Apple News vs Inshorts
Updated November 2026 · AppBreakup editorial
Apple News
Apple's news app for iPhone, iPad and Mac, with the optional News+ subscription.
Inshorts
News app that summarises each story in 60 words, in English and Hindi, mainly for India.
The short answer
Apple News suits iPhone, iPad and Mac users who want curated news and, with News+, access to paywalled magazines and newspapers. Inshorts suits readers in India, on Android or iOS, who want a free, quick scan of headlines in 60-word summaries. The biggest difference is platform and audience: Apple News is Apple-only, Inshorts is India-focused but cross-platform.
Apple News or Inshorts: our take
Apple News is built into Apple devices and mixes editor-curated top stories with recommendations based on the channels and topics you follow. The basic app is free, while Apple News+ costs $12.99/month and unlocks 500+ publications, including usually paywalled magazines and newspapers, audio versions of selected articles and daily puzzles. News+ can be shared with family at no extra cost, comes with a 1-month trial for new subscribers, and is included in Apple One Premier at $39.95 a month. Inshorts takes a different approach: each story becomes a roughly 60-word card you swipe through, linked to the original article from one of its 30+ content partners, with a personalised My Feed and stories in English and Hindi.
Platforms are the clearest split. Apple News runs only on iOS and Mac, with no Android, Windows or web version, and the publications on offer vary by country. Inshorts runs on Android, iOS and the web, but its coverage leans heavily towards India. Inshorts is entirely free and ad-supported, with no paid ad-free option.
Apple News, especially with News+, is better for long-form reading, magazines and in-depth reporting. Inshorts is better for catching up quickly; its short summaries leave out context on complex stories.
Pick Apple News if you live in the Apple ecosystem and want a polished general news source, or would pay for access to many paywalled titles in one subscription. Pick Inshorts if you follow Indian news, use Android, read in Hindi, or simply want a fast free digest. An iPhone user in India could reasonably use both.
Which should you pick?
Choose Apple News if…
- Apple users who want curated news and access to many paywalled magazines in one subscription
- You need macOS, which Inshorts doesn't list
- Free app built into Apple devices
- News+ unlocks 500+ publications in one subscription
Choose Inshorts if…
- Readers in India who want a fast daily scan of news in short summaries
- You need Android and Web, which Apple News doesn't list
- 60-word summaries make it quick to catch up on the day
- Links back to the original publisher for the full article
About each app
What is Apple News?
Apple News is the news aggregator built into iPhone, iPad and Mac. The free app collects stories from many publishers, with a mix of editor-curated top stories and personalised recommendations based on the channels and topics you follow. Apple News+ is a subscription that adds access to top stories from over 500 publications, including magazines and newspapers that are usually paywalled, plus audio versions of selected articles and exclusive daily puzzles; it can be shared with family at no extra cost and is also part of the Apple One bundles. New subscribers get a free trial. Apple News is not available on Android, Windows or the web, and availability and the publications on offer vary by country. You cannot add your own RSS feeds, so it works best as a polished general news source rather than as a way to follow specific blogs.
What is Inshorts?
Inshorts is an Indian news app that rewrites each news story into a summary of about 60 words, shown as a card you swipe through. Each short links to the original article from the publisher it came from, and you can read the full piece inside the app. It covers national and world news, business, sport, technology and entertainment, with a personalised My Feed that learns what you read and category sections for browsing. Stories are available in English and Hindi, and readers can vote in polls on some stories. The app is free and supported by advertising, and runs on Android and iOS with a web version for reading in a browser. It is built for people who want a quick scan of headlines rather than depth, and its coverage leans heavily towards Indian news; the company says a US version is coming.
Side by side
| Attribute | Apple News | Inshorts |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free plan + paid | Free |
| Open source | No | No |
| Self-hostable | No | No |
| Platforms | iOS, macOS | Android, iOS, Web |
| Best for | Apple users who want curated news and access to many paywalled magazines in one subscription | Readers in India who want a fast daily scan of news in short summaries |
| Status | Active | Active |
Apple News vs Inshorts pricing
Apple News: free plan + paid
- News+ price: $12.99/month source
- News+ price (UK): £12.99/month source
- Starting price: $12.99 a month (Apple News+) source
- Free trial: 1 month, new subscribers source
- Apple One Premier plan: $39.95 a month, includes News+ source
Inshorts: free
We couldn't verify Inshorts's plan details on its own site yet, so we don't list them.
Platforms
| Platform | Apple News | Inshorts |
|---|---|---|
| Web | ||
| macOS | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android |
Apple News facts
7 of 7 verified- News+ price
- $12.99/month
- Checked Nov 8, 2026apple.com(opens source in a new tab)
- “2 Check eligibility Free 1-month trial Apple News+ New subscribers get 1 month of Apple News+ free, then pay $12.99 per month.”
- Publications
- 500+ with News+
- Checked Nov 8, 2026apple.com(opens source in a new tab)
- “Try it free* * Try it free* Access top stories from over 500 leading publications.”
- Family sharing
- Included
- Checked Nov 8, 2026apple.com(opens source in a new tab)
- “Share your subscription with your family for free.”
- News+ price (UK)
- £12.99/month
- Checked Nov 8, 2026apple.com(opens source in a new tab)
- “Apple News+ costs just £12.99 per month after a free trial.”
- Starting price
- $12.99 a month (Apple News+)
- Checked Nov 8, 2026apple.com(opens source in a new tab)
- “then pay $12.99 per month.”
- Free trial
- 1 month, new subscribers
- Checked Nov 8, 2026apple.com(opens source in a new tab)
- “2 Check eligibility Free 1-month trial Apple News+ New subscribers get 1 month of Apple News+ free, then pay $12.99 per month.”
- Apple One Premier plan
- $39.95 a month, includes News+
- Checked Nov 8, 2026apple.com(opens source in a new tab)
- “Apple News+ is also included in the Apple One Premier plan, which bundles five other Apple services into a single monthly subscription for $39.95 per month.”
Inshorts facts
4 of 4 verified- Summary length
- 60 words
- Checked Nov 8, 2026inshorts.com(opens source in a new tab)
- “So we cut the clutter and deliver them, in 60-word shorts.”
- Languages
- English and Hindi
- Checked Nov 8, 2026inshorts.com(opens source in a new tab)
- “Short English & Hindi News”
- Personalised feed
- Yes
- Checked Nov 8, 2026inshorts.com(opens source in a new tab)
- “Our AI engine intuitively understands what you like reading, and delivers more of that in a single feed.”
- Content partners
- 30+
- Checked Nov 8, 2026inshorts.com(opens source in a new tab)
- “more than 30 content partners”
Pros and cons of Apple News
- Free app built into Apple devices
- News+ unlocks 500+ publications in one subscription
- Family sharing included with News+
- Audio stories and puzzles
- Apple devices only
- Can't add your own RSS feeds
- Availability and publications vary by country
Pros and cons of Inshorts
- 60-word summaries make it quick to catch up on the day
- Links back to the original publisher for the full article
- Available in English and Hindi
- Coverage is centred on India, with limited local news elsewhere
- Short summaries leave out context on complex stories
- Ad-supported, with no paid ad-free option
Other apps to consider
SmartNewsInstead of Inshorts
Free news aggregator with topic channels and local news, designed for skimming headlines quickly as Inshorts is.
Apple News vs Inshorts: common questions
Is Apple News better than Inshorts?
Apple News suits iPhone, iPad and Mac users who want curated news and, with News+, access to paywalled magazines and newspapers. Inshorts suits readers in India, on Android or iOS, who want a free, quick scan of headlines in 60-word summaries. The biggest difference is platform and audience: Apple News is Apple-only, Inshorts is India-focused but cross-platform.
Is Apple News free?
Apple News has a free plan, with paid plans for more features. See its verified pricing facts above for current limits.
Is Inshorts free?
Yes, Inshorts is free.
Is Apple News or Inshorts open source?
Neither is open source.
Which platforms do Apple News and Inshorts support?
Apple News: iOS and macOS. Inshorts: Android, iOS and Web.