# NPR: National & Local News — Podcasts. Live Radio. Music.

> Public radio news, podcasts, live radio, and music streaming. (iPhone/iPad app by NPR.)

- Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/npr-national-and-local-news/id324906251 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`)
- Developer: [NPR](https://appshunter.io/developer/324906254)
- Category: News, Music
- Price: Free
- Rating: 4.60/5 from 70,229 App Store ratings · 990 written reviews indexed
- Age rating: 12+
- Requires: iOS 17.0 · 82 MB
- Languages: American English
- Released: 2009-08-15
- Data updated: 2026-08-29
- Monetization: free with in-app purchases
- User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/npr-national-and-local-news/id324906251/reviews.md

## What is NPR?

Welcome to the public radio universe. 

The NPR app is the best way to get the latest news of the day, deep-dives on important topics that broaden your world, and the quirky, fun stories you'll want to share with your friends – all in one place.
 
*Make it personal.*
Play NPR One on the Home screen to get a personalized, continuous stream of shows, news, headlines, and music from every corner of public radio. Listen to what you want to, skip what you don’t. Or add a story you find interesting to your playlist. Your mix will be personalized to deliver the NPR you want, while still serving you stories you didn’t know you’d love.
 
*Broaden your podcast palate.*
Head to the ‘Podcasts’ tab to listen to shows from across public radio, recommended for you by our team of expert editors. (Don't forget to enable notifications to stay on top of your new favorites.)
 
*Make us your music concierge.*
Watch Tiny Desk Concerts in full right on the app. Just tap the tab labeled ‘Music,’ and hit play to soak in live performances from music’s favorite office space. You can also stream music from around the country, browse the latest music headlines, dig into reviews, and more.
 
*Make everywhere more interesting.*
Connect NPR to your speakers wherever you are, via Chromecast, AirPlay, Apple CarPlay, or Bluetooth. Login or register for a free NPR account, then just say "Alexa, play the news from NPR," to have your app listening experience amplified. 
 
*Support your listening, and NPR.*
The NPR app is free and will always be. If you want to get even more out of your listening experience while supporting public media, consider joining NPR+. You’ll get perks like sponsor-free podcast listening, bonus content, archive episodes, and early access to select shows. Learn more at plus.npr.org.

Data Protection Choices:
At NPR, we understand how important privacy is to you, and we are committed to transparency about how we collect, use and share your information. Please take a moment to read our privacy policy: https://n.pr/privacypolicy.

By downloading this app:
You agree to NPR’s terms of use, available at https://n.pr/termsofuse.
You acknowledge that NPR may process your personal data as described in NPR’s privacy policy, available at https://n.pr/privacypolicy.
You agree that NPR uses devices, identifiers, tracking technologies, and information about the device you use to access NPR’s apps to enhance your viewing, listening, and user experience, personalize content, personalize messages from NPR’s sponsors, provide social media features, and analyze NPR’s traffic. This information is shared with social media services, sponsorship, analytics, and other third-party service providers. See details in NPR’s privacy policy.

## Key features

- Personalized news and story streams
- Curated podcast library
- Live music performances (Tiny Desk Concerts)
- Live radio streaming
- Cross-device connectivity (Chromecast, AirPlay, etc.)
- Smart speaker integration

## Chart rankings

- #25 in Top Free · News (US App Store)

## What do users think of NPR?

Overall sentiment: neutral

**Pros**

- 🚀 Great but loses track after inactivity
- 🚀 Excellent content
- 🚀 Very high quality and reliable news
- 🚀 Balanced and well-presented/organized news
- 🚀 Intuitive and easy to use
- 🚀 Slick and user friendly interface
- 🚀 Eclectic selection of interesting articles and radio shows
- 🚀 Comprehensive and responsive
- 🚀 Keeps me up to date on the world in an intelligent and critical manner

**Cons**

- 🐛 App used 79GB of data in two weeks
- 🐛 Broken, freezes, and crashes frequently
- 🐛 Poor UI with ads
- 🐛 Too many ads
- 🐛 Biased and unbalanced content
- 🐛 Buggy and unreliable
- 🐛 Glitchy and inconsistent playback
- 🐛 Excessive data usage
- 🐛 Cluttered and confusing interface
- 🐛 Loses playlist and other key features

**Commonly reported bugs**

- App crashes frequently
- Playback issues, stops and starts randomly
- Freezes and becomes unresponsive
- Fails to load content properly
- Syncing and login problems

**Most requested features**

- Bring back the playlist feature
- Add a sleep timer
- Improve search functionality
- Provide offline listening options
- Customize home screen and content
- Improve integration with iOS features
- Add a dark mode
- Streamline navigation and reduce clutter

## Recent user reviews (10 of 990)

All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/npr-national-and-local-news/id324906251/reviews.md

### 5/5 — Real News

*2026-08-26, version 7.8.0*

Honest and unemotional reporting.

### 5/5 — The Best!  Easy to navigate, reporting that matters and lifestyle help at a button.

*2026-08-25, version 7.8.0*

Grateful for free radio and streaming. Music, news, sports, lifestyle…all given in a truthful

### 3/5 — Please make local news page stay in app

*2026-08-22, version 7.7.0*

Good app. Use it to listen to the radio and some pods which it does really well. All national stories are easy to read. I just wish the local stories were as well! I cannot stand how clicking a local news link opens a web browser page. So many apps have solved this by opening the browser in the app, not forcing me to leave the app. Please solve the functionality! Other that that pretty solid app

### 5/5 — Saturday morning is better with Scott Simon

*2026-08-22, version 7.7.0*

Love love love Scott Simon. And his writers on the Mr. Roger’s Detroit Tiger’s catcher (once again!) story made me smile and laugh and cheer.

### 1/5 — I want news not podcasts!

*2026-08-22, version 7.7.0*

What has happened to NPR? Over the last two years, I listen less and less. Maybe it is because management has no backbone, or maybe your curated information bores me. I miss the wonderful reporting and stories of the old, liberal NPR!

### 1/5 — Notyourdude

*2026-08-21, version 7.7.0*

Crashes. Slow starting. Hangs on ads between stories. Gets worse with every update. Please simplify it and make it work and make it better!

### 2/5 — Can’t find shows

*2026-08-19, version 7.7.0*

I’m listening to something in my car. I want to continue listening to it, but I can’t find it in this application. It’s difficult to find different subjects that you might want to listen

### 5/5 — Very calm presence.

*2026-08-19, version 7.7.0*

Has been a very calm presence in my early life and now getting back to it.

### 5/5 — NPR

*2026-08-15, version 7.7.0*

I highly value NPR as a dependable source of unbiased news and information.  I like is my primary source of news information.

### 2/5 — Fast talkers

*2026-08-14, version 7.7.0*

Too fast. Talking too fast. Cannot understand anything.

## Frequently asked questions about NPR

### What does the NPR app do?

The NPR app provides access to the latest news, in-depth stories, and a personalized stream of audio content from public radio. It also features a wide selection of podcasts, live radio streams, and music content, including Tiny Desk Concerts.

### What are the key features of the NPR app?

Key features include a personalized NPR One stream, a curated podcast library with editor recommendations, full Tiny Desk Concert videos, live radio streaming, and connectivity with devices like Chromecast and Apple CarPlay. Users can also integrate with smart speakers.

### Is the NPR app free to use?

Yes, the NPR app is free to download and use. However, there is an optional subscription called NPR+ which offers additional perks like sponsor-free podcast listening and bonus content to support public media.

### What devices is the NPR app compatible with?

The app is designed for mobile devices and can connect to various platforms for an enhanced listening experience. This includes Chromecast, AirPlay, Apple CarPlay, Bluetooth, and integration with smart speakers like Alexa.

### How can I personalize my listening experience?

You can personalize your experience by using the NPR One feature, which creates a continuous stream of shows, news, headlines, and music tailored to your preferences. You can also add stories to a playlist, and the app will learn your tastes to deliver content you'll enjoy.

## Version history (last 5 releases)

### 7.8.0 — 2026-08-25

This release includes some routine maintenance and fixes. You may notice that we removed the ability to side-swipe between the tabs at the top of the app - this gesture was conflicting with others in the app. If you have feedback for the team or would like to recommend an enhancement, please reach out to us at help.npr.org.

### 7.7.0 — 2026-07-21

The NPR app is getting refreshed navigation! This release contains the following changes, in a phased rollout (so you might not see them right away):
NPR+ now has a dedicated home in the new secondary navigation tabs. Sign in to get access to all of your ad-free listening and bonus content. Not a subscriber? Make a qualifying donation to get NPR+ benefits today. 
Need help or have feedback to share? Write to us at help.npr.org.

### 7.6.0 — 2026-05-28

The NPR app is getting refreshed navigation! This release contains the following changes, in a phased rollout (so you might not see them right away):
We've introduced an extra navigation bar to get you to the content you want faster and bring you special series and features. With this new sideways-scrolling navigation, we've moved our Music content from the bottom tabs to the top tabs, and added a top Local tab where you can find all of your favorite station’s stories. Check out our new Video tab for all of your favorites: Tiny Desk Concerts, NPR’s Newsmakers interviews, Wild Card and It's Been a Minute video podcasts, and much more.
Need assistance with a feature or want to request an enhancement? Reach out to us at help.npr.org.

### 7.5.1 — 2026-05-05

The NPR app is getting refreshed navigation this year! This release contains the first set of changes:
- The settings icon in the top left is now a menu icon
- Inside the menu you can now find a Change Station button
- The search function has been moved from the top bar to the bottom bar
- iOS 26 and liquid glass support
Need help or have feedback to share? Write to us at help.npr.org.

### 7.5.0 — 2026-04-14

The NPR app is getting refreshed navigation this year! This release contains the first set of changes:
- The settings icon in the top left is now a menu icon
- Inside the menu you can now find a Change Station button
- The search function has been moved from the top bar to the bottom bar
- iOS 26 and liquid glass support
Need help or have feedback to share? Write to us at help.npr.org.

## Apps similar to NPR

| App | Rating | Price | Category |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| [CNN: Live & Breaking News](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cnn-live-and-breaking-news/id331786748) | 4.8 (1,664,114) | Free | News |
| [BBC: World News & Stories](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bbc-world-news-and-stories/id364147881) | 4.5 (85,924) | Free | News |
| [FOX News: US & World Headlines](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/fox-news-us-and-world-headlines/id367623543) | 4.5 (534,805) | Free | News |
| [The Economist: News & Analysis](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-economist-news-and-analysis/id1239397626) | 4.9 (182,192) | Free | News |
| [NYTimes: US and Global News](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nytimes-us-and-global-news/id284862083) | 4.8 (758,677) | Free | News |
| [The Guardian - US & World News](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-guardian-us-and-world-news/id409128287) | 4.9 (113,064) | Free | News |

## More apps by NPR

- [NPR One](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/npr-one/id874498884)

All apps by NPR: https://appshunter.io/developer/324906254

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*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 2026-08-29.*