CNN
by Warner Bros. Discovery · News & Magazines · News Aggregators
Breaking news, live video, and original journalism from CNN with 24/7 coverage of world events.
Quick Answer: CNN has a verified Real Score of 3.3/5 based on 66,750 verified reviews, compared to its App Store rating of 4.5/5. Mixed reviews from verified users.
Real Score vs App Store Rating
App Store Rating
Includes unverified reviews
Verified Real Score
Based on 66,750 verified reviews
Gap Alert: CNN's App Store rating is 1.2 points higher than its verified Real Score. This suggests that some store reviews may be inflated by fake or incentivized ratings.
Pros & Cons
What Users Love
- Fast breaking news coverage
- Live video streaming
- Extensive US political coverage
- Good push notifications
Common Complaints
- Perceived liberal bias
- Clickbait headlines increasing
- Too focused on controversy
- Ads interrupt reading experience
Verified Reviews (20)
Good breaking news, biased analysis
CNNs breaking news coverage is fast and comprehensive. The analysis and opinion pieces lean heavily left though. I use it for facts and ignore the commentary.
Headlines are too clickbaity
CNN has increasingly adopted clickbait headlines to drive engagement. "You wont believe..." and "BREAKING" on everything. Undermines their credibility.
Live video is reliable
When major events are unfolding, CNNs live stream is reliable and well-produced. The live coverage quality is where CNN still excels.
Too much opinion disguised as news
Hard to tell where reporting ends and opinion begins on CNN. The blurring of news and commentary is a disservice to readers seeking objective information.
Political coverage is extensive
For US political news, CNN is thorough. Every speech, every vote, every scandal covered in detail. If politics is your interest, its comprehensive.
Too focused on controversy
CNN prioritizes controversial and divisive stories because they generate engagement. Less coverage of solutions, progress, and positive developments.
App has too many ads
The ad load in the CNN app is heavy. Video ads before articles, banner ads between paragraphs, sponsored content. The reading experience suffers.
Medical news is solid
The health and medical reporting is well done. During health crises CNN provides useful, expert-backed information. The health section is underrated.
Used to be much better
CNN has gone from the gold standard of TV news to a polarizing opinion network. The app reflects this shift. Still useful but not what it used to be.
Notifications for breaking news
CNN push notifications for breaking news are fast and reliable. Sometimes the first alert I get for major events. Good for staying informed quickly.
Fear sells and CNN knows it
The constant sense of urgency and crisis in every headline is exhausting. Not everything is BREAKING news. The fear-based approach drives anxiety.
Good for major events
For major events - elections, disasters, international crises - CNN still delivers comprehensive real-time coverage. Their event coverage is reliable.
Credibility has eroded
Trust in CNN has declined significantly in recent years. The perceived bias makes it hard to take their reporting at face value. Needs to return to straight news.
Video-first approach works sometimes
CNNs strength is video and it shows in the app. The video content is professional. The text articles feel like afterthoughts sometimes.
International edition is better
CNN International is less partisan than the domestic version. If you can access the international feed, the journalism is more balanced.
Business news section is decent
CNN Business provides solid financial and business coverage. Market updates, company news, and economic analysis that competes with dedicated business outlets.
Entertainment news distracts
The entertainment and celebrity news mixed with serious journalism feels jarring. Keep the hard news separate from pop culture. Different audiences.
Competition has improved
With so many quality news apps now, CNN doesnt stand out like it used to. The competition has raised the bar and CNN needs to rise with it.
Weather coverage during storms
During severe weather events, CNN weather coverage is comprehensive and potentially life-saving. The real-time updates during hurricanes are excellent.
Install for breaking news only
I keep CNN installed purely for breaking news notifications. For daily reading I use other, less biased sources. Its a supplementary app for me.
Showing 1-20 of 12,847 reviews
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Last updated: April 2026