# The Birmingham News

> Digital newspaper app for local news, features, sports, and entertainment. (iPhone/iPad app by The Birmingham News Company.)

- Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-birmingham-news/id470912745 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`)
- Developer: [The Birmingham News Company](https://appshunter.io/developer/470912748)
- Category: News, Magazines & Newspapers
- Price: Free with in-app purchases
- Rating: 4.50/5 from 402 App Store ratings · 37 written reviews indexed
- Age rating: 17+
- Requires: iOS 17.0 · 32 MB
- Languages: British English
- Released: 2011-11-04
- Data updated: 2026-08-29
- Monetization: free with in-app purchases
- User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-birmingham-news/id470912745/reviews.md

## What is The Birmingham News?

Welcome to the Birmingham News' new Online Newspaper app! Dive into the newspaper anytime, anywhere. Keep up with award-winning local news, daily features, sports updates, entertainment highlights, special sections, and more—all at your fingertips!


Enjoy online-only perks with an enhanced reading experience, including bonus magazines, supplements, interactive puzzles and games, and easy article sharing with friends and family. 


Birmingham News subscribers receive full access to each edition without any extra cost. Just log in with your existing email and password to explore everything we offer!


Terms of Use: https://www.advancelocal.com/advancelocalUserAgreement/user-agreement.html

Privacy Policy: https://www.advancelocal.com/advancelocalUserAgreement/privacy-policy.html


====== SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION ======

If you are not a current Birmingham News subscriber, we offer the following App-only subscription option:

1 Month Auto-renewing Subscription: $9.99

Payment will be charged to your iTunes Account at confirmation of purchase. Subscription automatically renews unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24-hours before the end of the current period. Your account will be charged for renewal within 24-hours prior to the end of the current period.

Your subscriptions may be managed (and auto-renewal can be turned off) by going to your iTunes Account Settings after purchase. No cancellation of the current subscription is allowed during the active subscription period.

## Key features

- Award-winning local news
- Daily features and sports updates
- Entertainment highlights
- Online-only perks
- Bonus magazines and supplements
- Interactive puzzles and games
- Easy article sharing

## Pricing and in-app purchases

Base price: Free.

**Subscriptions**

| Subscription | Price | Period |
| --- | --- | --- |
| The Birmingham News | $9.99 | per month |

**One-time purchases**

| Purchase | Price | Type |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Racing: Talladega | $2.99 | one-time |
| Baseball Magazine 2/2018 | $2.99 | one-time |


## What do users think of The Birmingham News?

Overall sentiment: negative

**Pros**

- 📰 In-depth local journalism
- 🌍 Solid world view/current affairs
- 📱 Easy to swipe and read
- 👍 Easy to use
- 📰 Lots of local news
- 💻 Accessible on iPad
- ✨ Great app
- 💡 Interesting and well-written stories

**Cons**

- 🐛 App is full of bugs
- 😩 Clunky, difficult, and primitive account management
- 🤔 Confusing app interface
- ❌ Cannot renew subscription
- 🚫 Account acts canceled
- 😵 App is hard to maneuver
- 💥 Crashes frequently
- ⏳ Information is a day late
- 📺 Only comics displayed sometimes
- ⬇️ No download at all sometimes
- 🚫 Lost interactive crossword puzzle
- ❌ Useless app
- 🔄 Needs to revert to previous version
- 📺 Embedded YouTube video dominates screen
- 🚫 Cannot minimize or eliminate video
- 🤷‍♂️ App doesn't recognize username
- 💸 Subscription fee taken without recognition
- ❌ Cannot login
- 🚫 User name not in database
- 💻 Must download ebook version
- 🗑️ Worthless app
- 📧 No response to emails
- ❌ Login info incorrect
- 💻 Can log in on computer, not app
- 💸 Money back requested
- ⭐ Zero stars given
- 📉 Will not continue to subscribe if app doesn't function
- 🚫 Never works
- 🗑️ Needs to be fixed for paying customers
- 🔄 App has to be deleted and reinstalled each time
- 🚫 Unstable app
- 🔄 Cycles between sections, unable to load
- 🔄 Only good for one use
- 🔄 Keeps refreshing editions screen
- 💸 Forces purchase via iTunes
- 💸 Charge on top of existing subscription
- 🤷‍♂️ Account online not working
- 🤷‍♂️ Doesn't get it
- ❌ App does not work
- 💸 Waste of money
- ❌ Cannot get paper to download
- 🤷‍♂️ Cheated
- 📉 Part-time newspaper
- 📉 Annoying crashing
- 💰 Subscription price too high
- 🤷‍♂️ Not willing to cut price
- 🤷‍♂️ Dropping e-subscription
- 🤷‍♂️ Not worth $11/month
- ❓ Hidden charge information
- ❓ Listed as free install but has charge
- 💥 Crashed 3 times before paper could be read
- ⏳ Took forever to download
- 💥 Crashes all the time
- 📉 Inherent instability makes it useless
- 💰 Prices not as advertised
- ❓ Misleading prices
- 🚫 Cannot log on
- 💰 Stealing
- 🤷‍♂️ Customer service advice didn't work
- ⏳ Long response time
- 🤷‍♂️ Won't refund
- ⏳ Save your time and blood pressure
- 🤷‍♂️ Out of their league
- 💥 Extremely unstable
- 😩 Pain to read
- 💥 Constantly crashes
- 🤷‍♂️ Needs to be first class app
- 🐌 Slow loading
- 💥 Crashes 50% of the time
- 🐌 Loads slowly
- 🚫 Pixilated and unreadable parts
- 🚫 Today's paper not available
- 💥 Crashes/closes every time
- 🚫 Password error message
- 🤷‍♂️ Managers didn't have record of payment
- 🤷‍♂️ Managers didn't call back
- 🤷‍♂️ Problem with app developer
- 🤷‍♂️ No idea when it will be fixed
- ⭐ One star given
- ⭐ Zero star option desired

**Commonly reported bugs**

- App is full of bugs
- Cannot renew subscription
- Account acts canceled
- App is hard to maneuver
- Crashes frequently
- Information is a day late
- Only comics displayed sometimes
- No download at all sometimes
- Lost interactive crossword puzzle
- Useless app
- Needs to revert to previous version
- Embedded YouTube video dominates screen
- Cannot minimize or eliminate video
- App doesn't recognize username
- Subscription fee taken without recognition
- Cannot login
- User name not in database
- Must download ebook version
- Worthless app
- No response to emails
- Login info incorrect
- Can log in on computer, not app
- Money back requested
- Zero stars given
- Will not continue to subscribe if app doesn't function
- Never works
- Needs to be fixed for paying customers
- App has to be deleted and reinstalled each time
- Unstable app
- Cycles between sections, unable to load
- Only good for one use
- Keeps refreshing editions screen
- Forces purchase via iTunes
- Charge on top of existing subscription
- Online account not working
- Doesn't get it
- App does not work
- Cannot get paper to download
- Cheated
- Part-time newspaper
- Annoying crashing
- Subscription price too high
- Not willing to cut price
- Dropping e-subscription
- Not worth $11/month
- Hidden charge information
- Listed as free install but has charge
- Crashed 3 times before paper could be read
- Took forever to download
- Crashes all the time
- Inherent instability makes it useless
- Prices not as advertised
- Misleading prices
- Cannot log on
- Stealing
- Customer service advice didn't work
- Long response time
- Won't refund
- Save your time and blood pressure
- Out of their league
- Extremely unstable
- Pain to read
- Constantly crashes
- Needs to be first class app
- Slow loading
- Crashes 50% of the time
- Loads slowly
- Pixilated and unreadable parts
- Today's paper not available
- Crashes/closes every time
- Password error message
- Managers didn't have record of payment
- Managers didn't call back
- Problem with app developer
- No idea when it will be fixed
- One star given
- Zero star option desired
- Fix sign-in issues (username/password incorrect)
- Reset iTunes subscription

**Most requested features**

- Upgrade account-management systems
- Revert to previous version
- Fix bugs
- Get an app that works well
- Credit existing subscribers when fixed
- Create a new app
- Fix the app
- Make it work for paying customers
- Fix the app so it doesn't need reinstallation
- Fix the app so it's good for more than one use
- Fix the app so it doesn't refresh editions screen
- Fix the app so it doesn't force iTunes purchase
- Fix the app so online accounts work
- Fix the app
- Fix the app so it downloads papers
- Fix the app so it doesn't crash
- Change subscription pricing
- Make subscription price at least in half
- Make information prominent on app store listing
- Fix app so it doesn't crash before reading paper
- Fix app so it doesn't crash all the time
- Fix app so it's not useless
- Correct misleading subscription prices
- Fix app so users can log on
- Fix app so customer service can resolve issues
- Make it a first class app
- Fix slow loading
- Fix pixilated and unreadable parts
- Make today's paper available
- Fix app crashes
- Fix sign-in issues (username/password incorrect)
- Reset iTunes subscription

## Recent user reviews (10 of 37)

All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-birmingham-news/id470912745/reviews.md

### 5/5 — Readership for the Modern Era

*2026-01-07, version 10.0.0*

Great continuation of in-depth local journalism and a solid world view/current affairs reporting.

### 3/5 — Just cause it is new don’t make it gooder

*2025-01-25, version 9.0.0*

Open the app and yesterday’s paper greets you.  Wow, what progress.

### 3/5 — Confusing.

*2024-03-09, version 8.0.5*

I’m really confused. Did The Lede go away? I liked that. I don’t get this at all. I thought the newspaper closed. Is this a the same thing?

### 1/5 — Renew subscription

*2023-11-15, version 8.0.3*

All I’m trying to do is renew my subscription.  This crazy website is ridiculous!  I can’t renew.  It acts like my account has been canceled.

### 2/5 — Account management

*2023-07-05, version 8.0.0*

The news stories are interesting and well written. However, the support for managing ones account are clunky, difficult and primitive. These folks need to invest more resources to upgrade their account-management systems.

### 1/5 — Reviews are for different app

*2023-06-25, version 8.0.0*

LEDE has been out for less than a year but ratings are based on reviews that go back much further.  How can you trust reviews if they are not relevant to the app?  Was a subscriber to paper until it was cancelled. Everything moved to LEDE this year.  The app is full of bugs.  Says they don’t recognize my username - but they never hesitate to take my subscription fee from the bank.  Local news is important but this app isn’t cutting the cake.

### 5/5 — Like it

*2023-02-22*

I’m a big fan of this new format- easy to swipe and read

### 5/5 — The Lede

*2022-10-03, version 7.0.2*

I’m a big fan of the new format. Easy to read. Lots of local news. And like that I can get it easily on my iPad. Thank you for the update!

### 5/5 — E edition

*2021-08-25, version 6.32.47*

Great app

### 5/5 — Keeps me up to date

*2021-07-18, version 6.32.47*

I love having the Birmingham News app on my phone. It keeps me up to date and is so easy to use.

## Frequently asked questions about The Birmingham News

### What is this app?

This is the online newspaper app for The Birmingham News. It provides access to award-winning local news, daily features, sports updates, entertainment highlights, and special sections. You can enjoy an enhanced reading experience with online-only perks like bonus magazines, supplements, and interactive puzzles.

### How do I access content?

Current Birmingham News subscribers receive full access by logging in with their existing email and password. If you are not a subscriber, you can purchase an app-only subscription for $9.99 per month.

### What are the subscription options?

The app offers a 1-month auto-renewing subscription for $9.99. Payment is charged to your iTunes Account at confirmation of purchase. Auto-renewal can be managed or turned off in your iTunes Account Settings.

### Can I cancel my subscription?

You can manage your subscriptions and turn off auto-renewal by going to your iTunes Account Settings after purchase. However, no cancellation of the current subscription is allowed during the active subscription period.

### What kind of content can I expect?

You can expect a comprehensive range of content including award-winning local news, daily features, sports updates, entertainment highlights, and special sections. Additionally, subscribers and app-only subscribers gain access to online-only perks such as bonus magazines, supplements, and interactive puzzles and games.

## Version history (last 5 releases)

### 10.0.2 — 2026-02-27

Updated age ratings to comply with State & Local laws

### 10.0.1 — 2026-01-08

Bug fixes and performance improvements

### 10.0.0 — 2025-12-08

"For You" allows you to create your own personalized newsfeed by selecting the authors and topics that matter most to you.  Stay Informed like never before with the Oregonian Cleaner Faster Smarter.

### 9.1.1 — 2025-08-26

What’s New in The Birmingham News App

We’ve made some exciting updates to make your experience even better:

Live News Integration
Stay informed in real time with our new Live News feature! Get instant updates on breaking stories, local developments, and major events as they happen—right from your home screen.

Smarter Navigation
We’ve streamlined the app’s layout to help you find what you need faster. Whether you're browsing top headlines, diving into local coverage, or exploring your favorite sections, everything is now just a tap away.

Performance Enhancements
We’ve squashed bugs and improved speed for a smoother, more reliable experience.

### 9.1.0 — 2025-06-05

Addition of welcome screens

## Apps similar to The Birmingham News

| App | Rating | Price | Category |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| [The Tuscaloosa News](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-tuscaloosa-news/id394646069) | 4.5 (320) | Free | News |
| [The Huntsville Times](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-huntsville-times/id535903176) | 4.4 (267) | Free | News |
| [The Press-Register](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-press-register/id535938034) | 4.5 (195) | Free | News |
| [Birmingham Times](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/birmingham-times/id1454542678) | 5.0 (3) | Free | News |
| [WBHM Public Radio](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/wbhm-public-radio/id454075987) | 4.5 (72) | Free | News |
| [AL.com](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/alcom/id419876008) | 4.5 (15,258) | Free | News |

## Related topics

[the birmingham news](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/the-birmingham-news) · [birmingham news](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/birmingham-news) · [birmingham](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/birmingham) · [alabama newscenter](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/alabama-newscenter)

---

*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.*