CNN reviews: what App Store users complain about
We read the 300 most recent App Store reviews of CNN: Live & Breaking News (by CNN Interactive Group, Inc.) from 11 storefronts, dated 24 February 2026 to 22 October 2026. Average rating in this sample: 1.59★. All-time App Store rating: 4.8★ from 1.7M ratings. 276 reviews (92%) gave 1–3 stars.
Star ratings in this sample
| Stars | Reviews | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 5★ | 19 | 6% |
| 4★ | 5 | 2% |
| 3★ | 24 | 8% |
| 2★ | 38 | 13% |
| 1★ | 214 | 71% |
Rating by month
| Month | Reviews | Avg stars | 1–3★ share |
|---|---|---|---|
| October 2026 | 30 | 1.53★ | 97% |
| September 2026 | 36 | 1.75★ | 89% |
| August 2026 | 31 | 1.55★ | 94% |
| July 2026 | 35 | 1.54★ | 94% |
| June 2026 | 32 | 2.06★ | 84% |
| May 2026 | 47 | 1.34★ | 91% |
What 1–3★ reviews mention
262 English-language 1–3★ reviews in the sample (US, UK, Canada, Australia and India storefronts), matched against fixed keyword lists per theme.
| Theme | Reviews mentioning it | Share of 1–3★ reviews |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing / subscription | 169 | 65% |
| Bugs | 69 | 26% |
| Ads | 41 | 16% |
| Feature requests | 17 | 6% |
| Crashes / freezes | 13 | 5% |
| UX / design | 13 | 5% |
| Performance | 7 | 3% |
A review can mention several themes.
Most-mentioned issues
- Reduce ad frequency and length: 39 of 262 1–3★ reviews. What to do: Cap ads per session, avoid unskippable video, and never show ads in the middle of a core task.
“I like CNN and often use the app to listen to the live broadcast, but the repetitive ads have become ridiculous. During one five minute commercial break, the same four commercials played three times each. I understand the need for advertising, but repeating the exact same ads ove…” (2★, v26.18, 2026-09-12, US) - Rethink usage limits: 25 of 262 1–3★ reviews. What to do: Users read hard limits as a cash grab; consider softer limits or earning more through use.
“A while back, they started limiting access to some stories to paid subscribers only. I get that they have a right to do so, and that they want to generate revenue. But why make it that you can't tell which articles fall into this category until you've clicked on it? How hard w…” (1★, v26.5, 2026-03-05, US) - Fix login / account access: 23 of 262 1–3★ reviews. What to do: Audit the sign-in flow (SSO, password reset, verification emails) on the latest version; add clear error messages.
“So it appears that when I log into the CNN app on my iPad with the exact sign in credentials that I have for my iPhone, it does not recognize it. I have been unable to login to the CNN all access through my iPad for a month now since starting the service. I went ahead and made a…” (1★, v26.13, 2026-06-25, US) - Stop data / progress loss: 23 of 262 1–3★ reviews. What to do: Reproduce sync and restore paths; add server-side backup and a visible "restore" option.
“Have basic subscription that does not allow me to read articles anymore. Sent messages to ask for help but not response! I restarted it, deleted it and reinstalled it several times, restarted my phone each time, but nothing helps!! It often used to freeze on the CNN logo when ope…” (1★, v26.16.1, 2026-08-15, US) - Make trials and renewals transparent: 18 of 262 1–3★ reviews. What to do: Show the renewal date and price before the trial ends; link to cancellation. Surprise charges drive 1-star reviews and refunds.
“A subscription is required. I purchase cnn all access for a year only to learn if I want to stream I need to have a tv provider. Deceptive in the sign up process. Cancel my subscription and will not renew. Very dishonest I guess that’s why it is referred to as communist news…” (1★, v26.9, 2026-05-11, US) - Ease paywall pressure: 16 of 262 1–3★ reviews. What to do: Keep core features usable for free users or explain clearly what is paid; show the paywall less often.
“I like to check several news sources to see how differently things are covered and to try and break up the targeted nature of today’s feeds. CNN being just one of those sources. Not anymore. Too many articles are behind a paywall, rendering the app useless. Nickeled and dimed to…” (1★, v26.10, 2026-05-23, US)
Rating by app version
| Version | Reviews | Avg stars | 1–3★ share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 26.21.1 | 10 | 1.10★ | 100% |
| 26.21 | 11 | 2.09★ | 91% |
| 26.20 | 14 | 1.43★ | 93% |
| 26.19 | 16 | 2.31★ | 81% |
| 26.18 | 15 | 1.20★ | 100% |
| 26.17 | 11 | 1.45★ | 91% |
Versions with fewer than 5 reviews in the sample are left out.
Is CNN your app?
The full report reads up to ~300 of the latest public App Store reviews, classifies them into 7 themes and 18 specific issues, and ranks the 10 fixes that would move your rating most. PDF by email within 24–48 h.
Full App Store report €49 €19 Free check
Launch prices until 30 Nov 2026 or the first 20 orders (then €49).
Method and limits
Reviews were collected once from Apple's public customer-reviews feed (most recent first, 11 storefronts merged, up to 300 reviews). Star, month and version figures are plain counts of that sample. Theme and issue figures come from fixed keyword patterns (for example “subscription”, “charged”, “refund” for pricing) run on English-language 1–3★ reviews only; a keyword match is not a judgement of the review, so check the quotes. The paid report classifies every review with an AI model into 7 themes and 18 issues with severity. This is a snapshot of recent reviews, not the app's full history. Generated 24 October 2026. Not affiliated with CNN Interactive Group, Inc. or Apple.
More popular app reports
- AccuWeather reviews (85% of 300 recent App Store reviews at 1–3★)
- ESPN reviews (67% of 300 recent App Store reviews at 1–3★)
- Fox News reviews (83% of 300 recent App Store reviews at 1–3★)
- The Weather Channel reviews (29% of 300 recent App Store reviews at 1–3★)
- Google Calendar reviews (71% of 300 recent App Store reviews at 1–3★)
- Wyze reviews (70% of 300 recent App Store reviews at 1–3★)
- TurboTax reviews (96% of 300 recent App Store reviews at 1–3★)
- Discover reviews (35% of 300 recent App Store reviews at 1–3★)
All apps in this batch · Indie and mid-size app reports · All app complaint reports
FAQ
What do CNN users complain about most?
In 262 English-language 1–3★ App Store reviews from 2026-02-24 to 2026-10-22, the most-mentioned theme was pricing / subscription (65%) and the most-mentioned issue was “reduce ad frequency and length” (39 reviews).
How many CNN App Store reviews are negative?
276 of 300 recent reviews (92%) gave 1–3 stars. Average rating in this sample: 1.59★.