SmartNews: Breaking News

• Ads-free SmartNews — $3.99
• Ads-free SmartNews — $4.99

Last verified 30 Aug 2026

• Free to download
• In-app purchases: $3.99 - $4.99 per item

Last verified 28 Aug 2026

4.6 928704 ratings · App Store

1. 5/5Stop the Popups!

   UPDATE: (I am late posting this, but) within hours of me writing about my issue with pop-ups, the developers actually responded, and within a day or two, the problem was 100% rectified! I love developers who actually take the time to read and respond to the concerns of their customers, so because of that, SmartNews will forever have a supporter in me! I have been using Smart news several times a day, every day for years now, and I have enjoyed it for the most-part. However, as of January 1, 2021, I am now being greeted by a pop-up urging me to enable location services, which I have no desire to do. It is understandable that the app would request permission for such a feature, but it is requesting permission after EVERY•SINGLE•STORY read! It is beyond annoying and feels like harassment! If this problem isn’t rectified within a week, I will be uninstalling this app. Your readers should be given a choice of which features to enable, and not be harassed when they don’t choose in accordance with YOUR preferences. Update: I am updating my review to reflect a 4-star rating, because I am no longer being bombarded with popups. For everyone who’s whining about the app being too “left-leaning”, perhaps you should search for a Breitbart app, or some other tabloidesque news affiliate...and this is coming from an Independent.

   NubianP6 · 30 Aug 2026

2. 4/5Used to be a five star

   I’ve checked out many news packages but always preferred this one. Relevant news, good layout, easy to personalize, MODERATE ADVERTISING. There in lies our problem. More and more advertising. Now I understand why they need advertisers, everyone deserves a payday for their work. But while other apps are definitely worse, (every other story is an advertisement), plus they want to make you pay and subscribe to every news outlet, magazine or newspaper, et cetera. Now SmartNews is still better, but they keep coming up with sneaky ways to try and push you into clicking on their advertisers. What really annoys me is when you click out of a story back to the headlines….but it doesn’t take you there. An ad pops up and your forced to respond…. after several seconds so they can force feed you part of the ad, then you have to click a close button, or an X, or something else (“So you don’t want to save $$$?”), always different and in different places on the page so you are forced to read some of it because if you click the wrong spot it throws you out of everything to start over. And it’s becoming more frequent. The almighty dollar chase has ruined more than a few good companies. Update: I’d like to add that this site just keeps getting worse. I’m looking for another news site. Now they have you tapping tapping tapping on adds waiting for an X to pop up so you can close it out. I don’t need the frustration. I’ll find another app. There are plenty of them.

   Hhxfjmcdh · 30 Aug 2026

3. 5/5Honest question about advertisements.

   Could we please be allowed an option for a one-time fee for an advertisement removal, like some other apps offer? I have used this app in-great length for a few years now. I’ve noticed one of the ad’s changed. Instead of clicking the little ‘x’ once - you click it twice, and it changes locations. Touch sensitivity increased, as well, and Safari kept opening. I began to force close the app. I’m tired of sifting through insufferable advertisements - I would rather pay for a permanent removal to further enjoy the app because, at this moment, I’m unable to do so. Please keep it in consideration. My rating would be five stars if it weren’t for the insufferable advertisements, and I cannot remove them permanently. Great app overall. My personalized digest is terrific! Update: These advertisements have gotten out of hand. Sometimes I have to force quit the app. Also, now I can’t share links without them having the app… a FREE app? You simply compile them all in one location, why do you think you have the right to make people download the app to read articles that you didn’t even produce? Doesn’t make sense in the slightest. I share my news all the time, and now I have to go through extra steps.

   MissScarlett7 · 30 Aug 2026

4. 5/5Helps me stay in formed

   Love smart news and have recommended it to many of my friends. I would like to see a few very minor changes though. 1. Something to show “not interested” in a certain article/topic. For instance, I may read two articles on the same topic, be done with it, and then the app assumes anything related to that person or topic I want to know about and I relentlessly get articles about that (ex. Aaron Carter’s passing - I now get every article written about the tragic event, “his managers last text with him”, “his fiancé spotted at…”, “what happens to Aaron’s fortune now?” etc - all of which I, respectfully, don’t want to receive anymore or read about just because I read the article about his passing. 2. Because the algorithm does push so much that it thinks I will like, I tend to miss actual breaking news stories. Would be cool to differentiate breaking news notifications even more, maybe with a different color logo or something (not sound). All in all, I love this app and have used it for years. It has so many great features like the smart view and features that have evolved like being able to see the articles you were notified about all in one place. It’s very helpful for staying aware of things in a timely manner.

   Jdjdkdksba · 30 Aug 2026

5. 5/5Smart News is really smart

   I was apparently one of the first regular user of the app and shared articles on Twitter constantly. 3 or 4 of the developers asked me for an interview via Skype and what Interested ME, was that they were all very young and what interested THEM was WHY I was so interested in the news. An earlier reviewer cited being fed too much liberal news and she should be happy with the addition of NEWSMAX which is definitely right leaning. Early on the developers said the algorithms choose the articles in your feed by the articles you actually read and your interest profile is just algorithms doing what they do but you have the option to choose a tab and read any article from any of the magazine you have added. I asked them to please keep it that was and not to start choosing ( as Facebook does ) articles to put forth an agenda, especially not a political agenda. So far I don’t see it happening. I have pretty eclectic interests and really enjoy the variety I have to choose from. This app also gives you the ability to swipe over to Reader View and read the articles without the annoying advertisements. All in all I hardly use any of my other news apps. I am afraid to count how many tabs I have on my home page! Love it!!

   ediemillerangelo · 30 Aug 2026

3.7 700134 ratings · Google Play

1. 1/5

   this app.sucks in the worst way it cuts out every time you start reading a story about the orange stain.and you can never get back to the story you were just reading.So tell me why does this happen every time? when you read about anything else you can read for ever and not cut out! It looks like either you are doing this on purpose. OR your app.sucks ! you should fix it immediately and explain what is going on this is really shameful I was a long time reader but not anymore!

   Tristan Wall · 29 Jul 2026

2. 1/5

   Great collection of news sites. Shame that it crashes every ten minutes on all devices.

   David Kessler · 29 Jul 2026

3. 5/5

   very informative about what I care about maybe they should offer gift cards for as many readiness we have to do

   Thomas · 29 Jul 2026

4. 3/5

   App started crashes every time I tried to open, deleting cashe and data and turn it off and on. I Uninstalled and reinstall , it worked however all my magazines tabs that I added in old version was gone. I did follow to get as much information as I can from favorite news sources, I stumble onto profile it asked if I wanted to sync my data with other device, (my android phone)so I did and my old tabs appear in same order as my phone app, went back in profile but could not find this option again.

   A Google user · 29 Jul 2026

5. 5/5

   Excellent news app

   Brian Franks · 29 Jul 2026

Privacy

Accessibility

No accessibility labels collected yet.

Privacy

Accessibility

No accessibility labels collected yet.