# Hourly News — user reviews > 249 indexed App Store user reviews of Hourly News by Urban Apps, rated 4.30/5 from 553 ratings. - Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hourly-news/id493859859/reviews - App overview in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hourly-news/id493859859.md - Rating breakdown: 5★ 397 · 4★ 69 · 3★ 15 · 2★ 17 · 1★ 55 ## What do users think of Hourly News? Overall sentiment: positive **Pros** - ⭐ Dependable and reliable - 🌍 Provides diverse news perspectives - 🕰️ Convenient hourly news updates - 🎧 Easy to use while multitasking - 📚 Helpful for staying informed **Cons** - 🐛 Crashes or stops working - 🔊 Volume issues with certain sources - 🔒 Lack of customization options - 💰 Paid features that were previously free - 🕰️ Spontaneous playback at inconvenient times **Commonly reported bugs** - Crashes on launch or during use - Issues with specific news sources (DW News, BBC, etc.) - Compatibility problems with newer iOS versions - Playback not working when phone is locked **Most requested features** - Add more news sources, especially international - Improve playback controls (skip forward/back, scrubbing) - Implement background playback and lock screen controls - Provide push notifications for news updates - Sync custom sources across devices ## Newest reviews (14 of 249) ### 3/5 — Was excellent, now disappointing *2026-08-21, version 2.0.0* I recognize that the complete rewrite meant they needed to charge more, but I found the requirement of premium for more than two sources to be very frustrating. Audio quality has also gotten fuzzier, especially on NPR. Last week, I would have given this five stars. Today, three. ### 1/5 — This used to be my go-to news app *2026-08-19, version 2.0.0* For nearly 5 years, I used this simple app to listen to multiple news sources daily. It’s now switched to an awful subscription model that makes no sense - given that they are simply linking to others’ FREE content. Sad to uninstall this after many years of a great little app… :( ### 1/5 — Bye Bye! *2026-08-19, version 2.0.0* I’ve used this app for over a decade for free. Now they want $2.49 a month! Nope, not worth that, goodbye. ### 1/5 — Now subscription *2026-08-18, version 2.0.0* I paid for the app when I first got it, and now they are charging a subscription fee. Not worth it. ### 1/5 — Great app ruined by subscription ensh*ttification cash grab *2026-08-18* This app was simple, easy to use, and did what it said on the tin. I’ve used it for over ten years. And yet yesterday, I loaded it up and got hit by a demand to pay £5 monthly (after an initial “discount”) for the same thing I’d been using for all this time (plus a few minor new bells and whistles I didn’t need)! £5/month, nearly as much as major streaming or audiobook services? That’s insanely greedy. Honestly, if you’d asked for £5-£10 a *year* like some other apps do to support development, I would have happily done that. If you’d asked for £0.50-£1 (at an absolute maximum) a month, I would probably have begrudgingly done that. But your ensh*ttification of an incredibly overpriced monthly fee for a simple but previously good app has destroyed ten years of goodwill from me. **Developer response:** There is a 50% discount on monthly and annual subscriptions for long time users like yourself. You can also use the app completely subscription free for up to 2 sources. The subscriptions fund the development of a complete rewrite, since the 10-year old version 1.0 was buggy and needed a lot of work. Whatever you decide, thanks for the years of support on the first version of Hourly News. ### 1/5 — When is an upgrade a downgrade? *2026-08-17* I’ve been using this app for 15 years and it performed very very well and now all of a sudden they came out with a new update that restricts the number of sources you can play. This type of downgrade of functionality for long-term loyal users is a slap in the face and frankly it’s a bad commercial decision because two sources is worthless. So I’ll be deleting this app and after 15 years no longer use it. Unless you’re willing to cough over some money to do what you could do easily in Apple podcast I’d skip this download for now until the developer comes to their senses. **Developer response:** There is a 50% discount on monthly and annual subscriptions for long time users like yourself. You can also use the app completely subscription free for up to 2 sources. The subscriptions fund the development of a complete rewrite, since the 10-year old version 1.0 was buggy and needed a lot of work. Whatever you decide, thanks for the years of support on the first version of Hourly News. ### 1/5 — No longer a great app. *2026-08-17, version 2.0.0* New: News is free but now this app isn’t. Just as easy to tie together news podcasts for free. Started charging when it had started getting glitchy, starting even though app was open, and multiple channels not auto playing like they are supposed to. Time to delete. All good things come to a greedy end. ### 1/5 — A travesty *2026-08-16, version 2.0.0* Thiss app used to work perfectly so the developer decided to fix it. With the latest version I can only do a subset of wha I used to be able to do. Please put it back to the way it was. ### 1/5 — DO NOT UPGRADE *2026-08-16, version 2.0.0* This was a good app for many years. I would have happily tipped or paid a reasonable amount. What he does not tell you is if you upgrade you LOSE functionality like playing more than 2 sources and he demands FIVE dollars a month which is ridiculous for an app of this functionality. If he offered a basic app which included all the functionality from version 1, I’d pay $10 a year. ### 4/5 — After so long, 2.0! *2026-08-15* I have used this app more than any other on my phone. Daily, and for years.
Until this latest update, and overhaul, I worried with each new iOS, and iOS update, that one day it would just stop working, with the app itself not having been updated in so long.
 2.0 is a huge improvement, on so many levels, yet the app remains simple and straightforward. Most importantly, as many in previous reviews have remarked, “It just works!”
But wait, there’s more!… Apple Car Play!? 
With the very modest subscription price, Apple Car Play, and a number of nice features are enabled.
Take my money! ### 1/5 — Ghost plays *2026-06-01, version 1.7.3* I love the app, but it has a life of its own and starts playing outloud even after I’ve force closed. Has now happened to me in several work meetings. ### 1/5 — Random starts *2026-03-07, version 1.7.3* I love this app, but it has started randomly turning on over and over. It also doesn’t show up in the open apps when I swipe up. I have to scroll to the app icon to shut it off. Hate to do it, but I’m going to have to delete it if this continues. ### 3/5 — Please fix ghost starting *2026-02-05, version 1.7.3* Have been using the app for many years using most up to date version on my iPhone 15. The app begins to play frequently on its own even if it is not opened on my phone. My only recourse is to keep phone volume off so it doesn’t start playing in places I would not want my phone to make sound. Ty ### 2/5 — A plunge downward *2025-12-24, version 1.7.3* BBC is gone. CBC now polluted with ads, DWNews now only a brief. 🥵 ## Most critical reviews (10 lowest-rated) ### 1/5 — 🚨 WARNING: Version 2 DISABLES all but 2 news sources. *2026-08-24, version 2.0.0* 🚨 WARNING 🚨 Version 2 moves to a subscription model, disabling features that were free before, and moving these features behind a subscription paywall. Most notably, Hourly News v2 limits you to only 2 news sources. Restoring the ability to play more than 2 news sources requires signing up for a paid subscription at $5 per month. Any previous in-app purchases you may have made — e.g., to add custom news sources — are not honored in the new app, and you will still have to pay a monthly fee to play your custom sources. If you’re looking for an alternative, the app ‘Hourly Newsy’ offers many of the same features for a one-time purchase price of just $5: hourlynewsy.com. ### 1/5 — What is wrong with hourly news app *2026-08-24, version 2.0.0* Now you are charging to listen to your radio. Not happy. ### 1/5 — Used to be better *2026-08-24, version 2.0.0* They recently started charging and it’s not worth it… ### 1/5 — Disappointing Hourly News 2.0 Update *2026-08-24* I’ve been a loyal Hourly News listener for over a decade, but unfortunately, the new 2.0 update has been a major disappointment. Since the update, the app regularly skips news updates between Fox News and Bloomberg, which defeats the entire purpose of using Hourly News to conveniently listen to multiple news sources. What makes this even more frustrating is the new subscription requirement. I’m now being asked to pay for the service while still being forced to listen to commercials. If I’m paying for a subscription, I would expect a better experience—not technical problems and continued advertising. I’ve supported and used this app for more than 10 years, so I don’t make this criticism lightly. However, the 2.0 update feels like a significant step backward. If the skipping issues aren’t corrected soon, I will be requesting a refund and canceling my subscription. I hope the developers listen to longtime customers and fix these problems quickly. ### 1/5 — Unfair *2026-08-23, version 2.0.0* I will always listen to all your podcasts . Now I only get 3 , if not I have to pay . Thanks but I’m not interested . You are NOT the only news source ### 1/5 — subscription now required to play all sources *2026-08-23, version 2.0.0* August 2026 … forget it…. Pretty much worthless now. ### 1/5 — Too expensive for free news online recaps *2026-08-22, version 2.0.0* Was great at first to just buy the app and then get the newsfeeds but now you have to pay per month and it’s too expensive for free news feeds that you can get online ### 1/5 — Horrible “Update” *2026-08-20, version 2.0.0* I’ve been using the Hourly News for nearly a decade. It’s been an amazingly wonderful resource. The recent update seems to be just a money grab it seems impossible, but the sound quality on all of the venues has dramatically worsened. (I know nothing has changed about my phone itself.) nothing able to actually hear the news. It’s kind of a significant problem with this app. ### 1/5 — No longer free *2026-08-19, version 2.0.0* No. I won’t be subscribing. It’s disappointing to see this change after years of listening. ### 1/5 — Subscription service sucks *2026-08-19, version 2.0.0* I had this app forever. Recent update and now it’s $3 a month ? Not worth it , especially when I bet we will still listen to internal ads. Deleted this promptly ## Most praised reviews (10 highest-rated) ### 5/5 — Refreshingly good *2026-08-25* Possibly the very best way to keep abreast of what’s happening around the world in less than five minutes. ### 5/5 — Glad to enjoy the updated Hourly News 2.0 *2026-08-19* I’ve been using Hourly News for a long time ie. years. It has gone thru various bouts of support/ non-support, and I was worried that the developer lost interest. But, I’m delighted to see the recent love given one of my favorite apps, so thank you for that and the new widgets plus the new Apple Watch app. ### 5/5 — Glad to enjoy the updated Hourly News 2.0 *2026-08-16* I’ve been using Hourly News for a long time ie. years. It has gone thru various bouts of support/ non-support, and I was worried that the developer lost interest. But, I’m delighted to see the recent love given one of my favorite apps, so thank you for that and the new widgets plus the new Apple Watch app. Yay! ### 5/5 — Love it *2026-04-10, version 1.7.3* I have been using this app daily for years to keep on top of the news and appreciate it so much. ### 5/5 — Dependable *2025-10-25, version 1.7.3* Just works. So many cruddy apps glitch, this one isn’t flashy - just chugs along. ### 5/5 — Longest used app in a decade *2025-08-08* This is the longest and most frequently used app of mind over the last decade. Thank you for creating this. It has opened my world significantly and made me intelligent about most news. One of the stories I listened to helped me make the decision to go to Switzerland and get on the train that goes through the alps in the winter. Beautiful sights. To die for. This app helped me know about something I may never have come across. ### 5/5 — By far my most used app *2025-06-23* If you follow, the markets are your end of world news, this is totally worth the price. Multiple news outlets and it updates automatically to the most recent news summary that they each put out throughout the day. And the Wall Street Journal Minute updates three times a day. Love the app. ### 5/5 — This and the weather app are the only apps I use everyday *2025-05-17, version 1.7.3* It’s been over 10 years since I found this app and began using it. I don’t have a single complaint. I use it every morning while I shower. I recommend it highly. More than worth the single dollar. ### 5/5 — Perfect! I Love This App *2024-11-21, version 1.7.3* I downloaded this app a couple of years ago and I still love it. It’s the perfect way to be fully informed but avoid the 24 hour cable news hyperbole and speculation machine. Respected journalists from all of the major news sources delivering the news in a neutral way, without all of the yelling, updated every hour. You really can be fully informed and keep your sanity. ### 5/5 — My morning "Go to" App. *2024-11-12, version 1.7.3* I’m so glad this app exists! Have used it for over 5 years. --- *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 2026-09-09.*