# War on the Rocks — National security for insiders

> National security analysis and podcasts for members. (iPhone/iPad app by WOTR.)

- Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/war-on-the-rocks/id6444522500 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`)
- Developer: [WOTR](https://appshunter.io/developer/1655113041)
- Category: News, Magazines & Newspapers
- Price: Free
- Rating: 3.80/5 from 31 App Store ratings · 15 written reviews indexed
- Age rating: 4+
- Requires: iOS 13.0 · 85 MB
- Languages: American English, German (Germany), Polish, Romanian, Russian, European Spanish
- Released: 2022-11-23
- Data updated: 2026-08-23
- Monetization: free
- User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/war-on-the-rocks/id6444522500/reviews.md

## What is War on the Rocks?

Check out your favorite analysis and podcasts on strategy, defense, and foreign affairs via an app that gives access to the full suite of the War on the Rocks membership offering.

## Key features

- Strategy analysis
- Defense insights
- Foreign affairs commentary
- Podcast access
- Membership content

## Recent user reviews (10 of 15)

All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/war-on-the-rocks/id6444522500/reviews.md

### 5/5 — The Quintessential National Security App

*2026-07-21*

What more do you need? It has everything for everyone in defense.

### 5/5 — Professional Insights for Professionals

*2026-03-08*

WOTR provides authoritative information and analysis that you simply can’t find anywhere else.  I’m a national security professional and WOTR is one of my most important go-to sources of solid information and insightful analysis.

### 2/5 — Needs Work

*2026-02-05*

Love WOTR, but the app needs work. The font is too small and cannot be adjusted. It also is very hard to search the archive.

### 1/5 — 2yrs on, no visible improvement

*2025-04-01*

In these reviews the savvy reader will see that there are the high star reviews which praise the content and the low star reviews that critically analyze the app that is the delivery mechanism for the content.
The app still has vast room for improvement despite having had years in which to make the simplest of updates. The best example is that still there is no dark mode, so if you open the app after sunset you will wreck your night vision. This is a small change that could make a big improvement.
The tech entrepreneur behind the company needs somebody who will speak truth to power.

### 1/5 — Fantastic content. Terrible app.

*2024-05-30*

Made worse by the fact that my Russia Contingency subscription through Apple Podcasts is always glitching, forcing me to listen on this app.

### 2/5 — Excellent Coverage, Miserable App

*2024-05-28*

War on the Rocks continues to provide excellent coverage and analysis of global affairs. However, this app is a miserable experience. As others have noted, the app is really just a portal to hyper-linked articles. Articles don’t stay open when you switch apps or temporarily put down your phone. It’s impossible to start an article, turn to another task, and return to where you were reading. Until this app is re-engineered to function like an actual news app (of which there are many great examples) I’d forgo downloading it and stick to the website.

### 1/5 — Horrible App

*2024-02-13*

I thought this app would give me the best WOTR experience. Once I log into it, all I can do is change my profile. There’s no way to get to content or anything in there. I have just spent 30 minutes ding around with it and I can’t make it work, I’ll go back to trying to access stuff from the website. For $150 a year I guess my expectations were somewhat higher.

Content is still first rate, presentation poor.

### 2/5 — Outstanding publication, terrible app

*2023-09-20*

War On The Rocks is an great, their app is not. The app requires you to sign into your subscriber account every time you open the app. It is not a stand alone app, but rather it simply routes to the website. Excellent content, but tedious app to view it in.

### 1/5 — App is Not Ready for Prime Time

*2023-07-24*

This App displays SIDEWAYS on my iPad. It’s a shame because the content is worth reading. Fix it if you expect iPad readers to use it.

### 1/5 — Not ready for general release

*2023-02-19*

This app is just a web client with a subscribed user login, produced by a company that is seeking to monetize as much content as they can create. There is an embedded audio player with a single control, play/stop. There is no ‘forward to the end’ or ‘reverse to the end’, there is no ‘reverse by :05/:15/:30 seconds’ and no ‘forward by :05/:15/:30 seconds’. The audio player does not have a list to display what has been played and what has not been played. There is a way to separate the audio player from the web client and from the interactive forum client. There are no other controls for either the web client or the audio player. There is a control gear widget, but all it provides is one control to toggle for Push Notifications, and the rest is information about the company e.g. ToS, Privacy Policy, FAQ, inquiries and tech support, and ‘invite your friends!’. There is no CarPlay compatibility, and no Dark Mode. So if you want to play podcasts in the car or read at night forget about it. It does not differentiate the separate content subjects. The web client does not remember state, so if you scrolled down a ways and then go to a different app on your device and then come back to the WOTR app it places you at the top again. It is missing many major European languages (French) and has no Scandinavian languages; it has German and Russian but no Ukrainian; it has a few minor languages (Polish, Romanian).

This app is all about monetizing content for the creator with a myriad of subject streams, but with little attention to UX/UI detail for the user/customer. The app is (currently) listed as version 1.2.0, but it really should be at v0.5.0. Have to assume they did no user testing (UX/UI) whatsoever aside from the principals.

## Frequently asked questions about War on the Rocks

### What is War on the Rocks?

War on the Rocks provides in-depth analysis and podcasts on strategy, defense, and foreign affairs. It offers the full suite of membership content for users interested in national security.

### Is War on the Rocks free to use?

Yes, War on the Rocks is available for free. The app provides access to its full membership offering without any cost to download or use.

### What devices support War on the Rocks?

War on the Rocks is supported on iPhone, iPad, and iPod devices. It is designed for Apple's mobile operating systems.

### How often is War on the Rocks updated?

The latest version of War on the Rocks is 2.5.0, last updated on December 31, 2025. This indicates regular updates to the application.

### What is the age rating for War on the Rocks?

War on the Rocks has an age rating of 4+. This suggests content is generally suitable for a wide audience.

### What kind of content can I find on War on the Rocks?

You can find analysis and podcasts covering strategy, defense, and foreign affairs. The app delivers comprehensive content for those interested in national security topics.

### Does War on the Rocks have ads?

No, War on the Rocks does not contain advertisements. The app is ad-free, allowing for an uninterrupted user experience.

### What is the user sentiment for War on the Rocks?

War on the Rocks has an average rating of 3.4 stars from 17 ratings. This indicates a mixed but generally positive reception from its users.

## Version history (last 5 releases)

### 2.7.0 — 2026-05-28

This update brings several improvements to performance, stability, and user experience. We've also fixed some bugs to ensure a smoother and more reliable experience.

Update now to experience the best version!

### 2.6.0 — 2026-04-23

This update brings several improvements to performance, stability, and user experience. We've also fixed some bugs to ensure a smoother and more reliable experience.

Update now to experience the best version!

### 2.5.0 — 2025-12-31

This update brings several improvements to performance, stability, and user experience. We've also fixed some bugs to ensure a smoother and more reliable experience.

Update now to experience the best version!

### 2.4.0 — 2025-11-14

This update brings several improvements to performance, stability, and user experience. We've also fixed some bugs to ensure a smoother and more reliable experience.

Update now to experience the best version!

### 2.3.0 — 2025-06-05

This update brings several improvements to performance, stability, and user experience. We've also fixed some bugs to ensure a smoother and more reliable experience.

Update now to experience the best version!

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## Related topics

[institute for the study of war](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/institute-for-the-study-of-war) · [foreign policy](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/foreign-policy) · [britain at war magazine](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/britain-at-war-magazine)

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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 2026-08-23.*
