# news.com.au — user reviews > 170 indexed App Store user reviews of news.com.au by News Digital Media, rated 2.73/5 from 177 ratings. - Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/newscomau/id1454481155/reviews - App overview in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/newscomau/id1454481155.md - Rating breakdown: 5★ 6 · 4★ 2 · 3★ 0 · 2★ 1 · 1★ 5 ## What do users think of news.com.au? Overall sentiment: negative **Pros** - 📰 Free news app with no paywall - 🎬 Video content and watch tab available - 📱 Wide range of topics covered - ⚡ Fast news alerts and notifications - 🎨 Improved app design and layout - 📊 Good mix of entertainment and news **Cons** - 🐛 Frequent app crashes and freezing - 📢 Excessive and intrusive advertisements - ✍️ Numerous spelling and grammar errors - 📄 Clickbait headlines and sensationalism - 🔄 Content duplication and story repetition - ⚙️ Poor app performance and lag - 🎮 Aggressive game advertisements - 📱 Tablet compatibility issues - 🔊 Auto-playing videos interrupt music - 📰 Low-quality journalism and fact-checking - 🎯 Algorithm-driven content lacks transparency - ⬆️ Page jumping due to ad placement - 🔋 High CPU/GPU usage and battery drain - 🎬 Long unskippable video ads **Commonly reported bugs** - App crashes on startup or during article scrolling - Crashes with iOS 15 and later updates - Blank screen after welcome slides - App fails to open after updates - Endless loading spinner preventing app launch - App freezes when reading articles while using Spotify - Content jumps and shifts while reading due to ad loading - Ads trigger App Store without user click - Multiple notifications for same story - App stops Apple Music playback - Slow article loading and rendering - Update hangs on iPad and iPhone - Incompatible with older iOS versions - App becomes unusable after recent updates **Most requested features** - Dark mode support for iOS - Dark-tinted app icon for dark mode - Ability to filter news by location/state - Remove auto-playing video headlines - Disable auto-play videos that interrupt music - Improved tablet app functionality - Better content personalization controls - Option to view 'Just In' tab for current news - Faster article loading times ## Newest reviews (19 of 170) ### 3/5 — New APP *2026-08-25, version 2.8.1* Bring back the old APP not enjoying the new one having to swipe to read articles is very annoying ### 4/5 — If you are looking for news that does not lean left... *2026-08-25, version 2.8.1* This news source generally does not lean left politically. This news is not targeted for the intellectual elite of the country, it might be said. It is meant to be a news source for the masses, but in that sense it aims to present the news that the masses would be interested in. An outcome of all this is that this news source doesn't lecture the reader with woke political moralising. ### 2/5 — Dislike the new format *2026-08-21, version 2.8.1* Previous formats were much cleaner to scroll and view content. This is not a step in the right direction. It’s too busy/messy ### 2/5 — Spelling and grammar *2026-08-21, version 2.8.1* Are there any editor at this organisation? Sooo many spelling mistakes, it’s embarrassing! ### 4/5 — Too slow *2026-08-11, version 2.7.3* Takes forever to load, it used to be fast, now you’ve got too much junk in it ### 4/5 — JohGind *2026-08-09, version 2.8.0* I cannot tell you how frustrating it is with the amount of spelling errors in your articles. Who proofreads this stuff ? The office cat ? ### 2/5 — Do they even test this app? *2026-07-04, version 2.7.1* Glitchy. Sound comes on sometimes even when muted or when the video is paused or when I’ve moved on to a different article. Every release comes with a new glitch like the glitches are its features. ### 1/5 — Awfull *2026-06-12, version 2.7.0* Controlling bs ### 1/5 — Fed up *2026-05-13, version 2.6.0* I am trying to block getting emails from this site and it seems impossible to do so. There are so many emails that if you open accidentally you find it difficult to exit. My next option is to complain to the ombudsman ### 2/5 — Irresponsible *2026-04-07, version 2.5.2* The one sided narratives about President Trump in most articles are fatuous to say the least. An example in the article denying us of any responsibility to help with the strait situation because we weren’t consulted about the war is so stupid that a grade two could put holes in it. Did Britain consult us when they declared war on Germany The straits,btw,are strategic to Australia,not USA so anyone with half a brain would rush to help open them Just sayin ### 2/5 — Smelling pistakes everywhere *2026-04-02, version 2.5.2* Proof reader required! More spelling and grammar problems than any news app I know of. ### 1/5 — Glitches and freezes *2026-03-22, version 2.5.2* So awful it makes me want to throw my phone against a wall. Rage fuel. ### 1/5 — Buggy App *2026-03-16, version 2.5.2* Current build - if you play a video, in an article and then go back to the main menu, another ad and video will play. But returning to the page you have just left doesn’t allow you to stop the video. Next, the Support page is blocked by an Ad. Next, your nickname field is blocked if you type a single letter in the field and try it ### 1/5 — App getting harder to use *2026-02-23, version 2.5.1* This app used to be great however recent changes with all the advertising and the pop-ups are making it almost impossible to read the articles. You get stuck and can’t scroll and have to keep opening ads. ### 1/5 — Morons In Charge *2026-02-22, version 2.5.1* Who the hell had the bright idea to interrupt EVERY story by making you pause to look at a moronic full page add that blocks you from scrolling past it! Guarantee that it just makes me swear to NEVER use whatever is being advertised. Stupid stupid stupid idea. App deleted! ### 2/5 — So slow *2026-02-17, version 2.5.1* This site is so slow to load on any device I use. Often I just give up ### 1/5 — Anon *2026-02-15, version 2.5.1* Latest update seems to have totally messed user experience or likely an intentional change to drive more clicks to articles. Headings only, half the time not even a complete heading. I needed a final reason to change news sources, so guess here it is. ### 1/5 — Unreadable *2026-02-04, version 2.5.0* The ads on this site are now so huge, you can no longer scroll on your phone whilst attempting to read the click bait that you selected. ### 1/5 — Downhill *2026-01-23, version 2.4.5* I used to like being able to click an alert that took me straight to the article - that no longer works. I used to like being able to share articles on WhatsApp - that no longer works either. Without commenting on actual journalistic content, please fix your app capabilities, in the least ## Most critical reviews (10 lowest-rated) ### 1/5 — Recent update *2026-08-23, version 2.8.1* Latest update is horrible, no news just sports and ads. Disgraceful ### 1/5 — New format is terrible *2026-08-22, version 2.8.1* Don’t make the app like a social media format, it’s too busy and not user friendly at all. I use to like this app but now I’ll have to look for something else ### 1/5 — Awfull *2026-08-22, version 2.8.1* Controlling bs ### 1/5 — Clickbait *2026-08-17, version 2.8.0* Full of clickbait articles that don’t even tell you the, who, what, when, why, how, in the first paragraph. Editing, grammar, sentence construction, infantile use of terminology eg. cops instead of police, kids instead of children, is the absolutely worst in journalism. Probably one of the worst publications online. ### 1/5 — July 2025 change… 👎 *2026-07-31, version 2.8.0* What on earth is the go with the ridiculous new layout (July 2026) that doesn’t let you just read headlines and you are swiping or scrolling left and right? I’ve never seen such a spectacular change for the sake of change. Dumbest interface possible for a news app. There’s a reason all the other news apps are essentially the same. Gone from 3 or 4 stars to 1 (0 if possible). Won’t use until reverts back to being usable. ### 1/5 — News? *2026-07-12, version 2.7.1* Worst news ever ### 1/5 — Unstable App & poor journalistic content *2026-06-27, version 2.7.0* App falls over when reading articles. Numerous spelling and grammatical errors. Clickbait not journalistic content. ### 1/5 — frequently crashes while trying to load ads *2026-06-22, version 2.7.0* This app is awful. The spacing is all over the place while they try to dynamically load ads. Just moved from iOS18 to 26 and now it will just crash when reading a story. Frustratingly that mainly seems to be the FIGA World Cup articles ### 1/5 — App keeps crashing *2026-06-17, version 2.7.0* When reading ‘Live’ threads, the app keeps crashing. Doesn’t happen on other articles. Also the advertising is impacting readability with ads rescaling or freezing scrolling while the ad loads or reloads. It’s really annoying ### 1/5 — 2.7.0 crashes *2026-06-17, version 2.7.0* When I read certain articles and scroll down, the app will suddenly close/crash. Other articles are fine. I have the latest version of iOS, I have uninstalled the news.com.au app, rebooted my iPad and reinstalled the app to no avail. I have 150gb of space free so that’s not the issue. This latest version must therefore be buggy. ## Most praised reviews (10 highest-rated) ### 5/5 — News.com *2026-07-21, version 2.7.3* Excellent ### 5/5 — Reliable, Clean, and Informative *2025-09-30, version 2.4.2* I've been using the News app daily, and it has quickly become my go-to source for staying informed. The interface is clean and easy to navigate, with well-organised sections that make it simple to find the stories that matter most to me. Performance is smooth, with fast loading times and no crashes so far. If you're looking for a trustworthy, professional news source in an intuitive app, this is it. Highly recommend! ### 5/5 — Best news app *2025-08-29* Absolutely love this news app and brand! There’s such a good balance of news articles and the journalists approach to telling the news in a way that’s conversational and witty is what makes it so entertaining to read. I also love being able to see more video content, getting notified whenever there’s breaking news and playing the daily news quiz - it’s a great app to keep you engaged and informed. Oh I didn’t even mention the best part - it’s 100% free! ### 5/5 — Love the new app *2025-08-28, version 2.4.2* Thanks news.com.au for the upgrade, I enjoy the new app so much more. And even better it’s free. ### 5/5 — Great app *2025-08-04* Loving the new app - great mix of stories, breaking news plus gossip (a favourite of mine). Would be nice with less ads, but that’s what you get with a free app I guess. The new watch tab is a lot of fun to!! ### 5/5 — Great free News app *2025-08-01* Amazing app experience. Timely up to date notifications on all news content. Very impressed. And it’s free! ### 5/5 — Keeping me up to date, fast *2025-07-31* Being a mum of three and working full time, I need a fast reliable update on what’s going on in the world. This app helps and the news alerts make it easier to stay on top of it all. ### 5/5 — I love news.com *2025-07-31, version 2.3.2* New app updates make it easier to use. The adds are still there but I gues that’s the price of free newz. Quick shout out to tubi too! Go news.com ### 5/5 — Love it *2025-07-25* I love this app - it has a great mix of entertaining and relevant stories. The best part is being able to watch the news when I can’t be bothered reading. So convenient and also something interesting to scroll through. ### 5/5 — Free *2025-07-24, version 2.3.2* Good free news app, don’t need to pay --- *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 2026-09-05.*