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Best Free News Apps

249+ iOS apps curated and reviewed

4.6 avg rating
20 free apps
Updated September 2026

With an average user rating of 4.6★, the free news apps category is one of the App Store's strongest. Browse all 249+ apps we track, sorted so the most loved ones surface first.

Compare top Free News Apps (September 2026)

#AppPriceRatingAdsIn-App PurchasesUpdated
1AP NewsAP NewsFree4.6★ (359K)YesNoSep 2026
2CNN: Live & Breaking NewsCNN: Live & Breaking NewsFree4.8★ (1.7M)YesYesSep 2026
3Apple NewsApple NewsFree4.6★ (1.6M)YesYesSep 2026
4NPR: National & Local NewsNPR: National & Local NewsFree4.6★ (72K)YesNoSep 2026
5NewsBreak: Local News & AlertsNewsBreak: Local News & AlertsFree4.8★ (1.4M)YesYesSep 2026
6Google NewsGoogle NewsFree4.6★ (226K)YesNoSep 2026
7USA TODAY: US & Breaking NewsUSA TODAY: US & Breaking NewsFree4.5★ (242K)YesYesSep 2026
8FOX News: US & World HeadlinesFOX News: US & World HeadlinesFree4.5★ (575K)YesNoSep 2026

Top Picks for Free News Apps

AP News#1

AP News by The Associated Press

Breaking World & Local News
Editor's Choice
📡 News
4.6😐(359K ratings)
FreeAds
#23in News
AP News screenshot 1
AP News screenshot 2
AP News screenshot 3
AP News screenshot 4
AP News screenshot 5
AP News screenshot 6

Get breaking world and local news, along with trending headlines. This app offers a personalized news feed, custom alerts, and in-depth content hubs for major events. Access award-winning photos, videos, and articles.

What We Love

  • 🚀 Unbiased and factual reporting
  • 📰 Comprehensive news coverage
  • ⚖️ Balanced and objective journalism

Room to Improve

  • 🐛 Frequent crashes and freezes
  • 🔍 Difficulty finding specific articles
  • 🔄 Resets to top of feed after reading articles
  • 🔌 Interrupts background audio playback
CNN: Live & Breaking News#2

CNN: Live & Breaking News by CNN Interactive Group, Inc.

Daily news you can trust
Strong Contender
📡 News
4.8😊(1.7M ratings)
FreeAdsIn-App Purchases
#6in News
CNN: Live & Breaking News screenshot 1
CNN: Live & Breaking News screenshot 2
CNN: Live & Breaking News screenshot 3
CNN: Live & Breaking News screenshot 4
CNN: Live & Breaking News screenshot 5
CNN: Live & Breaking News screenshot 6

Access breaking news, in-depth analysis, and live reporting from trusted journalists. Stay informed with articles, videos, podcasts, and live audio, covering global events, politics, health, and more.

What We Love

  • 🚀 Comprehensive news coverage
  • 👍 Unbiased and factual reporting
  • 🌍 Worldwide news perspective
  • 💡 Innovative features like Magic Wall
  • 🔍 Reliable and trustworthy source

Room to Improve

  • 🐛 Frequent app crashes and freezes
  • 🔗 Overly sensitive embedded links
  • 🔋 High battery consumption
  • 📺 Too many ads and commercials
  • 🕰️ Slow loading times
Apple News#3

Apple News by Apple

News + magazines, in one app
Worth Considering
📡 News
4.6😞(1.6M ratings)
FreeAds
Apple News screenshot 1
Apple News screenshot 2
Apple News screenshot 3
Apple News screenshot 4
Apple News screenshot 5

Access top stories curated by editors, personalized news feeds, and in-depth sports coverage. Enjoy local news, daily podcasts, and exclusive recipes and puzzles with an optional subscription.

What We Love

  • 🚀 Convenient one-stop news source
  • 📚 Access to wide range of magazines
  • 🎧 Audio news feature
  • 🌐 Aggregates news from multiple sources
  • 🌙 Respects night mode

Room to Improve

  • 🔍 Difficult to customize news feed
  • 🚫 Blocked sources still show up
  • 💰 Ads even with paid subscription
  • 🔁 Repeated/outdated news stories
  • 🤯 Overwhelming amount of irrelevant content
  • 🔋 Drains battery quickly
  • 🔍 Poor search functionality
  • 🤖 Biased/partisan news curation

More Free News Apps apps to explore

FAQ about Free News Apps

What are the best free news apps for iPhone?
AP News tops our free news apps ranking as of September 2026, with a 4.6-star average from 359K App Store ratings, and it's free to download.
AP News shows ads and has no in-app purchases, according to its App Store listing as of September 2026.
We track 249+ free news apps on the iOS App Store as of September 2026, ranked by rating, recency, and analysis of real user reviews.
This app delivers breaking world and local news, trending headlines, and in-depth coverage of major world events. It features award-winning photos, videos, and articles from around the globe.
You can personalize your news experience through a feed with developing stories from your followed topics and customized news alerts tailored to your interests. The app also offers curated content hubs for deeper insights.