# Raleigh News & Observer \| NC — user reviews > 110 indexed App Store user reviews of Raleigh News & Observer | NC by The McClatchy Company, rated 4.20/5 from 3,726 ratings. - Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/raleigh-news-and-observer-nc/id399175255/reviews - App overview in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/raleigh-news-and-observer-nc/id399175255.md - Rating breakdown: 5★ 2,257 · 4★ 779 · 3★ 195 · 2★ 101 · 1★ 394 ## What do users think of Raleigh News & Observer | NC? Overall sentiment: negative **Pros** - 🚀 Fast load times - 👍 Replica of print edition **Cons** - 🐛 Crashes and freezes - 🔍 Poor navigation and usability - 🔌 Unreliable content loading - 💤 Outdated and buggy - 🔍 Difficult to find content - 💸 Expensive for poor quality **Commonly reported bugs** - Articles disappear or don't load - Constant login prompts - Blurry and distorted content - Ads interfere with reading experience **Most requested features** - Bring back previous app version - Improve page navigation - Add search functionality - Fix video playback issues ## Newest reviews (13 of 110) ### 2/5 — Repeated stories *2026-07-10, version 11.1.15* News is very repetitious, same stories in multiple locations ### 2/5 — Terrible *2026-03-19, version 11.1.1* Your app continues to fail to load stories when in “Edition” view, forcing a reader to go to “home” view and search for the article. This has been going on for years. ### 2/5 — Won’t download articles *2025-10-03, version 10.1.0* Once again, the app won’t download all articles, leading to an endless hatched spinning circle for 1 in 5 to 10 articles. Nothing seems to help this. The content of the paper is 5 stars but they still can’t get the app right. Additionally, on the air (sports listings) NEVER downloads. To see it, you need to look at the print edition. Ridiculous. ### 1/5 — Glitchy app *2025-01-25, version 10.0.6* Using an iPad Air M2 with 18.2.1 software. Read the e edition version. Article scrolling is inconsistent, sometimes it scrolls between articles and other times it just shows a blank page. When on a blank page you have to go back/forward 5 or 6 articles and then you can get the article to load. Have tried multiple settings, and delete and installed the app several times. ### 1/5 — Videos don’t load at all on my iPad *2024-11-17, version 10.0.6* The app is pretty lame all around but I can’t get the video section to work at all. ### 1/5 — Crashes on startup *2024-11-08, version 10.0.4* I uninstalled and reinstalled today, but the app crashes as soon as it opens. I have used the app for years on my ipad, but never had this issue. The "app support" link in the store just takes you to a subscription service page. No place to get tech help is offered. ### 1/5 — New app version not user-friendly for print-version readers *2024-09-15, version 10.0.4* 1) it requires multiple clicks/swipes to get to the Print view (old one defaulted and opened to Print view), even if your settings are set to “Print Version” preference 2) there is always a space for an ad at the bottom of the screen, even if you close the ad, which reduces visibility. Previous version you could completely close the ad pop-up window. Of the three papers to which I subscribe, the N&O is the worst online experience. ### 1/5 — Access not available to paying customers *2024-07-25, version 10.0.4* Thank goodness for the old fashioned paper. I’m able read local content. On the app, it asks me to login for every article and after successfully logging in and returning to an article- it throws the login screen again and it never goes away. Called support multiple times and they referenced my problem to IT and promised a response in 24-48 hours. Here it is 72 hours later - no response from IT (surprised????). ### 1/5 — Another epic fail *2024-06-26, version 10.0.3* The N&O has updated their app, and user experience, once again, and once again it is an epic fail. The opening from the publisher says it all, it has not been well received. What makes them think this will be different? Sorry N&O, once my subscription is over, so is my association with your paper. If you want to see what a good customer experience is, please look to just about any of your competitors; the times, post, WSJ, etc. ### 1/5 — Extreme disappointment *2024-02-19, version 9.3.4* I have subscribed to N&O paper format for years and occasionally used the digital app while traveling. I recently switched to digital only due to outrageous cost of printed edition and the complicated bureaucracy of finding your subscription information. I appreciate the state and local coverage of the N&O. The digital version of the printed paper is a reasonable substitute for the printed paper. HOWEVER SERIOUS FLAW in the digital version is that when the pop up adds change, they move the screen causing the reader to lose their place in the article. Their very existence is annoying enough since the jump around. That would be tolerable if they did not cause the whole article to reformat on the page causing the reader frustration finding one’s way back into the article. My advice to readers is stick with New York Times for national and international articles and waste time only on local news. ### 3/5 — McClatchy doesn’t seem to care. *2023-11-26, version 9.3.2* I’ve subscribed to the News and Observer for over 30 years because I believe strongly in supporting local media. Over the last several years, the N&O has become decidedly less local. It now covers Raleigh and Charlotte since McClatchy owns both the N&O as well as the Charlotte Observer. To keep costs down, they frequently run stories in both papers. Several years ago, I stopped the print edition and went exclusively with the e-edition. It still costs more than WaPost. Generally, the electronic edition does decently work on my iPad, but a recent “upgrade” eats huge amounts of memory and the only way to free it up is to delete the app and reinstall it. Yes, I’ve tried to configure the settings to delete the file every day, but it makes no difference (ate 2.28 gigs last week). I’ve tried to contact them about this issue and have received no response. You can’t talk to anyone about issues with technology. They ignore emails unless it involves your subscription. It’s the only game in town if you want state and local news, but they act like they know that all too well- and treat you accordingly. ### 1/5 — Surprise access change AND it’s TERRIBLE *2023-10-21, version 9.3.1* The previous edition read like a newspaper in my hands. Go directly to any section by pulling menu list down. Just like a newspaper. I saw no warning of the ‘improvements’ and unable to use paper as I expected. Finally called and emailed the executive editor, Mr Church, but never responded. My wife stumbled upon the revised access. Went to the app, which is not usable - who wants to select types of stories, etc? Just want to access the paper as I would in hand. What do I do now? Select the eedition and flip through all the pages until I get to the section desired. And why can’t the menu option be brought back as an option? ### 2/5 — Confirming the app is terrible *2023-10-19, version 9.3.1* Links from push notifications break, trouble logging in, hard to find stories, random glitches. ## Most critical reviews (10 lowest-rated) ### 1/5 — The worst *2026-07-15, version 11.1.15* Even after a revamp, the N&O website is terrible and difficult to use, especially in its design and ability to highlight the relative importance of stories. It’s depressing to see a once great institution suck this badly. ### 1/5 — Terrible App *2026-05-08, version 11.1.1* Extremely glitchy. Navigation is a nightmare. Worst news app I have ever used. ### 1/5 — Doesn’t Work *2026-03-06, version 10.4.0* Evidently I have to buy a new iPhone or IPad to use this app. Mine are older models, work fine unless I try to use this app that requires IOS 17 or higher. Evidently nobody checked user environments. ### 1/5 — Frustrated *2026-03-05, version 10.4.0* Keep getting messages that I need to upgrade my app. But when I try there in no upgrade available. What’s up? ### 1/5 — Update *2026-03-05, version 10.4.0* Can’t get it to update…very frustrating ### 1/5 — Recent n&o update makes edition unavailable on my iPad *2026-02-25, version 10.4.0* The recent update to the app requires iOS 17 or above. My iPad is 10 years old and doesn’t go above iOS 16. so this update effectively stops me from reading the e-edition. Are you guys going to fix that? Do I have to get my money back for the subscription to the newspaper? ### 1/5 — Paid through Apple Subscription with Family Sharing- unable to share the eEdition *2026-01-12, version 10.4.0* Called customer support many times, emailed customer support, called Apple about 8 times. No one can help. We do not show an account with News and Observer (had one previously for over 30 years, then went to the edition). Tried using all possible log in’s. Only my spouse who paid for it through the App Store can open it. Can it be shared in the same household with a Family ICloud Account? ### 1/5 — Poor digital updates *2025-10-29, version 10.3.0* It gets harder and harder to enjoy the N&O app. The newest update (10/29/25) does not work and there is no explanation why it doesn’t. Very frustrating. ### 1/5 — Disaster - total failure *2025-09-22, version 10.1.0* If you set out to create the worst newspaper app on the web, this would be it. Unstable. Inconsistent. Poorly designed. The Triangle deserves better than this. A total mess. Minus stars. ### 1/5 — Buggy app *2025-08-15, version 10.0.8* I’ve read the N&O for many years. Their app has always been awkward to use, but for the past several months, it can’t play any videos in the articles. As more articles have video included, this is getting more annoying, but videos just don’t play on my up to date iPhone. ## Most praised reviews (10 highest-rated) ### 5/5 — BEST OUT OF STATE NC NEWS *2026-07-09, version 11.1.15* I’m an Atlantan with multiple NC connections, and this is my news source for NC political and sports information. ### 5/5 — App won’t work on IPad *2026-05-16, version 11.1.1* After an iPad update the app no longer works anymore. I get to the opening page and it won’t scroll past page 2 puzzle page. I called and was told to access the paper through Safari but I have to search through a bunch of tabs which is annoying and inconvenient. I called customer service over a week ago and reported this but it has not been fixed. App is useless right now. ### 5/5 — Thanks for nothing *2026-04-23, version 10.4.0* I have an older phone that will not accept your update. Thanks. ### 5/5 — Enjoy great local and national coverage *2026-03-25, version 11.1.1* We have been enjoying the N&O. Lots of local coverage that we do not get otherwise. ### 5/5 — Finally an App Worth Opening Every Day *2026-02-27, version 11.1.1* I’ve been a long time subscriber to the N&O, and this new app is a major leap forward. The updated design is clean, modern, and much more pleasant to use. I’m especially glad to see dark mode finally supported. The improved search is a true game changer. It’s fast, accurate, and makes it easy to find for stories that I care about. The edition experience is also noticeably better and feels more integrated into the overall app instead of being an afterthought. For the first time, this is an app I genuinely want to open to read local news. Great work to everyone involved. ### 5/5 — iPad scaling issue *2026-02-26, version 11.1.1* The latest version does not scale the Puzzles Plus games correctly. I also had some scaling issues with the comics, but those seem to have resolved by deleting the app and reinstalling. Game scaling was not corrected by reinstalling. ### 5/5 — Crashes in iOS 17 , but now Fixed. *2023-12-03, version 9.3.2* All I get is a white screen then a crash in the new iOS 17. Update: after a few days this issue was fixed. App is great now. ### 5/5 — From great to awful *2022-09-20, version 9.1.6* The initial rollout of this app was phenomenal, but it has gotten progressively worse with each update. The eEdition is absolutely atrocious and it is a pain to use. For me to use this app again, it will have to get better starting with an eEdition that’s not a rectangle in the middle of the darn page… ### 5/5 — Grateful, *2022-08-28, version 9.1.6* My delivery person is outstanding…… my paper is even double wrapped to keep it dry if rain is expected.I am delighted that the online version is available being routinely upgraded band able to bring news to me more immediately but nothing can beat holding and reading the N&O in your hands! LTA- Louisburg ### 5/5 — Error fetching feeds solved! *2022-01-09, version 9.1.5* Repeatedly encountered an “error fetching feeds.” Problem caused by Private Relay in iOS 15. Turned it off and app works fine. --- *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 2026-08-27.*