For instance, even after I downvote or explicitly said that I’m not interested in a particular topic, it still shows the news related to those topics. Add to that, clickbait a big problem with Google News. So, if you are frustrated with Google News, here are some of the best free Google News alternatives for Android and iOS.
Also Read: Best Tech News Apps Android
Table of Contents
Google News Alternatives
1. Microsoft News
Microsoft News is one of the highest rated news apps in both the Android Store and iOS store. Unlike Google News, the layout of the app is pretty neat and you can easily configure the app to only show the news of your selected categories. Microsoft News is like an aggregator that shows news from several different news sources in several different countries.
When you want to read a new report, it will open directly in the app with no distractions whatsoever. Additionally, the news app is constantly updated and you can even set breaking news alerts of a specific topic.
Being a Microsoft app, you can sync your app preferences and settings between devices.
Price: The app is completely free and has ads.
2. Inside
If you are more of an email guy and would like to read curated news and events on a specific topic the Inside is for you. Inside is a simple web service that uses real human curation to categorize news and send them to its users. There is a wide range of main categories and sub-categories to choose from.
Those categories include but not limited to business, entertainment, technology, cities, sports, lifestyle, etc. Once you found a category, simply enter your email address and Inside will send daily emails with latest trends, news, and other curated links related to that specific category. You can subscribe to as many categories as you want.
If you didn’t find a specific category, you can propose that category as a user and the mods might add it.
Price: The base service is free and the newsletters will have curated and categorized ads in them. For an ad-free experience, you can subscribe to their premium plan starting at $10 per month.
3. Reddit News
If you are a Reddit user, you can actually use it to read the top and trending news. The best thing is, you can even discuss and comment on various new articles. There are several subreddits dedicated to news on Reddit. However, if you like to be on top of world trends and news then I suggest you follow /r/news and /r/worldnews. Both these subreddits are quite active with millions of users. If you are looking for something more specific, Reddit might have a subreddit dedicated to that specific topic. For instance, if you want tech news, you can join /r/tech subreddit. Reddit has apps for both Android and iOS.
Read: Best Reddit Apps for Android and iOS Smartphones
Sure it takes some time to get used to the workings of Reddit. However, subreddits are a pretty good source to know what’s popular and what’s the hottest news right now. So, give the subreddits a try and see if it works for you.
Join /r/news and /r/worldnews
4. AP News (Associated Press News)
Associated Press is a non-profit and one of the most trusted news agency. AP News can show breaking news on a variety of topics and from a wide range of countries. Additionally, it can also show real-time news coverage of any given topic or category. Just like Microsoft News, you can create your own personalized feed by selecting the topics of interest.
In addition to the world news, AP News also gives you access to the local news. Of course, depending on where you live, the definition of local news changes a bit but the point still stands.
Simply put, if you are looking for a balanced, informed, and accurate reporting then AP News is that best way to go.
Price: AP News is free and has ads.
5. SmartNews
SmartNews is another hugely popular news app. Just like Microsoft News, SmartNews acts as an aggregator for several high-quality news outlets like AP News, Reuters, TIME, etc., and shows trending and breaking news. All the news is neatly categorized into various topics. As such, you can quickly create your own personalized feed with the topics of your interest. Add to that, SmartNews has a built-in offline mode which allows you to download news and read it offline.
The best thing about SmartNews is that the user interface is minimal and very easy to use. Though the app shows ads in the news articles, you can move to the smart tab for ad-free and distraction-free reading.
Price: SmartNews is free and has ads.
6. Nuzzel
While all the above apps are catered towards the general public with the world and/or local news feed, Nuzzel is specially designed for business professionals. Nuzzel shows curated news from various industries like tech, media, finance, etc. If you want to, you can even make the app send curated newsletters related to the topics of your choice.
Additionally, you can share the news with your friends and colleagues and even create a personalized feed. Simply put, Nuzzel lets you create and consume personalized and collaborative new feeds.
Price: Nuzzle is free and has in-app purchases.
7. Inshorts
Inshorts is one of my favorite apps when it comes to consuming news on my mobile phone. Unlike other apps on this list, Inshorts truncates the news into 60 words or less. This gives you a quick gist about what is news is. If you are interested, you can tap on the news article and it will take you to the actual full news article.
Just like other news apps on this list, Inshorts allows you to create a personalized feed based on various topics like world news, tech, entertainment, etc.
If you are a busy individual who likes to take the news in quick and short bites then Inshorts is a pretty good app. Do give it a try and see how works for you.
Price: The app is free and shows ads.
