These days, there’s a lot of pressure to know everything happening in the world, from local news to all the big global events. But who has time to trawl the web every evening? Add in a tough day at work, and the chances seem even less unlikely.
Enter the news aggregator app. These apps compile all the most important news from across the globe, so you can see everything that’s happened in the day at a glance.
Let’s take a look at our top picks for the best news apps for iPhones.
best news app for sports fans: apple news
We can’t talk about the best news apps for iPhones without mentioning Apple’s own invention. Apple News keeps a tight ship; the user interface is minimalist and streamlined and the colors are pared down to keep your focus on the news stories.
The personalized feed learns your preferences and compiles daily stories that might interest you. You can customize your feed by choosing which channels and topics to follow or block, so it’s not all down to the algorithm.
There’s also a feed exclusively for sports, so if you want to follow the NBA’s playoff tournament, this might be the app for you.
The free version of Apple News includes plenty of content, but you can unlock more by subscribing to Apple News+. New subscribers get one month of Apple News+ for free, and then pay $12.99 per month to access the top stories from over 400 publications, magazines and newspapers, exclusive daily puzzles, audio stories, Offline Mode, and Family Sharing.
To be clear, the free version still has a lot to offer. You can listen to select news briefings for free, and you can also read the Today Feed, a curated selection of timely news stories from across the globe.
pros
- Gives you news from reputable news sources, including The Atlantic, The Wall Street Journal, and Vanity Fair.
- Has a feed exclusively for sports news, ideal for people who want to follow the news on all sorts of different sports.
- Simple user interface that focuses on the news more than it focuses on flashy graphics.
cons
- It can take some time for the algorithm to learn your preferences.
- You need to subscribe to access Apple News’ full selection of over 400 publications.
If you want to read more on your iPhone but struggle to stay focused, why not try Focus Mode? Focus Mode on iPhones allows you to block notifications and focus on one thing at a time.
best free news app for iphones: google news
Google News ranks as one of the best free news apps for iPhones because it’s easy to use, features a range of news sources, and doesn’t cost a dime.
As soon as you click on the app you’ll see a personalized feed that uses your Google Search history to bring you the most engaging stories. The Follow tab offers even more personalization opportunities. Choose from a list of topics like Business, Technology, and Fashion, and the algorithm will push those sorts of articles onto the For You tab.
Switch to the Newsstand tab and you’ll see all the top stories from different publishers. The publications are segmented by theme, so it’s super easy to find what you’re looking for and even discover new news sources.
Google News doesn’t have a reader view. It links directly to the publication, so some content might require a subscription. Technically, this doesn’t count as a subscription to Google News, but it’s worth mentioning.
pros
- Customizable feed creates a personalized experience.
- The search bar allows you to easily find your favorite publications.
- Fantastic range of publications, including local news sources.
- Free to use!
cons
- Some of the articles might be behind a paywall.
- Unless you’ve already downloaded articles over Wi-Fi, you need an internet connection to access them.
best news app for reading offline: smartnews
Some of us prefer to read the news without being bombarded by clickbaity adverts and notifications. Enter SmartNews, a free app for iOS and Android devices that allows you to save stories to read offline.
You can open multiple tabs to browse through the latest entertainment, lifestyle, and political news, or scroll through the Top section until something piques your interest. Once you’ve read an article, rank it and show your fellow readers how interesting it is.
SmartNews is also a contender for the best free news app for iPhones. That’s right, it’s completely free!
pros
- Read news offline.
- You get access to all the most important local, national, and global news for free.
cons
- No search bar in the app.
- Only some of the news sources are high quality, and you have to scroll through your feed to find them.
- The user interface isn’t as clean as it could be.
best news app for a personalized experience: flipboard
In any other article on the best news apps for iPhones, you might not see Flipboard. But we know our readers love customizing things to make them as personal as possible, and that’s exactly what Flipboard does.
Here’s how it works: you tell Flipboard what sort of news you’re interested in (think general topics like healthcare or entertainment) and/or specific sites that you like, and Flipboard combines everything. Flipboard is set out like a magazine, making it one of the most eye-catching news apps on the market.
To top things off, the user interface allows you to flip pages over, a nice touch that adds authenticity to the experience. If that’s not really your thing, you can go to settings and switch back to scrolling.
This app is free to use but, like Google News, it links to publications that you might need a subscription for. However, Flipboard gives you the creative freedom to really curate your news sources, which is brilliant for times when news can be boring or anxiety-inducing.
pros
- Combine sources from across the web.
- Free to use!
- Read content offline.
- The Daily Edition feature gives you an in-depth look at a trending topic.
- Visually appealing magazine style format.
cons
- Some content will be hidden behind a paywall.
- Sometimes Flipboard fails to weed out repeated news stories, making its coverage of trending topics feel repetitive.
best anti-bias news app for iphone: ground news
If you want to keep your finger on the pulse of breaking news but also want to avoid insidious political bias, Ground News is the news app for you.
Each story has a Media Bias Bar, a visual tool that tells you how news outlets are covering the story. It’s split into three sections: left, center, and right. If the red bar is the biggest, it means that right-leaning news outlets are covering the story the most. At a glance, you can see which stories are receiving balanced coverage across the political spectrum.
Ground News has plenty more fun features. The Blindspotter feed and Blindspot Report newsletter highlight news topics that are largely being reported by only one side of the political spectrum, and the Ground Summary tool uses AI to summarize related news articles using neutral language where possible.
You can even filter news stories by bias, factuality, paywall, or location. Of course, you can access even more bias-busting features when you subscribe. Subscriptions start at $8.33 a month, or $99.99 a year.
Overall, this is one of the best news apps for iPhone users because it’s really comprehensive, easy to use, and has some fun features that I’ve never seen before.
pros
- Identifies bias before it has a chance to influence you.
- Perfect for people who are knee-deep in politics.
- The filter allows you to uncover different types of bias.
cons
- Focuses mainly on politics, so it’s not everyone’s cup of tea.
- There’s no reader view, so you always go directly to the news site.
- You can’t use Ground News without the internet.
bookcase: a better way to read on iphone
So you’ve found the best free news apps for iPhones, and you’ve spent hours scrolling through a personalized feed of breaking news stories. Before long, wrist strain will set in. Introducing Bookcase, the better way to read on iPhone.
Bookcase transforms any smartphone into an ergonomic e-reader by extending the area around the screen. The edges of the case provide grips on both sides of your phone so you can hold it more comfortably and enjoy a clear view of your screen while reading.
Bookcase connects to your iPhone via a MagSafe ring. If you don’t have an iPhone (or have an older iPhone model), don’t worry. We’ve included a MagSafe Compatibility Kit, so you can enjoy hours of reading.
Plus, Bookcase carries an embedded NFC tag for creating user shortcuts. With the companion app, you can tell Bookcase which of your favorite reading apps to open and which phone settings to toggle (Do Not Disturb, Reading Mode, etc.) when your phone is connected. The next time you place your phone into Bookcase, your settings will trigger automatically.
