# Virginian Pilot

> Virginia news, sports, business, and entertainment coverage for iPhone and iPad. (iPhone/iPad app by Pilot Media.)

- Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/virginian-pilot/id537988905 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`)
- Developer: [Pilot Media](https://appshunter.io/developer/537988908)
- Category: News, Entertainment
- Price: Free with in-app purchases
- Rating: 4.40/5 from 2,237 App Store ratings · 84 written reviews indexed
- Age rating: 12+
- Requires: iOS 15.0 · 190 MB
- Languages: American English
- Released: 2012-08-01
- Data updated: 2026-08-30
- Monetization: free with in-app purchases
- User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/virginian-pilot/id537988905/reviews.md

## What is Virginian Pilot?

Now there's a simple, elegant and customizable way to get essential The Virginian-Pilot news, sports, business and entertainment coverage on your iPhone or iPad.

FEATURES:

• Stay informed with Virginia's best source of news, sports, business and entertainment
• Sign up for push notifications to get the latest news from our newsroom as soon as stories break
• Save must-read stories, photos and videos for when you have the time to enjoy them
• Get the latest breaking news from our newsroom in your notifications
• Share stories easily with Twitter, Facebook, or email
• Offline reading: Download and read content offline
• You can read our Privacy Policy here: http://www.tribpub.com/privacy-policy/
• You can read our Terms of Service here:
http://www.tribpub.com/central-terms-of-service/


CRASHES / PROBLEMS?

We've been working hard to fix any and all crashes in the app. If you're still experiencing crashes or freezes after installing this update, please contact us at customer_service@virginianpilot.cust-serv.com. A quick email to our support team helps our developers identify and resolve crashes faster.

## Key features

- Essential news coverage
- Push notifications for breaking news
- Save stories, photos, and videos
- Offline reading capabilities
- Easy social media sharing
- Breaking news alerts

## Pricing and in-app purchases

Base price: Free.

**Subscriptions**

| Subscription | Price | Period |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Unlimited Digital Access | $7.99 | per month |
| Unlimited Digital Access | $19.99 | per month |
| Virginia Pilot | $199.99 | per year |
| Monthly Subscription | $19.99 | per month |
| Annual Subscription | $199.99 | per year |


## What do users think of Virginian Pilot?

Overall sentiment: negative

**Pros**

- 🇺🇸 Excellent military coverage
- 📰 Coastal Virginia information hub
- 🗞 Keeps me connected to my hometown

**Cons**

- 🤯 Overwhelming ads
- 🔒 Subscription issues and login problems
- 📱 Buggy and crash-prone app
- 🧭 Poor navigation and user experience
- 📦 Delivery and distribution problems
- 📰 Lack of local news coverage

**Commonly reported bugs**

- Frequent app crashes
- Paywall issues even for subscribers
- Inability to access full articles

**Most requested features**

- Restore landscape mode for e-edition
- Improve search and filtering capabilities
- Provide access to previous day's editions
- Make puzzles and comics more accessible

## Recent user reviews (10 of 84)

All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/virginian-pilot/id537988905/reviews.md

### 1/5 — Does not work

*2026-08-20, version 10.0.59*

Ready to stop paper

### 1/5 — The Pilot App

*2026-08-20, version 10.0.59*

The app won’t update and now I can’t read anything.  Must be some glitch that the newspaper was too busy to debug!  Everything about this paper except the comics SUCKS!

### 1/5 — Hate this App

*2026-07-04, version 10.0.59*

Absolutely hate the online experience. When I get notifications for stories and click, the browser opens not the app. For some reason the web version NEVER accepts my saved password. Then when I go to the app directly— it needs updated EVERY TIME. I have updated it 4 times THIS WEEK. Somehow all the other publications I subscribe to offer seamless experiences when you click on their links/ notifications, and they rarely need to update. Given the very small size of the paper now, one would think they would be getting the digital experience right and… one would be wrong.

### 3/5 — Grievance Issues

*2026-06-11, version 10.0.58*

Private Equity Nightmare- I was once employed at the Va. Pilot and they robbed me of a better retirement package, while donating 50 million to the university of Virginia. Still sorta bitter🤷🏾

### 1/5 — Unstable unreliable app

*2026-03-15, version 10.0.53*

Every time I try to click through on a notification for an urgent story, which are the only ones I bother with anymore, the app needs updating. I’m updating twice a week sometimes!!

### 1/5 — Website Not user Friendly

*2025-10-24, version 10.0.47*

You cannot manage a subscription from the website as you can with every other new media. Must waste time on the phone but only during work hours. My guess is this is no accident.

### 1/5 — Too many updates

*2025-08-28, version 10.0.45*

There are no other apps I use that have to be updated more. It’s at least once a week if not multiple times a week. The app is fine. Please stop updating it or at least wait and do monthly

### 1/5 — Why weekly updates?

*2025-08-15, version 10.0.44*

There are now officially more updates to this buggy app then there are to the actual news cycle. It’s mid-August, and I was just required to perform a second weekly update to access my paid subscription.  Meanwhile, at present, the seventh leading news story on the Pilot app is about a July hotdog night at a minor-league baseball stadium.  So over the past 3 weeks, there must have only been 6 bigger news stories anywhere else, across all local, state, national, and world news.  Maybe update the actual news as frequently as you update the app?

### 1/5 — It’s just associated press clippings

*2025-05-14, version 10.0.36*

I would love IF Norfolk had a local newspaper. I would gladly pay hundreds of dollars for a Norfolk newspaper. But this is no local paper. All they do is charge you money to read associated press national news drivel, which is free and regurgitated on cable news all day long. Maybe one day, Norfolk will have a newspaper.

### 2/5 — Subscription with zero access🤨

*2024-11-19, version 10.0.29*

I receive notices of articles I’d like to read, yet despite my subscription which I noticed I’m still paying for, what I read is I’ve no access to the articles & suggestions that I should subscribe. 

In light of my ongoing disappointment, I feel this ⭐️⭐️ rating is generous. The Pilot can do better. Perhaps they’ll read my review and make this right?

¯\_(ツ)_/¯ 
Jp Barnes

## Frequently asked questions about Virginian Pilot

### What kind of content does the Virginian Pilot app offer?

The app provides essential coverage of news, sports, business, and entertainment from The Virginian-Pilot, Virginia's leading news source. You can stay informed about local happenings and significant events.

### Can I read articles offline with this app?

Yes, the app supports offline reading. You can download content when you have an internet connection and read it later at your convenience without needing to be online.

### How do I get notified about breaking news?

You can sign up for push notifications within the app. This feature ensures you receive the latest breaking news from the newsroom directly to your device as soon as stories are published.

### Is this app free to download and use?

The app is free to download and use, offering access to news content. However, like many apps, it may include in-app purchases and advertisements.

### What devices is the Virginian Pilot app compatible with?

The app is designed for use on iPhones and iPads, allowing users to access news content on Apple mobile devices.

## Version history (last 5 releases)

### 10.0.60 — 2026-08-19

Enhanced Audio Controls: Refreshed audio player interface above the navigation bar, improved notification controls, and fixed disappearing player controls.

Dynamic Island Integration: Added support for Dynamic Island audio playback and updates on supported devices.

Expanded Home Screen Widgets: New and expanded widget options for quicker access to news directly from your Home Screen.

Resolved an authentication bug that prevented login via Facebook.

Bugs and maintenance

### 10.0.59 — 2026-07-02

Added in-app audio player
Bug fixes and maintenance

### 10.0.58 — 2026-06-09

Support for World Cup content
Bug fixes and maintenance

### 10.0.56 — 2026-05-12

Bug Fixes and Maintenance

### 10.0.54 — 2026-04-16

Bug Fixes and Maintenance

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*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 2026-08-30.*
