak is compatible with both iOS and Android.
12. Pocket
Sometimes, it can be hard to read all the news stories as you find them. It can be tiring to scroll through and overload your brain all the time. The solution could be to save all your favorite ones to read for later. This is precisely the convenience that Pocket offers.
Pocket is the best news app if your goal is to save stories for reading at a later time. Whether it’s a link, news story, article, or other content, you can easily save it for later in Pocket. When you have more time, it’s easy to view all that you’ve saved in a reader-friendly viewing format.
You can save content under many apps, emails, or even browsers. It’ll even sync across all your devices. For added convenience, you can configure your reader view. If that’s not enough for you, Pocket can even read your articles to you!
If you want the best experience, Pocket offers a premium subscription tier. This will make your app ad-free and save your stories to a Permanent Library. It also includes a more powerful search and sorting tools for a cleaner and more organized experience. Pocket is available for both iOS and Android.
13. Reddit
If you’re looking for a unique space to get news, Reddit just might be your go-to. It might sound unusual, but Reddit’s community-based content may be what makes it arguably the best news app. At least, it makes it one of the best.
Many internet-savvy people are on Reddit and as such, major worldwide events will be on Reddit. That’s a guarantee. Almost no major event will go unnoticed by the Reddit community.
Additionally, if you’re interested in topical news, Reddit offers a wide variety of subreddits. That means you can find news and discussions about almost anything. From /r/Android to /r/Movies—most interests people can think of will exist in Reddit. Even the most controversial topics not normally covered by news sites will be there.
The only caveat is you have to filter the content here and there since it’s not a traditional news site. However, you at least get to know what communities think about certain topics. Most popular posts are upvoted and commented upon so you’ll be able to gauge what’s happening.
Apart from its usual quirks, Reddit gives a great overall app experience. Its structure and versatility to give you themes and a night mode all add to the experience. Reddit is available on both iOS and Android.
14. Reuters
If you want a worldwide perspective on news, Reuters might be the best news app for you. It’s well-known that they have 200 different locations and 2,500 reporters. This gives you a wide perspective and variety in terms of news articles. All the grounds will be covered with Reuters since everything you think is news will be on there.
With Reuters, you have the option to check breaking news worldwide or personalized news. It can narrow down all your favorite topics in one feed. Additionally, Reuters can also find location-based stories that may be relevant to your area.
Reuters also offers Editorial highlights for more curated feeds. They even have financial and stock market-related news so you can watch your stocks carefully. Moreover, if you don’t have time to news as it updates, you can save articles to read for later. As a bonus, Reuters also has a night mode to make it easy on your eyes.
Reuters is available on both iOS and Android. No doubt you won’t have a problem using Reuters across all your devices.
15. SmartNews
SmartNews is the best news app if you’re looking for clutter-free reading within one minute. That’s right. The Smart News app will organize all the current news and categorize them. SmartNews gets its content from many different news sites and condenses and organizes them all in one place. Then, they’ll be easily distributed under different categories.
SmartNews also wants to give you the news that you can read in under one minute. To do this, they make a clutter-free interface that makes it easy for you to browse stories. Plus, its algorithm is good and many people find fresh content that piques their interest. However, keep in mind that some of the news it brings up comes from opinion blogs. You’ll have to have a bit of caution as you read. SmartNews is available on both iOS and Android for you to enjoy.
Conclusion
The best news app will vary depending on your preferences. You might prefer good organization and convenience over an extensive library. Alternatively, others may value a wide variety of sources over a clean interface. Whatever the case may be, there will be a news app out there that’s best for you. Each one will have different strengths and weaknesses. It’s all up to you to decide what things to prioritize and to sacrifice.
With that said, you can also opt to download more than one for variety. Hopefully, this list has helped you on your quest for the best news app. Find more email mobile apps to stay organized here.
