# Toronto Star — user reviews > 154 indexed App Store user reviews of Toronto Star by thestar.com, rated 4.70/5 from 235 ratings. - Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/toronto-star/id379481068/reviews - App overview in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/toronto-star/id379481068.md - Rating breakdown: 5★ 192 · 4★ 27 · 3★ 3 · 2★ 6 · 1★ 7 ## What do users think of Toronto Star? Overall sentiment: negative **Pros** - ⭐ Great journalism - 🗞️ Excellent newspaper - 🗞️ Important grassroots reporting **Cons** - 🔒 Difficult to unsubscribe - 🚫 Censorship - 💰 Cash grab - 🤖 AI algorithm out of control - 🔍 Antiquated - 🗞️ Biased, fake news - 🛑 Impossible to cancel subscription - 💰 Untruthful subscription - 🛑 Can't cancel subscription - 🚫 Unfair practice - 🚫 Disaster - 💰 Liars - 🔍 Stale content - 🐛 Glitchy app - 📢 Too many ads - 🚫 Interrupts music - 🔍 Dated stories - 🐛 Freezes - 🚫 Doesn't recognize subscription **Commonly reported bugs** - Crashes when opening - Notifications don't link properly to news stories - Saved articles not persistent - Links within articles open in browser instead of app - Home page freezes - Crossword doesn't save progress **Most requested features** - Ability to enlarge text via finger pinch - Bookmarking - External link handling - Comment board - Ability to delete or hide read articles - Lookup & Speak features - Gift article function - Ability to update credit card info - Sync subscription across devices - Ability to configure home page - Spell check/lookup - Ability to alter font size ## Newest reviews (20 of 154) ### 4/5 — Need Gift Articles *2026-08-10* Pls allow us to gift articles from the app. I think you can do it from a laptop. The Globe and Mail lets me gift from their app ### 3/5 — Feature Request *2026-06-15, version 9.72.0* Can we please please get the ability to “gift” articles in the app? I’d be able to share so many more articles with people if I didn’t have to go to the desktop site to share my gift articles ### 2/5 — Needs to be revamped for interactions *2026-05-16, version 9.70.0* It gets the job done for news, but the comments are difficult to follow and respond to. Replies and likes don’t show up in the Notification Centre, so you’re required to find the article you commented on and dig through all the responses to find the thread you interacted with. Considering it’s 2026, it’s almost like this app is from the 2010s. ### 3/5 — Good but for one big problem for me *2026-05-01, version 9.68.0* I use the app frequently. Generally it works really well. However, if you are listening to music and open an article it often silences the music. My phone can multitask, please let me read the news and listen to music at the same time! ### 3/5 — Needs Work *2026-04-10, version 9.67.0* Good but needs work. Finally able to change font size but can’t make it full width on my iPad in landscape mode, also cannot select a word and look it up like on every other news app. ### 1/5 — Difficult to unsubscribe *2026-03-16, version 9.65.0* Making subscription cancellation difficult is not a great way to retain customers or grow revenue. Disappointed that the app does not have an unsubscribe option and they charged me for 2 months inspite of emailing them to cancel my subscription. ### 1/5 — Local News *2026-03-09, version 9.64.0* The local news section is usually days old and DOES NOT allow comments. This paper seems to be very right wing oriented. I think the owners are americans . ### 2/5 — Cash Grab *2026-03-07, version 9.64.0* Only downloaded app to access daily horoscopes. Unable to access this particular content without having to substitute for a fee. DELETED App👎🏼 ### 3/5 — Too much clutter *2026-02-23, version 9.63.0* Let me configure what appears at the top of the screen. I don’t need like boxes filling 25% of my screen. Tell me where to turn these off. If I want them I’ll turn them back on. ### 1/5 — Antiquated *2026-02-11, version 9.63.0* This app is antiquated. You cannot do anything to fix your account. If you need to do anything you have to phone, sit on hold. Listen to sales pressure and then they still don’t action ### 1/5 — Disaster *2026-02-08, version 9.62.0* Another completely biased, fake news paper and app. Complete disgrace to the country. If you do not tow the line, commentary is blocked. ### 1/5 — My Rating *2026-02-01, version 9.62.0* 1 Star ### 2/5 — Pass *2026-01-31, version 9.62.0* Too many repeat stories that hang around. Not enough new news. Not worth my time. ### 1/5 — Liars *2026-01-24, version 9.61.0* Click the linked in the app to sign up for a one dollar sub subscription for six months (was also emailed this offer), was immediately charged 27.99 with a notification my next charge will be in a month. Obviously cancelled subscription and reported…but do better. ### 4/5 — Text size *2026-01-18, version 9.61.0* Please add Ability to enlarge text via finger pinch ### 1/5 — Comment function *2026-01-15, version 9.61.0* Comment algorithm and moderator review unnecessarily strict, limiting legitimate free speech. ### 4/5 — Good app, could use some tweaks *2026-01-05, version 9.60.1* While generally a good app, the experience could be improved with a few tweaks: - BOOKMARKING: there is no option to bookmark articles for later. Most other news apps have a little bookmark icon at the bottom or top of each article. Some go a step further and save an offline version of bookmarked articles so you can read without data (ideal on a plane or subway) - EXTERNAL LINK HANDLING: articles with links to external websites open within the app. The only navigation option in this dumbed down browser is ‘back’ (<). I get that the developers did this to orient the reader back to the Star content, but at least provide an option to open the site in my phone’s default browser. Nothing is more frustrating than going down a fun rabbit hole to accidentally press the silly < button and be returned to the original star article. - COMMENT BOARD: you can post or reply to comments but God help you if you ever want to find it again. I get in-app and email notifications that someone replied or liked my comment but the link doesn’t take me back to the comment. While this may be inadvertently good for my mental health, it would be nice to see what people are actually writing when they reply and have a chance for rebuttal. ### 1/5 — Device notification preferences deliberately ignored to drive engagement *2025-12-09, version 9.59.0* …which is a completely unethical way to get users to open the app, and yet they still have the audacity to display an image of the Notification Manager? For example, if a user wants to be notified only of ‘Breaking News,’ they’ll still get push notifications about Politics, Opinions, Morning, Afternoon and Evening Reads (among others). I get so many daily push notifications of stories I truly don’t care about that I had to write a review - amazing way to frustrate a user. ### 1/5 — Censorship *2025-11-13, version 9.57.0* The Toronto Star cannot handle criticism. No one cares about Jason Kelce. Say that in the comment section and they will ban you. So very weird. The Toronto Star should start reporting on issues that matter and leave out nonsense about Jason Kelce. I’ll be cancelling my subscription asap. ### 1/5 — Cancelation? *2025-10-18, version 9.55.0* This is the only subscription I HAVE COME UPON that does not allow one to cancel online. Not even any mention of how to do it. Terrible. ## Most critical reviews (10 lowest-rated) ### 1/5 — Fix your app *2026-08-11* I’m a subscriber but it keeps saying I’m not. I pay monthly and I’m signed in. My app is up to date. I can’t read a full arrival because it says I need to subscribe. Even gives me option to sign out. Duh!!! Time to cancel subscription. **Developer response:** We apologize for the inconvenience. Please reach out to us at mobile-feedback@thestar.ca and please share more details so that we can fix this issue for you. Thank you. ### 1/5 — False narratives *2026-07-29* Reporting fiction of what is actually happening in our country. More Canadian fake news ### 1/5 — Not worth it. Don't try and cancel they won't let you. *2026-07-26* Have tried cancelling twice. You can't all they want is money **Developer response:** Thank you for your feedback. We're sorry to hear you've had difficulty cancelling your subscription and that's not the experience we want for our readers. Cancellations can be managed directly through your App Store account settings under Subscriptions, which should give you immediate control. If you're still running into issues, please email us at mobile-feedback@thestar.ca and we'll make sure this is resolved promptly. We appreciate your patience. ### 1/5 — Terrible web site *2026-07-12* This app won’t let you comment on anything the powers that be don’t agree with. You can be deactivated by just stating “no” in the comment section. discrimination much? **Developer response:** Thank you for your feedback. We are sorry to hear that Local News section did not meet your expectations. Can you please provide more details at mobile-feedback@thestar.ca about what you are seeing (such as location your MyLocal is set to and any articles that appeared outdated and not able to comment). Your feedback will help us investigate and improve the app. ### 1/5 — Disappointing *2026-06-23, version 9.72.0* Lousy service ### 1/5 — Subscription cancellation *2026-05-22, version 9.70.0* Not having a simple way to cancel digital subscription within the app is frankly sleazy in this day and age. ### 1/5 — Don't Try To Cancel *2026-05-19* You can only cancel your subscription if you go through some long convoluted process and then it is questionable if your subscription has been cancelled! Not impressed!!! ### 1/5 — P & G *2026-05-07, version 9.69.0* Sick of reading the same things … pitiful and gross ### 1/5 — Won’t stop charging me *2026-05-05, version 9.69.0* I’ve tried cancelling my Toronto Star subscription a few times and they ignore my emails and continue to charge me. Buyer beware ### 1/5 — Back button! *2026-04-04, version 9.67.0* I am a regular user—need local news—and am amazed and frustrated that there is no simple button to hit to return to one’s previous position. For anyone wanting to peruse a paper in an orderly way, it is extremely frustrating. If it is not amended, I will stop reading the Star. TorStar reply please! ## Most praised reviews (10 highest-rated) ### 5/5 — Great journalism *2025-05-18, version 9.44.0* I love reading this paper and the app sends me alerts on top stories ### 5/5 — Excellent newspaper *2025-05-15, version 9.44.0* Can be light on for great Canadian news coverage, including sports entertainment, and daily events ### 5/5 — Ad issue resolved *2025-05-14, version 9.44.0* Thanks to the app team for resolving the ad issue. Appreciate the prompt response. Back to being a happy subscriber. :) ### 5/5 — Excellent App But 1 Fault *2024-10-31, version 9.29.0* Overall the App functions well. ### 5/5 — Toronto Star *2024-08-24, version 9.25* I enjoy all of your articles as it’s rewarding to get facts through great journalism. Articles are articulated very well and great research by journalists. ### 5/5 — Important Grassroots reporting *2024-08-24* Providing interesting stories, valued reporting on a broad range of ‘local news’, often giving the little guy a voice and shines a light on the politics and understory of what’s happening in our country. Necessary particularly to keep our provincial leader in check. ### 5/5 — Rating the app, not the coverage (and it’s good) *2024-01-25, version 9.11.0* The APP is quite nice. Some knuckle draggers want to vote down the app because they don’t like The Star’s editorial leanings. They can’t be happy that American-owned right-wing Postmedia papers dominate Canada’s news landscape, and remain bothered by the mere existence of a few news outlets that don’t confirm their biases. ### 5/5 — Toronto Star App *2021-03-16* It’s amazing to have especially on paper as well. ### 5/5 — Great addition to my daily news line-up. *2018-11-14, version 7.1.7* Easy navigation. ### 5/5 — Ugly and frustrating *2017-07-15, version 6.0.0* The latest redesign of the app is disturbing to look at. The headline font is ugly and the body type was easier to read when it was sans serif. I feel I am working harder now to use it. --- *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 2026-08-31.*