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Updated July 2026 · real, multi-region App Store reviews
User consensusAlternativesIs it worth it?
Better options than

AL.com alternatives

Users often leave AL.com due to frequent app crashes, intrusive ads, and a pervasive paywall that locks most articles. Alternatives offer varied experiences, from general news with different monetization models to specialized apps for weather or content creation.

Why users look for alternatives to AL.com

The alternatives

NewsBreak
4.8★ · 1,367,956 ratings · Free

NewsBreak provides a platform for news consumption with short articles and scrollable headlines, offering a way to quickly get through news . However, users report issues with misleading headlines, old or irrelevant notifications, and a high volume of advertisements R51R53R55R59. Some also note a perceived liberal bias in the news presented .

Better for: NewsBreak is better for users who prefer short, digestible articles and want to quickly scroll through headlines for a general overview of news, provided they can tolerate frequent ads and potentially misleading headlines R51R53.

Head-to-head: AL.com vs NewsBreak
AlRajhi Mobile
4.7★ · 332,335 ratings · Free

AlRajhi Mobile is a banking app that users find acceptable for its intended purpose . However, it is plagued by frequent freezing and lagging, particularly when attempting transactions like transfers or loan approvals R66R67R68R70. Users also report issues with password resets, constant update requests, and updates being exclusively in English despite many users speaking Arabic .

Better for: AlRajhi Mobile is better for users who need a banking app and find its core functions acceptable, provided they are prepared to deal with frequent freezing, password issues, and potentially English-only updates .

Head-to-head: AL.com vs AlRajhi Mobile
PSA
4.8★ · 49,068 ratings · Free

PSA is an app primarily used for scanning and valuing sports cards, helping users determine their worth and decide whether to keep them . Users find it useful for getting estimated values of graded cards . However, some report issues with the app not having pricing or data for many sports cards, being clunky, or not showing actual sale prices but rather eBay listings R81. There are also severe complaints about PSA's service, including damaged or lost cards, rigged vintage card grading, and market manipulation R79R82.

Better for: PSA is better for collectors of sports cards who want to scan their cards and get an estimated value, especially if they are comfortable using the web version for more advanced features like marking cards as sold R80R81.

Head-to-head: AL.com vs PSA
Locals.com
4.7★ · 40,979 ratings · Free

Locals.com is a platform for creators and their supporters, known for allowing open expression in streams and chats . Users appreciate the ability to follow specific creators like Myron Gaines or Dave Rubin R94. However, the app suffers from significant technical issues, including constant audio and video delays, buffering problems, videos stopping mid-play and restarting from the beginning, and inconsistent loading times R93R95R96.

Better for: Locals.com is better for users who prioritize supporting specific content creators and value a platform with open discussion, provided they are willing to tolerate frequent technical issues with video playback and loading R94.

Head-to-head: AL.com vs Locals.com
WBRC First Alert Weather
4.8★ · 28,594 ratings · Free

WBRC First Alert Weather is a weather app praised for its ease of access, up-to-date reports, and knowledgeable team . However, users report significant issues with its accuracy, often showing incorrect conditions R107. The app also has problems with intrusive and loud weather alert notifications that cannot be turned off, even when settings are adjusted R109. Recent updates have made the app less user-friendly, with confusing controls and a subpar radar map .

Better for: WBRC First Alert Weather is better for users who value a simple, easy-to-access weather app and appreciate the WBRC team's reports, provided they can overlook issues with notification control and occasional inaccuracies in predictions .

Head-to-head: AL.com vs WBRC First Alert Weather
Stick with AL.com if

You should stick with AL.com if you value a state-wide news source for Alabama, appreciate its coverage of local sports, and find its reporting to be informative, reliable, and unbiased R18.

Evidence note: AlRajhi Mobile, PSA, Locals.com, and WBRC First Alert Weather have a moderate number of reviews, but the evidence is sufficient to form a clear picture of their strengths and weaknesses.

Frequently asked

Why do users complain about AL.com's pricing?
Users complain about AL.com's pricing because many articles are behind an "outrageously overpriced paywall," with some mentioning a cost of $5 per month or $99.99 per year, which they feel is not justified for the content or compared to other services R1R16R35.
What are the main technical issues with the AL.com app?
The main technical issues with the AL.com app include frequent freezing, crashing, slow loading and navigation, and ads covering content, which make the app difficult to use and read articles R1R2R3R6.
Is AL.com considered biased by its users?
Yes, some AL.com users consider it biased, describing its political coverage as a "joke" with a "slant to the left," a "far left propaganda machine," or "biased editorials" R18R19R31R47.

What reviewers actually said

Built only from these 120 real reviews (foreign ones translated). Superscripts jump to the quote here. Apple has no per-review links, so [ref] opens that app's reviews on the App Store.

  1. [R1] AL.com 1/5 · US Buggy and paywalled: This app has been buggy for a very long time. It crashes a lot. Most of the articles are behind an outrageously overpriced paywall.
  2. [R3] AL.com 3/5 · US App Issues: App freezes up constantly. Scrolling stories is difficult due to freezing up issues.
  3. [R10] AL.com 1/5 · US Al.com app terrible: Used to work ok on my iPad, now unusable.
  4. [R13] AL.com 1/5 · US This app will crash your phone: If you want an app that will lock up your phone this is the ideal one. Loading and navigation is painfully slow. A horrible effort.
  5. [R4] AL.com 1/5 · US Not worth it!: AL.com tries to bait you into subscribing by giving just a little bit of an article without giving up your personal information and agreeing to pay. This is not an honest way of doing business.
  6. [R7] AL.com 1/5 · US Every other story locked: I deleted the app because every other story you click it’s locked and says sign up to Al.com to read story. I have enough of my information sold to spammers without you having my email address to send more. I have 3 other news apps where you can read every story they show.
  7. [R16] AL.com 1/5 · US Used to be a good app: They want $5 bucks a month now for old news. No thank you
  8. [R2] AL.com 5/5 · US Great overall, but ...: Old issue resurfaced. Today is June 5, 2022. With the most recent update, about two weeks ago, ads are again intruding into articles, making reading them difficult. Rarely, one can get through an article uninterrupted , which is wonderful. With the latest update, there is a Close button, which, at least now, usually works, next to the popup ad, but that button evades VoiceOver
  9. [R6] AL.com 3/5 · US Ads cover content: The issue for me is that the ads often cover the content of the articles I’m trying to read.... extremely bothersome.
  10. [R14] AL.com 4/5 · US Please move ads: The end of almost every single article is covered by an ad with no way to make the end visible. Love the site but I would actually like to finish an article one day.
  11. [R49] AL.com 2/5 · US News is great…app could use some work: News articles provided are great and timely. App could use some work…freezes up regularly after only a few minutes of use, assuming due to large number of ads. Not disputing the need for ads for a free app, just that the performance of the app could be improved.
  12. [R18] AL.com 3/5 · US Review: Local Sports coverage is great. Political coverage is a joke. The slant to the left is pathetic. You need to learn who your audience is or you will lose the trust of your current supporters.
  13. [R19] AL.com 1/5 · US Wow... Not a good wow...: Why take something that was working great (finally!) and ruin it. I thought the idea of progress was to make things easier and more user friendly? Seems like the developers have it backwards with this app. The reporting is much more left leaning than before…. Why is it difficult to be unbiased?
  14. [R31] AL.com 1/5 · US Pay to read biased editorials/ and fake news ?: I ll just watch it on TV 😂
  15. [R47] AL.com 1/5 · US Al.com: It is a shame Al.com has become such a far left propaganda machine. With the exception of a couple of writers who are true reporters Al.com writers, not reporters has become far left progressive/ propaganda antagonists. Most of their poorly written articles are nothing more than their own far left opinions. Of course I fully understand this post is my opinion.
  16. [R21] AL.com 3/5 · US No comments: Cant get comments on phone app - need to fix that!!
  17. [R29] AL.com 1/5 · US Update is terrible: The new app is not very user friendly. There are features that don’t work properly or at all. For instance, you can’t share the articles from the app anymore
  18. [R51] NewsBreak 1/5 · US Terrible source for news.: The headlines are always over the top and misleading. Usually notifications are for stories that are either old or irrelevant.
  19. [R53] NewsBreak 3/5 · US Frustrated: Too many advertisements. I keep seeing sources i don’t want to see
  20. [R55] NewsBreak 4/5 · US There is so many messages: There is so many messages that they send you
  21. [R59] NewsBreak 3/5 · US Informative BUT Slow reporting: Very informative however the news always appears to be days and/or hours behind.
  22. [R66] AlRajhi Mobile 4/5 · US The app freezes and lags!!: The app freezes. I tap the transfer icon and it doesn't respond, and this problem has been going on for a long time, 5 months or more. · translated
  23. [R67] AlRajhi Mobile 3/5 · US App frozen: It freezes and is bad later. · translated
  24. [R68] AlRajhi Mobile 1/5 · US Bad app: The app freezes when I try to approve a loan and then reject it, and my account goes into negative. Unfortunately, Al Rajhi's services are slow; you don't get immediate service. · translated
  25. [R70] AlRajhi Mobile 1/5 · US App freezes: There's a freeze in the features. I tap transfer, it doesn't open. I tap account, it doesn't open. · translated
  26. [R79] PSA 1/5 · US Stole my card: Took many pics of videos of the cards before sending and get completely different cards sent back. Assuming they kept mine and gave me more beat up ones to make a profit. Absolute crooks
  27. [R80] PSA 5/5 · US Perfect app: This app is amazing and is really useful I use it so much and it helps a lot
  28. [R81] PSA 3/5 · US Can be clunky: I like using the app over the web based access. However, if you have a card in your collection that has sold, I haven’t figured out how to mark it as sold, or for how much, in the app yet. I can do all that through the web version.
  29. [R82] PSA 1/5 · US Horrible service: Damaged a card, lost another card and blamed it on the carrier even know my other cards were in the submission. Vintage card grading is completely rigged. I have PSA 8’s that should be 9’s or 10’s. Market manipulation.
  30. [R93] Locals.com 2/5 · US Constant audio and video delays: Hard to enjoy any podcast when it’s constantly disrupted by a litmus of technical issues. Do better. I don’t mind spending the money. I just wanna get through a podcast without the constant delays and resets.
  31. [R94] Locals.com 5/5 · US Myron Gaines: Only “influencer”content I’ve ever subscribed to. He’s the future. GOATED- American Jew
  32. [R95] Locals.com 3/5 · US Last update has negative impact on app: The last update has essentially broken the app for me. If there is any interruption in video playback, like receiving a phone call, the video starts from the beginning. But not just that, subsequently tries to resume where you were last playing the video causes it to start playing from the beginning again after a couple of minutes. It is miserable.
  33. [R96] Locals.com 1/5 · US Never loads: I can’t never even use the app because it never loads!
  34. [R107] WBRC First Alert Weather 1/5 · US Need to learn how to predict weather: Really really need to learn how to predict weather 97 out of 100 times they are wrong. Same as ABC 33/40 and James Spann
  35. [R108] WBRC First Alert Weather 5/5 · US Wbrc first alert weather: First alert 6 news
  36. [R109] WBRC First Alert Weather 3/5 · US Weather Alert Notifications: Being able to check on the weather when I want to & see the predicted weather is helpful. What isn’t helpful is hearing the loud weather alert notifications at all hours of the day, that I already turned off. The settings are useless. I may just delete the app.
  37. [R110] WBRC First Alert Weather 2/5 · US Follow Me Not Working Correctly: In Follow Me mode, it shows only partial hours for the current day and then skips an entire day when looking at hourly forecast.
  38. [R35] AL.com 1/5 · US Don’t bother!: Unless you want to pay $99.99/year which is more than I pay for “The Athletic” then don’t bother. Every single story seems like you’re required to pay for it now, guess the ads and popups don’t generate enough. Just deleted the app after about 15 years!!!

Synthesized from 120 recent App Store reviews · updated July 2026 · View on the App Store