# Island Packet News Hilton Head — user reviews > 54 indexed App Store user reviews of Island Packet News Hilton Head by The McClatchy Company, rated 4.50/5 from 1,674 ratings. - Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/island-packet-news-hilton-head/id510496152/reviews - App overview in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/island-packet-news-hilton-head/id510496152.md - Rating breakdown: 5★ 1,186 · 4★ 302 · 3★ 89 · 2★ 24 · 1★ 73 ## What do users think of Island Packet News Hilton Head? Overall sentiment: negative **Pros** - 📰 Great local news coverage - 💻 Convenient online access **Cons** - 🐛 Frequent crashes and glitches - 🔍 Difficult to navigate and find content - 💰 Excessive ads and paywalls - 🔄 Repeated login issues **Commonly reported bugs** - App not opening or refreshing content - Incompatibility with older devices and iOS versions **Most requested features** - Bring back previous newspaper-style layout - Improve content organization and discoverability - Reduce ads and paywalls for subscribers ## Newest reviews (13 of 54) ### 4/5 — IP players and minuses *2026-08-10* I love the local news in The Island Packet. Also, I do the crossword every day. Sometimes, the liberal politics are a little annoying with the editorials and even front page stories leaning left. Balanced, or even right leaning, would better represent our state. **Developer response:** We appreciate you taking the time to let us know your feedback. This will be passed along to our newsroom. Thank you, Customer Care ### 2/5 — Ridiculously Expensive *2026-06-19* I don’t get it, but, I pay it. Good content but I just don’t get why it’s so expensive. It’s not the money, it’s the principle… **Developer response:** Dear Valued Customer, Please contact us at wecare@mcclatchy.com so we can assist you. Thank you, Customer Care. ### 3/5 — Digital Packet subscription *2026-05-27, version 11.1.1* In May 2025 I was paying $15.99 monthly; May 2026 $19.99 monthly; next month it will be $6.22 weekly which is $26.95 monthly…+68% in 2 years? Far cry from the Fed’s 2% target!? I’ll miss reading it every morning. ### 3/5 — Personal experience with app *2021-10-10* For what that’s worth. I’d give the newspaper a 5 in coverage of local news. And great to have access to it on line via the app. The app is haunted on my phone however. Frequently and inconsistently app reverts (flips) to home page from selected story. Happens when just reading as well as when scrolling. Deleted and reinstalled, cleared cache, contacted help desk, and compared settings with settings of other newspaper apps on phone. Hope other users don’t have this flipping problem. **Developer response:** We apologize for your experience with the app. Our development team is investigating the issue of content reverting to the home page, and will work to resolve this. ### 1/5 — New app won’t open! *2021-08-26, version 9.1.3* Please fix your new app…it won’t open! ### 1/5 — App is poorly designed *2020-11-03* The app for the Island Packet does not open all the time. It is frustrating to click on the newspaper view and the app does not always open. It just gets hung up and does not download. There are too many adds that run in the background which effects the appearance of the print text-it gets blurred when the adds open. If you click on the close add it just cycles to a new add. When prompted to enter a nick name to submit this Review it says nick name taken. I don’t believe it is taken. The word I chose is too unique. I’ll try again **Developer response:** We apologize for the issues. Please try clearing your device's browser history to see if that improves your experience. ### 1/5 — Bring back the paper *2019-11-01* Find new format very difficult to navigate and have no idea when and where updates come in. ### 1/5 — If I could give no stars i would *2019-10-25* Since the update it is impossible to read the packet on an ipad. I find it so difficult navigate through the pages. While reading the page goes blank or blurs. I am ready to cancel my subscription. ### 1/5 — Format does not work any longer *2019-10-22* I can no longer get the packet to read like the newspaper. No the paper version only show up in a small window on the side of the screen and is much too small to read. They need to go back to the old version of the app. ### 1/5 — A Disaster *2019-10-01, version 7.3.0* Another formally useful format replaced with a junked up page, ipad disaster. If it ain’t broke why try to fix it and fail? ### 1/5 — Sept. 25, 2019 *2019-09-25, version 7.3.0* Love the Packet...hate the new app! ### 2/5 — Not as Good!! *2019-06-12* The e-Edition app was far better. With its traditional newspaper layout, you knew what you were reading was today’s news. With this app you have to scroll down a lengthy list of articles, no matter the section, to ensure you haven’t missed anything. What not put today’s articles at the top of the list? Duh. ### 3/5 — Island Packet *2018-08-18, version 7.0.1* Would like editorials more frequent and easier to get to ## Most critical reviews (10 lowest-rated) ### 1/5 — What is going on???? *2026-03-08* I, too, have an older phone that this new version does not work on. I am a loyalty paid subscriber through May 2028!!! What should I do? **Developer response:** I’m sorry for the issue you are experiencing. The latest version of The Island Packet 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 Island Packet 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 — App not available for iPad iOS *2026-03-06, version 10.4.0* Unfortunately new App won’t load on iPad unless it has iOS 17. ### 1/5 — Useles *2026-03-06* The new app is useless if one’s I Pad cannot run version 17.0. My 16.7 version will not download the new app. When I open my Island Packett App, your app recision tells me I must download the newer version to continue reading and I cannot since I am not a 17.0 user. I went to the App Store and found the older version of your app which was recommended for older I Pad users but after downloading , when Inopen the app it takes me to the same page that requires me to download the newer app which my IP cannot accept. HENCE YOU HAVE JUST FIRED ME AS A CUSTOMER. I will call today and CANCEL my subscription. **Developer response:** Dear valued subscriber, I’m sorry for the issue you are experiencing. The latest version of The Island Packet 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 Island Packet 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 — Garbage *2025-11-18, version 10.4.0* Requires repeated sign in on iPad ### 1/5 — Very Glitchy!! *2025-05-19* I’m not sure what is going on, this app keeps making me login and then sell me a subscription which I already have. I have to delete the app, reinstall it and login to read an article. I have to do this for every article! Customer service is awful. Please fix this. ### 1/5 — Clunky *2025-02-01, version 10.0.6* Slow loading, paywalls and ads ### 1/5 — Horrible *2024-06-26* This update is horrible. Please go back to previous national news section. ### 1/5 — Nice update guys! *2022-09-09* Nothing like making it even harder to read than it was before. Whose idea was this? Someone's kid who just graduated from SCAD? Hopefully, you didn't pay for it. **Developer response:** Please let us know the issue you are having to further assist you. ### 1/5 — Very Bad App *2022-03-03, version 9.1.5* I’m a subscriber and this is the worst news app I have. App doesn’t open often. Terrible. Please fix! ### 1/5 — App hasn’t worked for weeks *2021-12-02* App is no longer refreshing content. Gives error message “Error fetching feeds - pull to refresh” and does not. Have deleted and reloaded numerous times. **Developer response:** There is an issue with Private Relay that we are working to resolve. Disable Private Relay on your device and the news feed should reappear. ## Most praised reviews (10 highest-rated) ### 5/5 — Doesn’t work with older cell phones *2026-04-04* Despite just renewing my subscription the new version doesn’t work and can’t be downloaded on my phone. I will be canceling tomorrow. No warning from customer services about this . **Developer response:** Dear Valued Customer. I’m sorry for the issue you are experiencing. The latest version of The Island Packet app for Apple requires iOS 17.1+ and Android 8.0+. Older devices that can’t upgrade won’t be able to run it. Please reach out to us at wecare@mcclatchy.com with your contact information as we would like the opportunity to correct. In the meantime, you can still access the edition through a web browser. We look forward to your feedback. Thanks, Customer Care ### 5/5 — Great HHI Insight *2020-01-07* As with many HHI fans, we only live on island, part if the year. The Island Packet app allows us to stay informed about all island occurrences. We can plan activities for when we are lucky enough to be there. ### 5/5 — Island Packet *2019-08-06* I read the Island Packet daily. It keeps me up to date with what's going on at HHI. ### 5/5 — Great news coverage for HIlton Head and surrounding municipalities *2019-05-24* Our family has loved and enjoyed the news coverage which is objective and interesting. We rely on the internet version on our IPad and iPhone which makes the coverage available to us whenever and wherever. Sometimes we will get a pop-up while we are resting during a long walk on the beach or paths. It is a great way to keep up on the local news, even while we are traveling to visit our kids in NY - Mass or when we are in our summer house in the Adirondacks ### 5/5 — IslandPacket *2019-01-27* It’s a great way for us to keep up with what is going on at a place we can’t wait to return to. ### 5/5 — Love the Island Packet on line *2018-12-23* I love reading the Packet every morning with a cup of coffee here in Asheville NC. I have lived away from HHI for almost 15 years and the Packet helps me to feel a part of the Island community. I especially love David Lauderdale's human interest stories. ### 5/5 — Up to speed *2018-06-10* Lived in Bluffton from ‘92 thru 08, Online Island Packet is ideal for keeping up to speed with current events. ### 5/5 — It’s a must have app *2018-02-16* If you live on Hilton Head Island or just love the island this is a must have app to keep up with what’s going on. ### 5/5 — Island Packet *2017-05-11, version 6.0.1* My connection to home! Thanks ### 5/5 — Finally an app with Hilton head news. 👍 *2012-07-05, version 1.0.16.0* It's nice not using my mobile browser to read the ip anymore. 👍👍👍👍 --- *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 2026-09-02.*