Google News vs Inshorts
Updated November 2026 · AppBreakup editorial
Google News
Google's free, algorithm-driven news aggregator with personalised and local coverage.
Inshorts
News app that summarises each story in 60 words, in English and Hindi, mainly for India.
The short answer
Google News is a free global aggregator that ranks headlines from outlets worldwide, with Full Coverage and local news. Inshorts is a free, ad-supported Indian app that rewrites each story into a 60-word card in English or Hindi. Pick Google News for breadth and multiple sources on a story; pick Inshorts for a fast daily scan of mainly Indian news.
Google News or Inshorts: our take
Both are free and personalised, but they serve different reading habits. Google News gathers headlines from publications around the world and organises them into a personal briefing, top stories, local news and topics you follow. Its Full Coverage feature groups reporting on one story from many outlets so you can compare angles, and Newsstand lets you browse and follow publications. You read the original articles on the publishers' sites.
Inshorts condenses each story into a summary of about 60 words shown as a swipeable card, with a link to the original article from its 30+ content partners. It covers national and world news, business, sport, technology and entertainment, has a My Feed that learns what you read, and offers polls on some stories. Stories are available in English and Hindi, and coverage leans heavily towards India.
On data and ranking, Google News chooses stories algorithmically, and personalisation draws on your settings and activity across Google services; you need a Google account for it, and ranking is opaque. You also cannot add arbitrary RSS feeds. Inshorts is ad-supported with no paid ad-free option, and its short summaries leave out context on complex stories. Both run on the web, Android and iOS.
Readers anywhere who want broad coverage, local news and several perspectives on the same story should use Google News. Readers in India who want to catch up on the day in a few minutes, in English or Hindi, will find Inshorts quicker. The two work well together: Inshorts for a quick scan, Google News when a story needs depth.
Which should you pick?
Choose Google News if…
- Anyone who wants free, broad headline coverage with little setup
- Free, broad coverage from outlets worldwide
- Full Coverage shows a story from many sources
Choose Inshorts if…
- Readers in India who want a fast daily scan of news in short summaries
- 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 Google News?
Google News is a free aggregator that gathers headlines from publications around the world and organises them into a personal briefing, top stories, local news and topics you follow. Algorithms pick and rank stories based on your language and region, and personalised sections draw on your Google News settings and activity across Google services. Its Full Coverage feature groups reporting and analysis on a single story from many outlets so you can see different angles, and you can follow favourite topics, sources and locations. Newsstand lets you browse and follow publications. It runs on the web and through Android and iOS apps, and you need a Google account for personalisation. It is easy and free, but you cannot add arbitrary RSS feeds as you would in a feed reader, ranking is opaque, and it relies on Google's view of your interests and activity. Feeds for Google News searches can be added to readers like Feedly and Inoreader.
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 | Google News | Inshorts |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free | Free |
| Open source | No | No |
| Self-hostable | No | No |
| Platforms | Web, iOS, Android | Android, iOS, Web |
| Best for | Anyone who wants free, broad headline coverage with little setup | Readers in India who want a fast daily scan of news in short summaries |
| Status | Active | Active |
Google News vs Inshorts pricing
Google News: free
We couldn't verify Google News's plan details on its own site yet, so we don't list them.
Inshorts: free
We couldn't verify Inshorts's plan details on its own site yet, so we don't list them.
Platforms
| Platform | Google News | Inshorts |
|---|---|---|
| Web | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android |
Google News facts
4 of 4 verified- Story selection
- Algorithmic
- Checked Nov 8, 2026support.google.com(opens source in a new tab)
- “Computer algorithms determine which stories show up on Google News and in what order.”
- Personalisation data
- Settings and Google activity
- Checked Nov 8, 2026support.google.com(opens source in a new tab)
- “Past activity: Your activity on Google services and YouTube”
- Full Coverage
- Yes
- Checked Nov 8, 2026news.google.com(opens source in a new tab)
- “Go deeper on every story with Full Coverage”
- Local news
- Yes
- Checked Nov 8, 2026news.google.com(opens source in a new tab)
- “Stay current with local news coverage Know what’s happening in your community with the latest local news.”
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 Google News
- Free, broad coverage from outlets worldwide
- Full Coverage shows a story from many sources
- Local news and followable topics
- Apps on Android and iOS
- Can't add arbitrary RSS feeds
- Opaque algorithmic ranking
- Personalisation uses your Google activity
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
Apple NewsInstead of Google News
Curated by editors as well as algorithms, with no Google account involved.
SmartNewsInstead of Inshorts
Free news aggregator with topic channels and local news, designed for skimming headlines quickly as Inshorts is.
Google News vs Inshorts: common questions
Is Google News better than Inshorts?
Google News is a free global aggregator that ranks headlines from outlets worldwide, with Full Coverage and local news. Inshorts is a free, ad-supported Indian app that rewrites each story into a 60-word card in English or Hindi. Pick Google News for breadth and multiple sources on a story; pick Inshorts for a fast daily scan of mainly Indian news.
Is Google News free?
Yes, Google News is free.
Is Inshorts free?
Yes, Inshorts is free.
Is Google News or Inshorts open source?
Neither is open source.
Which platforms do Google News and Inshorts support?
Google News: Web, iOS and Android. Inshorts: Android, iOS and Web.