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Updated July 2026 · real, multi-region App Store reviews
Head-to-head

WPXI News vs 13WMAZ

WPXI News 4.6★ · Free to download 60
Winner 13WMAZ
13WMAZ 4.8★ · Free to download 65

13WMAZ is the stronger choice for local news and weather, primarily due to its more reliable weather reporting and fewer complaints about app functionality, despite both apps struggling with excessive ads and navigation issues.

Full reviews: WPXI News · 13WMAZ

Both WPXI News and 13WMAZ are free local news apps that struggle with user experience, particularly due to intrusive ads and navigation problems. While WPXI News receives praise for its reporting quality, 13WMAZ generally offers more reliable weather information and fewer severe app functionality complaints, making it a slightly better option.

Head to head

Features (Content & Coverage) edge: 13WMAZR1R2R6R8
WPXI News WPXI News is appreciated for its local news coverage in Pittsburgh, including sports and current events, with some users praising the reporting as detailed and truth-seeking R2R8. However, many users complain about old or repeated news stories, especially on weekends, and a lack of detail in articles . Some also express frustration with the app's focus on videos over text, and a perceived political bias R1R6.
13WMAZ 13WMAZ is highly regarded for its timely and accurate weather forecasts, with many users relying on it for severe weather updates R62R74R90. The app also provides good local news coverage and breaking news notifications . However, some users note that news updates can be infrequent, with old stories remaining on the front page, and a lack of coverage for certain local areas .
Ease of Use (Navigation & Interface) tieR1R3R5R6
WPXI News WPXI News users frequently report significant navigation difficulties, including trouble finding specific information, alerts not leading to the correct stories, and a general lack of user-friendliness R3R5R9R10. The app is described as 'busy' with pop-ups and auto-playing videos, which further detracts from the user experience R1R6R15R46.
13WMAZ 13WMAZ also faces criticism for its navigation and interface, particularly after recent updates . Users struggle to access weather radar, find written forecasts, and navigate the map effectively . However, some users find the app generally easy to use for getting instant news .
Reliability (Performance & Stability) tieR1R5R6R15
WPXI News WPXI News users report frequent issues with the app, including stories not opening, glitches, crashing, and general unresponsiveness R5R18. Auto-playing videos with loud sound and flashing lights are also a significant source of frustration, sometimes continuing to play even after closing the app R1R6R15R46.
13WMAZ 13WMAZ also has reliability issues, with many users reporting that the app, especially the weather section, stopped working or failed to load properly after recent updates . Some users have had to reinstall the app to get it to work . However, when it does work, users appreciate its timely content and notifications R62.
Price/Value tieR1R4R13R19
WPXI News WPXI News is free to download, but users find the experience significantly devalued by an overwhelming number of ads, pop-ups, and auto-playing videos R1R4R13R19. These ads are often described as obnoxious, offensive, and disruptive to reading the news R19R22R46.
13WMAZ 13WMAZ is also free to download, but like WPXI News, it is heavily criticized for an excessive amount of ads and commercials R62R66. Users report ads interrupting stories, being too loud, and even appearing during severe weather warnings, which is seen as disgraceful .
Support tieR5R10R13R18
WPXI News WPXI News reviews do not directly mention user support experiences. However, the recurring complaints about persistent bugs, navigation issues, and ad intrusion suggest that user feedback might not be effectively addressed R5R10R13R18.
13WMAZ 13WMAZ reviews also do not directly mention user support. The numerous complaints about app updates breaking functionality and persistent ad issues imply a lack of effective resolution for user problems .
Pick WPXI News if

You prioritize detailed local news reporting and appreciate a specific news team, and are willing to tolerate significant app usability issues, frequent ads, and auto-playing videos R2R8.

Pick 13WMAZ if

You primarily need accurate and timely local weather forecasts, especially during severe weather, and prefer an app that generally provides reliable breaking news notifications, even if it has its own share of ad and navigation frustrations R62R74R90.

Evidence note: Both apps are free, so negative feedback often stems from friction points like ads and performance issues that might be less prevalent in paid apps. The lifetime ratings are high for both, but recent reviews indicate a decline in user satisfaction, particularly after updates that introduced more ads and functionality problems.

Frequently asked

Are these news apps free to use?
Yes, both WPXI News and 13WMAZ are free to download and use, but this comes with a trade-off of frequent and often intrusive advertisements and auto-playing videos R4R19R66R83.
Which app is better for weather updates?
13WMAZ has a strong edge for weather updates, with many users praising its timely and accurate forecasts, especially for severe weather, and its dedicated weather team R62R74R90R98.
Do these apps have issues with ads?
Yes, both apps are heavily criticized for an excessive number of ads, pop-ups, and auto-playing videos that disrupt the user experience, with some users finding them obnoxious or even appearing during critical news or weather events R1R19R22R46.
Are there problems with app navigation?
Both apps have significant navigation problems; WPXI News users struggle to find specific stories and report alerts not leading to the correct articles, while 13WMAZ users find recent updates have made the weather section and maps difficult to use R3R9R10R18.

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] WPXI News 1/5 · US Wasn't broke...: Used to love the news app. WPXI HAD THE BEST! Then, even though it wasn't broke, you fixed it. It's the worst news app. I want to read not watch WPXI videos that are 80% commercials for WPXI. I expect your reporters to be professional however when you shove them down my throat, I wonder.
  2. [R2] WPXI News 4/5 · US Keeping on top of Current Events is a priority.: I read your news articles daily. They are well written. Keeping up on events around Pittsburg and current events in other areas of United States is my top priority. Also World Events are important to keep up with. I also enjoy hearing about my Pittsburgh Teams, Steelers, Penguins and the Pirates! Win or loose they be are my favorites! It is also nic
  3. [R6] WPXI News 3/5 · US Too Many Videos: I would prefer to quietly READ the news in the still early morning without it suddenly blaring from my phone.
  4. [R8] WPXI News 5/5 · US Finally: I love channel 11 news teams. They ask common sense questions trying to get the truth no matter what! They have always tried to be aware of the truth and hard facts when assigned to a case and I appreciate that.
  5. [R3] WPXI News 3/5 · US My feedback on the WPXI app: Many times I get very frustrated with navigating through the WPXI app(and sincerely, the website) . It is hard to find information that you are looking for even if it aired that day. A lot of times the anchor woman or anchorman will say that there’s more information on the website and it is absolutely hard to find. You really have to go down a rabbit hole and it’s frus
  6. [R5] WPXI News 4/5 · US Stories don’t show: When I get a highlight of a story in my phone feed, I click on it and it never opens up.
  7. [R15] WPXI News 3/5 · US WPXI app / video feed: I use this app quite a bit. Dont like the recent change that the video feed with sound starts automatically when the app launches. Please give us an option to turn this off. Also please fix that the notification alerts go to the story for the notification.
  8. [R4] WPXI News 2/5 · US Review: The app used to be good. Now not so much. Don’t like having to scroll through a ton of ads to finish a news story. Plus gotta to be more news in our region. Do better WPXI. You’re a great station.
  9. [R13] WPXI News 2/5 · US Make it make sense: Why sent out a headline for an article that never shows up? Why is it so hard to navigate? Why are there so many ads? Why don’t you make it easy to follow up on stories?
  10. [R19] WPXI News 1/5 · US Uninstalling: There are ways to include ads without them being obnoxious and all over the place. I’m scrolling through the news and being bombarded by gambling ads and an image of an elderly person with their finger up their nose?
  11. [R10] WPXI News 1/5 · US Not user friendly.: Not user friendly at all. Every other app. when you swipe back to get to the previous screen, you do. With this app it takes you to the next article. Very frustrating.
  12. [R18] WPXI News 3/5 · US PLEASE: I am so SICK of tapping a story that comes up in my notifications, only for the app to glitch and shoot me to the homepage instead. I cannot even find the story I wanted to read, because the navigation bar setup on the app is HORRIFIC. Otherwise the app is fine. PLEASE fix this. I’m begging.
  13. [R66] 13WMAZ 3/5 · US Too many commercials: Too many commercials, need less advertising and more news.
  14. [R83] 13WMAZ 1/5 · US Full of ads: Every new article you attempt to view, you will be bombarded by ads and videos unrelated to the news you’re attempting to view.
  15. [R62] 13WMAZ 5/5 · US Timely content: I find the weather forecast to be more accurate than national. Breaking news is timely but sometimes too early for all the facts. The ads are annoying and sometimes too many when you need to watch the newscast for emerging situations. Love the weather crew! And Frank is a legend!
  16. [R74] 13WMAZ 5/5 · US Thankful for 13WMAZ: This news station gives the most accurate info regarding weather for central GA
  17. [R90] 13WMAZ 5/5 · US WMAZ and Ben is great.: I love the way you all keep us viewed aware when it is severe weather.such a wonderful weather team.Frank and the News team is great also.keep up the good work.God bless you all.
  18. [R98] 13WMAZ 5/5 · US G man: The weather meteorologists do an excellent job. Especially when there are weather warnings. They us updated thunders storms and tornadoes in our area.
  19. [R22] WPXI News 1/5 · US Too much: I wanted to mention that of course the ads are horrible and everybody hates them, but you have to make revenue off. I guess somehow I think the problem is is it’s in LA AI generated another becoming offensive now we have Cheech and Chong‘s Gummies to get high with now we have something to s gonna make every woman’s vagina wet. I actually took screenshots of these cause I was going to sen
  20. [R46] WPXI News 1/5 · US Forced Auto Play Videos: SEIZURE WARNING!!!! That is what needs to be listed. There is absolutely ZERO control over the video that plays in the middle of the articles. There is ZERO way to stop it or pause it. I doubt they thought about the flashing lights from emergency vehicles causing people issues. A LOT of people read the their icons Phones in dim lighted areas and the brightness of the video
  21. [R9] WPXI News 3/5 · US Stories: I don’t like that when an alert comes across my phone and I click the alert that I’m not taken to that story. I have to scroll through the app to find it. And sometimes it’s not worth searching the app so I don’t bother to read the article.

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