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Head-to-head · News and Magazine Apps

BBC News vs SmartNews

  • Updated Oct 2026
  • Both researched from official sources
  • 3 checks side by side
Higher score BBC News #5 in News and Magazine Apps 8.9/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 1 of 3 features Visit BBC News
SmartNews #8 in News and Magazine Apps 8.6/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 2 of 3 features Visit SmartNews

BBC News leads on 0 checks, SmartNews on 0, and 3 are even. Who comes out ahead on the 3 yes/no, price and count checks where we have data for both products. The editor score weighs everything else too.

Our verdict

  • Highest scoreBBC News · 8.9/10
  • Free planboth
  • Most featuresSmartNews · 2 of 3

BBC News scores higher on our rubric for news and magazine apps: 8.9 against 8.6 out of 10; our editors rank them #5 and #8.

On content scope, BBC News gives you Publisher where SmartNews offers Multi-source. On paid publication access, BBC News gives you Subscription where SmartNews offers Included.

BBC News is the better fit for readers wanting BBC reporting and live coverage. SmartNews is the better fit for mobile readers who want free news and offline access.

  • BBC News fits best

    Readers wanting BBC reporting and live coverage

  • SmartNews fits best

    Mobile readers who want free news and offline access

Advertiser disclosure: iTechGuides is reader-supported. Vendors can pay for top positions in our rankings and for a place on other products' pages, and we may earn a commission when you click some links. How we rank.

Side by side

Feature BBC News 8.9/10 Visit ↗ SmartNews 8.6/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score 8.9 8.6
Ranking #5 in News and Magazine Apps #8 in News and Magazine Apps
Best for Readers wanting BBC reporting and live coverage Mobile readers who want free news and offline access
Pricing model Free plan + paid Free
Starting price — Free plan
Free plan ✓ ✓
Free trial — —
Deployment Cloud, Mobile Mobile
Platforms Web, iOS, Android iOS, Android
Support Docs Docs, Email
Built for Solo, Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise Solo
Features BBC News 1/3 · SmartNews 2/3
Offline reading Not checked yet ✓ (best)
Personalized feed ✓ ✓
RSS support Not checked yet Not checked yet
Specs
Content scope Publisher Multi-source
Platforms web, iOS, Android iOS, Android
Paid publication access Subscription Included
Our review
Pros
  • Personalized My News feed follows topics readers choose
  • Breaking-news alerts and a BBC News channel livestream
  • Podcasts can be downloaded for offline listening
  • Combines news from multiple publishers with editorial curation
  • Personalizes feeds through topic and outlet following
  • Offers local updates, translation, and offline reading
Cons
  • Its coverage centers on BBC reporting rather than broad publisher aggregation
  • Additional BBC.com and app content requires a subscription in the USA and Canada
  • Offline downloads apply to podcast episodes, not article reading
  • Available on iOS and Android, not other platforms
  • Some articles open on the publisher’s website
  • Article bookmarking is available on iOS only
Our verdict

BBC News brings the broadcaster’s reporting, analysis and live coverage to a website and mobile app. Readers can follow subjects in a personalized My News feed, receive breaking-news and top-story alerts, and watch the BBC News channel…

Read the review →

SmartNews brings stories from national and local publishers into a mobile news app for readers who want multiple sources in one place. Its editorial curation sits alongside breaking-news updates and feed customization through topic and…

Read the review →
  1. BBC NewsNews and Magazine Apps 8.9Free plan
  2. SmartNewsNews and Magazine Apps 8.6Free plan

Strengths and trade-offs

  • BBC News — where it wins

    • Personalized My News feed follows topics readers choose
    • Breaking-news alerts and a BBC News channel livestream
    • Podcasts can be downloaded for offline listening

    Where it doesn't

    • Its coverage centers on BBC reporting rather than broad publisher aggregation
    • Additional BBC.com and app content requires a subscription in the USA and Canada
    • Offline downloads apply to podcast episodes, not article reading

  • SmartNews — where it wins

    • Combines news from multiple publishers with editorial curation
    • Personalizes feeds through topic and outlet following
    • Offers local updates, translation, and offline reading

    Where it doesn't

    • Available on iOS and Android, not other platforms
    • Some articles open on the publisher’s website
    • Article bookmarking is available on iOS only

More comparisons

All news and magazine apps comparisons → · Full ranking →

Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026

Last updated · How we research and update