# The Banner: Maryland News — user reviews > 77 indexed App Store user reviews of The Banner by The Venetoulis Institute for Local Journalism, rated 4.80/5 from 7,483 ratings. - Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-banner-maryland-news/id1638749573/reviews - App overview in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-banner-maryland-news/id1638749573.md - Rating breakdown: 5★ 6,506 · 4★ 702 · 3★ 154 · 2★ 39 · 1★ 82 ## What do users think of The Banner? Overall sentiment: positive **Pros** - 👍 Excellent news reporting - 👍 Balanced and fair coverage - 👍 Transparent and honest journalism - 👍 Refreshing local news source - 👍 High-quality writing and editing - 👍 Serious investigative journalism - 👍 Cooperation with WYPR - 👍 Convenient app experience **Cons** - 🐛 Buggy and glitchy app - 🐛 Frequent login issues - 🐛 Overly sensitive screen interactions - 🐛 Excessive ads in articles - 🐛 Font is difficult to read - 🐛 Nonfunctional app for some users **Commonly reported bugs** - Login screen freezes - App crashes when using ad blocker - Subscription issues and login problems **Most requested features** - Dark mode option - More neighborhood news coverage - Improved app stability and performance ## Newest reviews (14 of 77) ### 3/5 — Title font so big it runs out of room *2026-07-15, version 4.1.0* Please adjust title font so we can read the whole thing. Thx. ### 4/5 — More Washington County News *2026-03-31, version 3.7.5* This is a good paper but I would like to see more coverage of the Washington and Frederick County areas if possible. ### 4/5 — Good, but missing a way to favorite articles *2026-03-27* Could also use a way for subscribers to download articles. If you’re gonna have 7 or 8 articles doing in-depth reporting on different aspects of the same topic spanning several months that’s great journalism but how am I supposed to keep track of all that? ### 3/5 — Search and web links *2025-11-26, version 3.7.4* Love the banner so much, but damn… being on instagram or email and seeing an article I want to read, clicking on it and it not open ing the article in the app is one thing. But even when I search the app with the title verbatim and don’t even find articles related to a similar topic is a complete failure. I would use the app so much more if I could move from web or social media links to the app seamlessly. 3 stars for the banner 0 for the app ### 5/5 — Pathbreaking Local Coverage *2025-07-02, version 3.6* Thank goodness for the Banner’s local news coverage! ### 5/5 — Baltimore Banner’s getting the job done! *2025-06-19* In a world where local news is receding as new consolidates, the Baltimore Banner has stepped into the gap in a powerful way. Ensuring that both national and local news are highlighted is no easy task…yet they do so wonderfully! ### 5/5 — The Best Newspaper in Maryland *2025-02-10, version 3.5* Fantastic newspaper. ### 5/5 — All in one news *2025-02-08, version 3.5* The Banner provides all the news I need to know about Maryland. From breaking news to feel good stories, they have it all. ### 5/5 — Great alternative *2024-12-23, version 3.3* Alternative to The Sun; wish they did better job on obituaries. ### 5/5 — My favorite news and updates ! *2024-12-14* I love the Baltimore Banner ! The news and updates are not full of bias and embellishments. The reporters are excellent at their craft . I love that the Banner deals with direct reporting. I am old school so the transparency and the honesty mean a lot to me . Sincerely, Lyn ### 5/5 — Great Reporting *2024-12-11* I recently decided to get Baltimore Banner subscription. I really like the news reporting on both local and national news. The articles are well written and fair. I highly recommend subscribing to. I have given a subscription to family members. ### 5/5 — Baltimore’s Best News Outlet *2024-08-27* The Banner consistently delivers up-to-date, balanced news, accurate information, and entertaining features. Just what Marylanders have been missing! ### 5/5 — Great Product *2024-07-27, version 3.1* Very enjoyable read. Well done! ### 5/5 — Good reporting *2024-07-20, version 3.1* The Banner is the most reliable source of local news I know. Thanks ## Most critical reviews (10 lowest-rated) ### 1/5 — White Liberal Clowns *2025-08-08, version 3.7.2* The Banner Scared White Liberals ### 1/5 — Adware *2024-11-21, version 3.3* We subscribed to The Banner when the Sun was bought, with my spouse using the primary account and me using the guest account. Super disappointed with the amount of ads - WAYYYYYY too many ads per article for a service we pay for! DELETING. ### 1/5 — Shady and will jack up your subscription price with no warning *2024-08-17, version 3.3* I like the baltimore banner and think it’s better than the sun but getting a $20+ charge out of nowhere as a college student seems shady. Whatever. Good luck to them. I’m out ### 1/5 — More questions than answers *2024-07-19* For example, today’s article on flushing the city’s temporary water pipes by letting water run into the street while permanent mains are being replaced was careful to mention that residents do not pay for water unless it passes through their meters and into their homes. Then a few paragraphs later the article quoted a Hopkins professor (who advised Reagan on water matters - so what) that the taxpayers will ultimately pay for the water being flushed. No explanation followed as to why or how this would happen. Sloppy. ### 1/5 — Sell your information *2024-04-04, version 2.9.1* The app redirects you to their website where they say they share information about you. Canceled my subscription ### 1/5 — Nonfunctional and Broken App *2023-06-20* This review has nothing to do with the content of The Baltimore Banner and only the inoperability of their app. It began with articles becoming stuck while attempting to scroll, but now I can’t even open the app without it attempting to connect to an advertisement service. Despite having a subscription, the app won’t work at all unless your phone can connect to their advertisements. This is the only news app that I’ve ever had which just blocks your use if you have even the smallest ad-blocker. Ridiculous. ### 1/5 — Incompetent App Designers *2023-03-29, version 2.0* Deleted app after several illogical requests for me to change my password. Study other apps before you release a flawed one. ### 1/5 — Awful technology *2023-01-24, version 1.9* Twice I have signed up and paid for a subscript I. And still cannot access the site. ### 2/5 — Shady Billing Practices, Customer Service is a chatbot *2026-01-26* I had a rate increase without notice so I canceled the service and immediately reached out to the customer service email address provided in the app. The names on the header and body of the emailed ticket responses don’t match. Instead of providing answers, I am getting copy/paste bot responses offering me discounts on a semi annual and annual subscription option. It’s disappointing that a publication serving the state cannot employ or engage its citizens in regards their customer service department. ### 2/5 — Can’t make comments via app *2025-10-23, version 3.7.4* Used to be able to comment under stories on the app. Now only on web browser. ## Most praised reviews (10 highest-rated) ### 5/5 — Grateful for this 4th pillar *2026-06-21, version 3.7.13* Thank you for providing unbiased and well written investigative reporting. The other paper has become yet another tool of the right. ### 5/5 — Local Prince George’s *2026-06-15, version 3.7.13* So happy to have local news! ### 5/5 — Best News Coverage in Maryland *2026-05-25, version 3.7.13* The Banner is my go-to place for MD News. Excellent writers, a good mix of fun and serious stories, great online content- the Banner has it all. In the age of Corporate Media consolidation, supporting local News has never been more important and more rewarding. ### 5/5 — Excellent local coverage *2026-03-31* Gives me news at a level that is often overlooked by larger outlets. The news comes from right around the corner. Outstanding! Thank you ### 5/5 — Accurate *2026-02-28* I was a Sun reader for years until it was taken over by the far right. I had to find a paper and a news organization that would give accurate information in Maryland and the Banner is that news organization. ### 5/5 — Great local journalism *2025-11-23, version 3.7.4* Great alternative to the now Sinclair family owned political hacks over at the Baltimore Sun and local corporate media. Lots of good investigative and local journalism. ### 5/5 — Excellent local coverage *2025-09-16, version 3.7.3* Finally, we have a local Montgomery County news source that cares about local news! ### 5/5 — Great *2025-08-19, version 3.7.2* Thank you and have a nice day! ### 5/5 — Great Newspaper *2025-08-05* The Banner has some of the best investigative reporting I have read in years. Their work is thoroughly researched. It is an amazingly well balanced newspaper reporting on important news in the Baltimore region. Would love to see you guys expand into Carroll a bit more. ### 5/5 — Great reporting by The Baltimore Banner *2025-07-25, version 3.6.1* The app works flawlessly. The Baltimore Banner is my go to source for news about the Baltimore region. --- *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 2026-09-09.*