# Sacramento Bee News California — user reviews > 105 indexed App Store user reviews of Sacramento Bee News California by The McClatchy Company, rated 4.20/5 from 4,608 ratings. - Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sacramento-bee-news-california/id382902278/reviews - App overview in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sacramento-bee-news-california/id382902278.md - Rating breakdown: 5★ 2,816 · 4★ 967 · 3★ 273 · 2★ 119 · 1★ 433 ## What do users think of Sacramento Bee News California? Overall sentiment: negative **Pros** - 🚀 Fast load times - 👍 Easy to navigate - 🔒 Secure login process **Cons** - 🐛 Frequent crashes - 💤 Slow performance - 📢 Intrusive ads - 🔍 Lack of search functionality - 🔧 Buggy updates **Commonly reported bugs** - Login issues - Compatibility problems with newer iOS versions - Unreliable content loading **Most requested features** - Offline reading mode - Customizable layout and themes - Enhanced article sharing options ## Newest reviews (18 of 105) ### 3/5 — Ads block content *2025-09-01, version 10.1.0* On the iPad, the ads at bottom can’t be closed out (no X to close). So they partially cover content ### 2/5 — Gift link? *2025-08-24, version 10.0.8* Heard that subscribers will have 10 gift articles per month but I don’t see the option. ### 3/5 — Download *2025-08-08, version 10.0.8* VERY, VERY slow download. The Washington Post downloads quickly ### 1/5 — Should get a refund *2024-12-18, version 10.0.6* For past two weeks nearly a fourth of my pages in Editions do not load. I tried to get help from Customer Service but they are either non- responsive to my reports or don’t bother even reading them! They just reply with same canned responses that aren’t related to what I’ve told them is happening! Someone needs to step up to the plate and fix this problem! ### 1/5 — Update is terrible!! *2024-07-07, version 10.0.3* Please go back to the previous Sac Bee app. Contents are NOT listed and difficult to navigate by subject. Should Include the DAY on the date for easier scrolling back and forth. The last update is MUCH BETTER than this terrible new one. Please return the OLD way or at least revamp this new one to see subjects like OBITUARIES, COMICS, FOOD AND DRINK, SPORTS, Etc. This is AWFUL. Terrible job, so disappointing. ### 1/5 — New Digital Platform *2024-06-26, version 10.0.3* The new digital platform is awful. It is not user friendly at all. It is also not intuitive. The old version wasn’t great but this is way worse! ### 1/5 — The app doesn’t open *2023-10-21, version 9.3* I got the new version when it first came out and it seemed to work pretty good for a while. All of a sudden, a few days ago, the newest version of the app just stopped working. When I click on it, nothing happens. I can’t seem to figure out anything to do to make it work. I tried sending messages to the bees subscription department to tell them it doesn’t work, but that won’t go through either. They’re really hard to get a hold of. ### 1/5 — Unacceptable *2023-09-17, version 9.3* Can’t get the edition often. Same article appears 2-3 times in one week. ESL people handling the help department which makes difficult to resolve problems. No offer to reimburse for e edition not received ### 1/5 — Awful app *2023-08-08, version 9.2* I’ve used hundreds of apps and none have been as unreliable, buggy and erratic as the Sac Bee app. You click on a story and it loads, only to mysteriously swipe itself back and close. You scroll down through the story to read it and the ads interrupt and overlay on top of your reading. Just when you thought you could find more depth to a story that’s prominent on KCRA.com, there’s even less or nothing mentioned on the SacBee app. This is so frustrating and is really making me rethink the value of my subscription. ### 1/5 — Stale News *2023-05-09, version 9.1.8* Same news articles are displayed for weeks with no updates and not curated for importance. Clicking on the e edition often displays yesterday’s newspaper. Worst newspaper app I’ve ever encountered. ### 1/5 — World class newspaper with worlds worst app *2023-02-06, version 9.1.8* I love reading, the Bee and am a regular subscriber, I find the app which I use on my iPad to be very difficult and annoying. Perhaps the biggest problem is when I’m finished reading one day’s edition, close the app, then I login the next day for the new addition, the app appears to be a “stuck“ on the previous day! The only way that I found is to completely delete the app and reinstall it. I have to do this three or four times a week. apparently it needs a better way to exit and clear the old info out to make room for the new. **Developer response:** Thank you for the feedback Please try to pull-to-refresh on the eEdition section page to fetch new content. A secondary step would be to force quit the app and relaunch. Thank you. ### 1/5 — Unstable! *2022-12-22, version 9.1.8* I love the content, but I can’t read it because whenever I open a page, it probably closes itself. I’ve tried reinstalling the app several times, and this problem keeps recurring. It’s not every day, but right now, it is so chronic that I cannot read the news. Am I the only one who is having this problem? ### 1/5 — App does not work well Apple iPad *2022-11-19, version 9.1.8* The contractor that runs the Bee App recommends using the Google browser to use with Bee app. The Bee app suddenly stopped working on my iPad. I canceled my subscription with Bee after a 30 relationship. ### 1/5 — Popup ads over the e-edition *2022-10-27, version 9.1.8* They finally got a functional app, but now I get Google pop-up ads on the e-edition that can’t be deleted. They obscure the page so you have to move the text up and down to read behind it. I should not have to put up with pop-up ads on a subscription that I pay for! ### 2/5 — App keeps asking for login over and over *2022-10-21, version 9.1.8* When I can get in and stay in the app, I think the app is easy to use to read Sac Bee articles. However, it asks for my login several times a day, which is a waste of time. Can’t it be set to keep the same login for at least a week and preferably two weeks? ### 1/5 — Where’s the Update *2022-10-06, version 9.1.6* All these complaints about app glitches with responses from you that the development team is looking into it, but months later we’re still dealing with a terrible user interface. Do you even have a development team? This is terrible customer service. ### 1/5 — Terrible update *2022-08-13, version 9.1.6* The July 22 update has me seriously considering canceling my subscription. Trying to read the paper on the iPad while the image barely covers half the screen is frustrating to say the least. Pinching to zoom, in order to read an article, then having to pinch and go back before being able to turn the page is making this app worthless to me. The previous version was fine. Why fix it if it ain’t broke! ### 1/5 — Latest update has problems *2022-07-31, version 9.1.6* Latest update has introduced a couple of problems: - The floating ad bar is extremely annoying and obscures the page. (The newspaper is already full of ads, why do we need additional ads in the app?) - Scrolling up and down isn’t working properly when reading the eEdition. ## Most critical reviews (10 lowest-rated) ### 1/5 — Too much!!!! *2026-07-17, version 11.1.15* $500 per year for this online news source no longer fits into my budget. At $12.99 per month I get local, national, and global news from Apple News+. Plus magazines and more. ### 1/5 — Annoying banner ads *2026-07-10, version 11.1.15* Banner ads in the print edition were introduced with the latest update. They are a very annoying distraction. Why do we have to put up with banner ads when the newspaper already includes ads? ### 1/5 — Glitchy *2026-05-12, version 11.1.1* Very unstable with blank pages not to mention nauseatingly repetitive articles….I expect “news” ### 1/5 — Impossible to comment now on stories *2026-04-23, version 11.1.1* I hardly use this app because, the search was so terrible. I think it’s better now, but I tried to comment on his story this morning. Click the submit. Nothing happened. They have no support. They sent you to the newspaper Support page, which is only a phone number to someone who knows nothing about the app. ### 1/5 — Can’t use *2026-04-14, version 10.4.0* This is not compatible with older iPads and iPhones. My older iPad is up-to-date, and still works, with iOS 16.7.15. However the Bee’s new app does not support this. I can’t read this newspaper on my iPad. ### 1/5 — Sports Stats *2026-04-05, version 11.1.1* This is what I turn to first in the morning. Since Monday March 30th, they have failed to publish ANY sports stats. Why? I’ve tried to get answers but no one returns my calls or answers my emails. If this continues I will cancel my subscription ### 1/5 — Unusable *2026-03-27, version 10.4.0* After the latest update, it asks to update and it gets into a loop asking to update. ### 1/5 — Upset with change! *2026-03-06, version 11.1.1* Why did they have to make this update? Now my iPad generation 5 cannot take the new update and forced to read on my computer. Unless they make the old version available too, I will cancel my subscription. As a 30 year subscriber they should make things easier not harder for seniors! ### 1/5 — New app is invasive! *2026-03-06, version 10.4.0* I’d give zero stars if I could. Was just prompted to install the latest version today. But before doing that I reviewed the Bee app’s privacy policy. The new app wants to log my purchases, contacts, track my visits to other websites, wants physical address, and other personal data. There’s no way to opt out. Not going to happen. After 40 yrs of being a customer I’m canceling my subscription and getting my news somewhere else! ### 1/5 — Horrendous App Function *2025-02-18, version 10.0.6* By far the worst functioning app on my phone. I can't read for more than 10 seconds without an ad pop up that covers the screen..repeatedly. I can't contact customer service bc that app function doesn't work. Also, the idea that anybody would want a print edition available for viewing on the app is crazy. You haven't even figured out the digital version yet. Just terrible. ## Most praised reviews (10 highest-rated) ### 5/5 — Morning news *2026-07-31, version 11.1.15* Love reading the Bee in the morning. Great Overall coverage. ### 5/5 — Wow what a major improvement *2021-08-09, version 9.0* Good job with the new app. It used to be so clunky and a pain to use and seemed like it was designed by an amateur . Now I think I actually like it better than my other newspaper apps like the WSJ that I used to compare it to. The bar was definitely raised with this one. ### 5/5 — Worst app yet. *2019-11-06, version 7.4.0* Today I opened my BEE app. Touched the icon to take me to the regular newspaper layout, and got a copy displayed in a skinny window that could not be enlarged. The paper could only be read if you have incredibly eyesight or a powerful magnifying glass. Fix this problem please or lose another customer. ### 5/5 — Enjoying the on line paper! *2019-11-03, version 7.4.0* My husband and I have looked forward to reading the Bee for many years. Now, we are transitioning to the Bee on line. We can make the print bigger as needed and we don’t miss recycling the papers. Sandy & Kim Wallace ### 5/5 — Terrible waste of time *2019-10-01, version 7.3.0* This “ site” is absolutely not user friendly. Whomever was leading this new app needs to revisit the thought process. I am very disappointed . Simple task to print now becomes a task. Please help the reader. ### 5/5 — A decent newspaper. *2018-08-12, version 7.0.1* The Bee is not a national paper like the Times or the Journal or the Post. It covers its area and California news as its primary focus. It does a good enough job although if they had more resources we could hope for more thorough coverage. ### 4/5 — Behind the times *2026-04-20, version 11.1.1* The Bee is good on local coverage except for the Oakland athletics. It would also help to have news that is more current than a day after it happens. Sincerely wish the McClatchey family still owned the paper ### 4/5 — October 2021 *2021-10-08, version 9.1.3* Can we get a search engine on the app? Thanks, in advance. ### 4/5 — Overall usable app with some annoyances *2020-07-23, version 7.9.0* Dark mode doesn’t apply while reading an article, only in the menus and while browsing article headlines, which is counterintuitive. Email communications preferences should be available in the app with push notifications but they’re not. Instead, after signing up for a paid membership to read news IN THE APP, SacBee still thought I needed to get 10 emails a day showing me the same articles that I already read IN THE APP. I also had to use html view in the gmail app to get the unsubscribe link to appear, which I think may be technically illegal under the federal CAN-SPAM Act. Despite all that, the app UX is productive and the journalism itself is good....usually. Oh and one more thing. The photos section is nothing but Jack Ohman political cartoons...that’s dumb. They’re not even that funny. How about some....PHOTOS?...maybe? Idk ### 4/5 — Frustrating! *2020-01-17, version 7.5.0* This app doesn’t work well at all. After nearly 40 years as a subscriber to the print version I finally cancelled it because of horrible service and the fact the news in the paper was at least 24-48 hours old. I’ve been trying to use the digital version but it is unfortunately very difficult to use. The news coverage is much better in the digital version but half the time it won’t let me on. Plus they can’t get my billing right even though they take my money monthly. I subscribe to several other newspapers and I’ve never had any problems like I have with the Bee. Plus...there is no sacbee e-edition in the Apple App Store. --- *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 2026-09-04.*