# Belleville News-Democrat \| IL — user reviews > 53 indexed App Store user reviews of Belleville News by The McClatchy Company, rated 4.41/5 from 950 ratings. - Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/belleville-news-democrat-il/id485784497/reviews - App overview in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/belleville-news-democrat-il/id485784497.md - Rating breakdown: 5★ 632 · 4★ 182 · 3★ 71 · 2★ 20 · 1★ 45 ## What do users think of Belleville News? Overall sentiment: negative **Pros** - 🚀 Easy to navigate - 📰 Important news source - 👍 Keeps me up to date on local news **Cons** - 🐛 Constant crashes and freezes - 🔒 Difficult to log in and access content - 💰 Paywall restricts free content - 🤖 Confusing and frustrating UI changes - 📰 Lack of local coverage and high school sports **Commonly reported bugs** - Login issues - Incompatibility with older devices - Repeated crashes and freezes **Most requested features** - Search functionality - Ability to access previous editions - Improved stability and performance ## Newest reviews (15 of 53) ### 3/5 — Version update *2026-03-05, version 10.4.0* The latest version update is required for me to get paper. When I try to install it, it will not install because I don’t have iOS 17.0. My iPad says it has 16.7.14 and is up to date. Requiring this update to continue is a programming blunder that is unacceptable. So, as far as you enhancing my user experience, it is a fail. ### 2/5 — Why do I have to log in every time I read an article? *2021-07-10* I have reloaded the app multiple times and log in everyone I reload and still I have to log in for every article I want to read. I’ll be canceling my subscription until someone fixes this issue. ### 3/5 — App subscription *2021-05-27* Well I subscribed just to stay in the loop of things going on back home in Belleville for me since I moved to the state of Washington. My only issue is the pop up to subscribe for each section I want to read. Being a subscriber why do I have to sign in each time while I’m in the app? Gets a little frustrating and if it continues I probably will dis-continue my subscription. ### 3/5 — Average Left Wing McClachy Run News Paper *2020-05-10* Paper reprints what Democrat politicians tell them. Most news is a day or two old and comes from other McClatchy owned garbage news papers. If you want better quality news, read the St. Louis News Democrat. ### 2/5 — Reviews *2020-05-09* Based on all the reviews I have read, how on earth could there be a 4.4 rating? ### 2/5 — New digital app *2019-11-06* Too hard to navigate when reading ### 2/5 — BND Digital App *2019-11-04* The app makes it hard to sign in, links to sign in don’t work and I have equal difficulty going straight to my account for signing in. Often I could have read the physical paper faster than trying to log in to read. ### 4/5 — Done *2019-10-19* Can’t sign in again. Out of the blue. Can’t read in print version at all. Fine yesterday Not now ### 2/5 — Free app, no free content *2019-08-30* Used to be able to keep up on local stories regularly with only a few articles being restricted to subscribers only. As of last week, cannot read a single article. Disappointing for a free app to have ZERO free content. I’ll get my news elsewhere I guess. ### 3/5 — Comments *2018-06-06* Too many repetitive stories ### 2/5 — This app is horrible *2018-03-06* Never can read the comment section. Freezes all the time on my IPad. The same stuff that is free here is recycled into the print edition I pay for. Even in archives I can never find what I am looking for. ### 1/5 — Huge step Back! *2017-10-18* Not only do you now have to go through many more steps/screens before you can actually read the paper, it doesn’t remember any of the login information. As an ongoing subscriber, I should not have to enter my login credentials every day. Too many extra add panels in ite way of the paper. ### 1/5 — Terrible *2017-08-13, version 6.0.4* I can't find a worse news app. Can't even find the obits ### 3/5 — Not great *2017-05-10, version 6.0.1* As a newcomer to the BND app, I'm finding it hard to maneuver and find what I want. Is there a "search" option that I am just not finding? I'll give this app a few weeks and if I still find it difficult to use I'm deleting it. ### 1/5 — BND *2017-05-04, version 6.0.1* This app is horrible! Prefer the app that was in regular newspaper style. Can no longer go back and read previous editions. Horrible!!!! ## Most critical reviews (10 lowest-rated) ### 1/5 — How can I cancel my subscription? *2026-03-11* My phone is so old that the new version of the BND app won’t install. I cannot find a telephone number to call. Before the new app came out, I tried to cancel my subscription online. No matter what I did, nothing changed. **Developer response:** I’m sorry for the issue you are experiencing. The latest version of The BND app requires iOS 17.1+, so older iPads that can’t upgrade won’t be able to run it. To make sure you can still access the app without interruption, we can provide a tablet device that’s compatible and will work with The BND app right away. If you’d like to proceed, email us at wecare@mcclatchy.com and include: Your full name Mailing address Best phone number (optional, for delivery questions) Once we receive that, we’ll get the replacement tablet arranged and share next steps. Thanks, Customer Care ### 1/5 — Constant changes *2026-03-06* Every time you make a change, I can’t get the paper. You make it harder and harder to read the paper. By the time I figure it out, I’m to aggravated to read it. **Developer response:** Dear valued customer, I’m sorry the latest update has made the app feel unusable—that’s not the experience we want for you. Please reach out to us at customerservice@mcclatchy.com with your contact information as we would like the opportunity to correct. In addition, can you provide us with the following: - Device model, OS version -what exactly happens when you open the app (any errors or crashes) -whether you’ve tried reinstalling it. In the meantime, you can still access your subscription through a web browser while we work on this. We look forward to your feedback. Thanks, Customer Care ### 1/5 — BadApp *2021-02-27* I’ve called repeatedly to discuss the fact they can no longer play the crossword puzzle or any other game with your new beta app. This is a joke! I wish you would just go back to the old app that worked. ### 1/5 — Disappointed reader *2020-02-05* Limiting the numbers of articles I read per month is not a way to grow revenue. Sell more ads if you need to pay the bills and tout the number of readers that will see them. Instead you cut the readers off after 10-20 clicks so the ads never get seen. ### 1/5 — New format *2019-10-02, version 7.3.0* Absolutely horrible ### 1/5 — Stop this subscription BS *2019-09-02* I’ve had this app for YEARS and now every couple weeks I go for days unable to read anything while you nag about getting a subscription. Then it miraculously goes away only to reappear in a week or so. Just stop! ### 1/5 — Done *2019-07-29, version 7.2.3* Done with this terrible “news source”. Death, crime, politics...that’s all you “report.” ### 1/5 — BND stinks *2018-11-18* I can’t believe in this age where we have so many options that you actually think that we would pay to find news on your site and still post ads on the site. Get real! ### 1/5 — Horrible *2018-08-10, version 7.0.1* Horrible app. Nothing works, way too difficult to navigate. ### 1/5 — ADS! *2018-05-13, version 6.2.3* Tried to look at Obituaries five times with the same dumb Facebook ad popping up each time. Don’t bother.. ## Most praised reviews (10 highest-rated) ### 5/5 — New App *2019-11-13* I absolutely detest this new app. EVERY morning I have to battle to load the paper to read it and every morning it fails to load. Go back to the old app ### 5/5 — Review *2019-09-28* It is an important news paper ### 5/5 — A little upset! *2018-09-20* I have had the BND app now for about 2 years. Out of the blue this morning while I was scrolling through and reading the news, the message that was displayed on my screen is that I’ve read all my free stories for the month! I absolutely love this app because it keeps me up to date on news in my area and the nation. But how can I read or enjoy this app when I’m being told this now? ### 5/5 — Lost *2018-08-24* I drop the newspaper when you got rid of Glenn McCoy. Also, do not cover near the high school sports as you used to. It got to the point where I could read the entire newspaper within five minutes. Certainly not worth the cost. I decided just to read a few things online.… I still get the Post-Dispatch. Sad days for BND. ### 5/5 — Terrible Update *2017-05-30, version 6.0.1* Not only is it hard to navigate, it tripled memory app uses. ### 5/5 — Horrible upgrade *2017-04-30, version 6.0.1* Change it back!! You had it right already. ### 5/5 — BND Newspaper *2014-11-28, version 5.8.0* Easy to navigate. ### 5/5 — Frustrating *2012-10-22, version 1.1.17.0* I have persevered through the various changes and updates, but Now there are more opinions posted than news articles. Freezes frequently. Now it will not load at all. Such a shame. Have to delete to avoid more frustration. ### 5/5 — Worth the wait *2012-03-27, version 1.0.9.0* I really like the app. I really like the ease of sharing the stories. Great job! ### 5/5 — Nice App *2012-02-07, version 1.0.9.0* About time, thanks BND!! --- *Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-08-30.*