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SmartNews alternatives: 5 apps ranked by verified data

Facts checked Nov 8, 2026AppBreakup editorialHow we rankAll RSS readers

Top picks

Common reasons people leave SmartNews: ad-supported, so the feed carries ads, and no real web version; reading happens in the mobile app. We ranked 5 alternatives by how directly each one replaces SmartNews, then by reviews, real visits and how recently each app's facts were checked against its own website. Google News currently ranks first.

Quick comparison

#AppPricingVerified priceOpen sourcePlatformsVerified factsScore
1Google News logoGoogle NewsFree—NoWeb, iOS, Android4 of 483.8
2Ground News logoGround NewsFree plan + paid—NoWeb, iOS, Android +14 of 476.7
3Flipboard logoFlipboardFree—NoWeb, iOS, Android3 of 366.9
4Apple News logoApple NewsFree plan + paid$12.99 a month (Apple News+)NoiOS, macOS7 of 761.8
5NewsBreak logoNewsBreakFree—NoWeb, iOS, Android4 of 457.5
  1. Google News logo

    1. Google NewsTop pick

    Best for: Anyone who wants free, broad headline coverage with little setup

    FreeWeb, iOS, Android

    83.8

    score / 100

    Why switch from SmartNews

    Free personalised headlines with Full Coverage, also available on the web, not just phones.

    Pros

    • Free, broad coverage from outlets worldwide
    • Full Coverage shows a story from many sources
    • Local news and followable topics
    • Apps on Android and iOS

    Cons

    • Can't add arbitrary RSS feeds
    • Opaque algorithmic ranking
    • Personalisation uses your Google activity
    Visit Google News Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.3100
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.15100
    Freshness ×0.15100
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Google News a good SmartNews alternative?

    Verified facts

    4 of 4 verified
    Full Coverage
    Yes
    Checked Nov 8, 2026news.google.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Local news
    Yes
    Checked Nov 8, 2026news.google.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Story selection
    Algorithmic
    Checked Nov 8, 2026support.google.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Personalisation data
    Settings and Google activity
    Checked Nov 8, 2026support.google.com(opens source in a new tab)
  2. Ground News logo

    2. Ground News

    Best for: Readers who want to compare coverage and spot media bias across the political spectrum

    Free plan + paidWeb, iOS, Android, Browser extension

    76.7

    score / 100

    Why switch from SmartNews

    Goes further on media bias, rating each source and flagging stories one side ignores.

    Pros

    • Groups coverage of each story from many outlets
    • Bias and factuality ratings for sources
    • Blindspot view of under-covered stories
    • Apps and a browser extension

    Cons

    • Most analysis tools need a paid plan
    • Ratings depend on third-party rating organisations
    • Not a way to follow your own feeds or blogs
    Visit Ground News Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.387
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.1579
    Freshness ×0.15100
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Ground News a good SmartNews alternative?

    Verified facts

    4 of 4 verified
    Sources
    50,000+ news sources
    Checked Nov 8, 2026ground.news(opens source in a new tab)
    Story grouping
    Articles merged into single stories
    Checked Nov 8, 2026ground.news(opens source in a new tab)
    Bias ratings
    Bias and factuality for every outlet
    Checked Nov 8, 2026ground.news(opens source in a new tab)
    Blindspot
    Yes
    Checked Nov 8, 2026ground.news(opens source in a new tab)
  3. Flipboard logo

    3. Flipboard

    Best for: Casual readers who want a curated, visual digest of news by topic

    FreeWeb, iOS, Android

    66.9

    score / 100

    Why switch from SmartNews

    Magazine-style feeds you curate by interest, with a stronger social and sharing side.

    Pros

    • Free, attractive magazine-style layout
    • Curated by editors as well as algorithms
    • Build and share your own magazines
    • Free curated email newsletters

    Cons

    • Limited control over what appears and in what order
    • Ad-supported
    • Not suited to following niche blogs feed by feed
    Visit Flipboard Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.369
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.1550
    Freshness ×0.15100
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Flipboard a good SmartNews alternative?

    Verified facts

    3 of 3 verified
    Positioning
    Social magazine
    Checked Nov 8, 2026flipboard.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Newsletters
    Free, curated by Flipboard
    Checked Nov 8, 2026flipboard.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Daily newsletter
    10 For Today, seven days a week
    Checked Nov 8, 2026flipboard.com(opens source in a new tab)
  4. Apple News logo

    4. Apple News

    Best for: Apple users who want curated news and access to many paywalled magazines in one subscription

    Free plan + paidiOS, macOS

    61.8

    score / 100

    Why switch from SmartNews

    Built into iPhone and Mac, with an optional News+ tier for magazines and paywalled papers.

    Pros

    • Free app built into Apple devices
    • News+ unlocks 500+ publications in one subscription
    • Family sharing included with News+
    • Audio stories and puzzles

    Cons

    • Apple devices only
    • Can't add your own RSS feeds
    • Availability and publications vary by country
    Visit Apple News Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.377
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.15100
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Apple News a good SmartNews alternative?

    Verified facts

    7 of 7 verified
    News+ price
    $12.99/month
    Checked Nov 8, 2026apple.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Free trial
    1 month, new subscribers
    Checked Nov 8, 2026apple.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Publications
    500+ with News+
    Checked Nov 8, 2026apple.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Family sharing
    Included
    Checked Nov 8, 2026apple.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Starting price
    $12.99 a month (Apple News+)
    Checked Nov 8, 2026apple.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Apple One Premier plan
    $39.95 a month, includes News+
    Checked Nov 8, 2026apple.com(opens source in a new tab)
    News+ price (UK)
    £12.99/month
    Checked Nov 8, 2026apple.com(opens source in a new tab)
  5. NewsBreak logo

    5. NewsBreak

    Best for: US readers who mainly want news, alerts and events from their own town or neighbourhood

    FreeWeb, iOS, Android

    57.5

    score / 100

    Why switch from SmartNews

    Similar free mobile news app that leans even harder into hyperlocal US coverage.

    Pros

    • Strong focus on local US news by zip code
    • Crime alerts, weather, traffic and events in one place
    • Free to read, on the web as well as mobile
    • Independent contributors cover places with few local papers

    Cons

    • Mostly useful inside the US
    • Ad-supported feed
    • Contributor posts mix with professional reporting, so source quality varies
    Visit NewsBreak Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.363
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.15100
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is NewsBreak a good SmartNews alternative?

    Verified facts

    4 of 4 verified
    Users
    50M+
    Checked Nov 8, 2026newsbreak.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Local feed
    News by zip code
    Checked Nov 8, 2026newsbreak.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Safety alerts
    Local crime and police alerts
    Checked Nov 8, 2026newsbreak.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Contributor program
    Paid local contributors
    Checked Nov 8, 2026newsbreak.com(opens source in a new tab)

The best SmartNews alternative for…

The highest-ranked app in this list for each need.

Google News logo

Best SmartNews alternative for most people

Google News

Free personalised headlines with Full Coverage, also available on the web, not just phones.

Flipboard logo

Best SmartNews alternative for a free option

Flipboard

Magazine-style feeds you curate by interest, with a stronger social and sharing side.

Ground News logo

Best SmartNews alternative for a free plan you can upgrade

Ground News

Goes further on media bias, rating each source and flagging stories one side ignores.

Apple News logo

Best SmartNews alternative for Mac

Apple News

Built into iPhone and Mac, with an optional News+ tier for magazines and paywalled papers.

NewsBreak logo

Best SmartNews alternative for iPhone and Android

NewsBreak

Similar free mobile news app that leans even harder into hyperlocal US coverage.

Google News logo

Best SmartNews alternative for working in the browser

Google News

Free personalised headlines with Full Coverage, also available on the web, not just phones.

SmartNews alternatives: common questions

What is the best alternative to SmartNews?

Google News ranks first right now. Free personalised headlines with Full Coverage, also available on the web, not just phones. Ground News and Flipboard follow it in our ranking.

SmartNews vs Google News: what's the difference?

Both SmartNews and Google News are free to use. Only Google News runs on Web.

Is SmartNews free?

SmartNews is free to use.

Is there a free alternative to SmartNews?

Yes. Google News (free), Ground News (free plan + paid), Flipboard (free) and Apple News (free plan + paid) have a free option. Check each app's verified facts for current plan limits.

Is there an open-source alternative to SmartNews?

None of the 5 alternatives in this list is open source.

Why do people switch from SmartNews?

The complaints we hear most: ad-supported, so the feed carries ads; no real web version; reading happens in the mobile app; no RSS or custom sources, only the publishers it partners with.

How is this list ranked?

Every app is scored with the same published formula: how directly it replaces SmartNews, reviews (weighted by verification), visits from AppBreakup, how recently its facts were checked against its own website, and reader votes.