Verithiathe honest score on any app
Updated July 2026 · real, multi-region App Store reviews
Head-to-head

CNBC vs The Economist

CNBC 4.7★ · Free to download 65
Winner The Economist
The Economist 4.9★ · Free + IAP 75

For financial news and live market updates, CNBC is the better choice, but The Economist excels in in-depth global analysis and a more reliable reading experience, despite some app functionality issues.

Full reviews: CNBC · The Economist

CNBC offers timely financial news and live market data, but users frequently report app instability, video freezing, and an overload of ads. The Economist provides high-quality, in-depth global analysis, though its app struggles with offline access, AI narration, and navigation issues.

Head to head

Content and Coverage edge: The EconomistR5R7R17R21
CNBC CNBC is praised for its timely financial news, stock prices, and market data, with users valuing its coverage for investment information and live reports R5R17. However, many users criticize its political bias, calling articles 'biased at best, propaganda at worst' and complaining about a 'constant stream of political commentary' instead of financial news R7R21R24R52.
The Economist The Economist is highly valued for its in-depth, credible, and objective journalism, offering global news and analysis that is informative and educational . Some users, however, express concern about a perceived shift towards a 'leftist slop reporting' or 'liberal left bias' in recent years .
App Reliability and Performance tieR4R6R9R13
CNBC CNBC users report significant issues with app reliability, including stories not loading, videos freezing frequently, and the livestream not working R4R6R9R13. There are also complaints about the app getting worse with upgrades and not being compatible with certain devices like iPad Pro or older iPads .
The Economist The Economist app also faces reliability challenges, with users reporting it can be 'buggy,' 'slow to load,' and sometimes crashes on iPads . A major concern is the app's inability to consistently play downloaded articles offline, especially those with AI narration, which defeats the purpose of downloading for travel R67R106R112.
User Experience and Features tieR2R3R5R10
CNBC CNBC receives mixed feedback on its UX. Users appreciate features like Picture-in-Picture (reinstated) and watchlists but desire widgets for iPhone R5. Common frustrations include ads, 'Get Pro, join Club' prompts, and awkward placement of saved articles R2R10. Some critical data like metals prices, 52-week highs/lows, and crypto news updates are reported missing or outdated R3.
The Economist The Economist app has added beneficial features like CarPlay support and an audio timer . However, it struggles with basic UX, such as notifications not opening directly to articles, the app losing the user's place in weekly editions, and a poor search function . The AI narration is a significant point of contention, with many users disliking the quality and preferring human narrators .
Price and Value tieR8R10R15R57
CNBC CNBC is free to download but offers subscriptions, with users complaining about 'ad overload' even with paid subscriptions R10R15. One user mentions paying $150 for a subscription but still experiencing video freezing and limited smart TV compatibility . The 'Club' is noted as expensive R8.
The Economist The Economist is free to download but requires in-app purchases for full content. Users generally find the content 'worth the $$' . However, some express dissatisfaction with the value of the $29.99/month subscription, noting it only grants access to certain sections and has issues like Picture-in-Picture not working well R57. One user also felt misled by 'No Paywalls' advertising .
Customer Support tieR25R43R88
CNBC CNBC's customer support is criticized, with one user calling it 'Lousy support!!!' and another noting difficulty finding customer support R25R43.
The Economist The Economist also receives negative feedback regarding support, with one user unable to transfer a corporate subscription to a personal account R88.
Pick CNBC if

Pick CNBC if you prioritize real-time financial news, stock market updates, and live video content, and are willing to tolerate frequent app performance issues, ads, and potential political bias R5R17.

Pick The Economist if

Pick The Economist if you seek in-depth, high-quality global news analysis and commentary, value features like CarPlay support, and are prepared to navigate some app functionality quirks and AI narration issues .

Evidence note: Both apps have a significant number of negative recent reviews despite high lifetime ratings, indicating a decline in user satisfaction, particularly regarding app performance and new features. The free-to-download nature of both apps means some negative reviews for CNBC may stem from free-tier friction (ads, limited features), but paid users also report significant issues.

Frequently asked

Does CNBC offer live streaming?
Yes, CNBC offers live streaming, but many users report frequent issues with it not loading, freezing, or having low audio, even for paying subscribers R6R9R13R16.
Can I listen to articles offline on The Economist app?
While The Economist app allows downloading issues, users frequently report that downloaded articles, especially those with AI narration, often fail to play offline, requiring an internet connection to access content R67R106R112.
Do these apps have political bias?
CNBC is frequently criticized by users for perceived left-wing political bias and 'anti-Trump articles' in its news coverage R7R21R24R52. The Economist, while praised for objectivity by some, is also accused by others of having a 'liberal left bias' or 'neoliberal' slant in its reporting .

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. [R5] CNBC 5/5 · US Please Add A stock market Widget For IPhone: This App Is wonderful the Benifits of knowledge is awesome I just wish it had some Widgets for I can see the updates faster thank you
  2. [R7] CNBC 2/5 · US Articles are biased at best, propaganda at worst.: I look at the quotes, whoever writes the articles are left wing activists that are too biased. I don’t watch CNBC anymore because of the bias and lies.
  3. [R17] CNBC 4/5 · US easy peasy: This app works smoothly and is of great help getting data on my portfolio.Been using it for over 5 years.
  4. [R21] CNBC 3/5 · US News ? Halfway news? Part schmoooze?: CNBC has today’s trumpp live BS trumpcast on live for extended viewing. Waste of time without subtitles or a counter blast of this idiots mindless 4th grade emotional outburst ( a 4th grader from a horriblly dysfunctional family) CNBC does not accurately broadcast the news about the horror show of the GOP, the WH occupant, the cabinet members of presidenti
  5. [R4] CNBC 1/5 · US App won’t load lately: For the last few months I’m having issues where stories just won’t load. I have to reconnect to my wifi to make it work. Sort of annoying I’m assuming it’s tied to their spammy ads and my Unifi system blocking them. App used to work great, but since the spinoff has been bad.
  6. [R6] CNBC 3/5 · US Live stream on iPad stopped working: I’m so frustrated I cannot stream cnbc on my iPad. I constantly remove and reinstall but doesn’t help. Worked fine before the split.
  7. [R9] CNBC 3/5 · US Live streaming not working.: The app used to be great but when they changed the logo it went downhill. Will try deleting and reinstalling.
  8. [R13] CNBC 1/5 · US Videos Freeze: I don’t understand for the life of me how this is a five star rated app. This app is absolutely horrible and has gotten worse since Versant bought out the company. The videos freeze about 20% into it. The charts are incredibly amateur and lag the videos take so long to come out after they’ve been played. Do better this is garbage.
  9. [R2] CNBC 5/5 · US Still poor “SAVED News Articles” panel: SAVED News Articles still awkwardly only in tiny side panel from User drop-down. Please put SAVED News back as an available NEWS SECTION so it can be in normal FULLSCREEN area like all other news sections/articles. Also (longtime complaint), scrolling right-side “5 other articles” should be available INDEPENDENTLY of where you are at scrolling through the a
  10. [R3] CNBC 3/5 · US Metals prices missing: Under Commodities, the entire Metals prices are missing. Does anyone else have this problem?
  11. [R10] CNBC 2/5 · US CNBC gets worse with each upgrade :( Get Pro, join Club, Ad overload!: CNBC gets worse with each upgrade :( Get Pro, join Club, Ad overload!
  12. [R8] CNBC 4/5 · US Hi-Lo Data Restored: Thanks for bringing this back. I reply on your web site for data. If the “Club” was not so expensive I would join.
  13. [R15] CNBC 3/5 · US Good Investment Information: I enjoy listening to the information shared but i gave it a 3 because there are to many commercials for the high price subscription.
  14. [R57] CNBC 3/5 · GB Good but thanks: This app is a perfect app for business news. However when it comes to subscription, it’s not cheap. It when you pay for subscription, you have certain expectations. Things like Picture in Picture, doesn’t work well on IOS, PAID SUBSCRIPTION os only consist of live CNBC channel and doesn’t give access to entertainment section of the app. come on, $29.99 a month only give you ac
  15. [R25] CNBC 1/5 · US Not working!!! Lousy support!!!: Have had a problem every month around renew time. It won’t work for a week before and after!🙃
  16. [R43] CNBC 1/5 · US Video hangs frequently: Several times a minute the video will either hang and I have to restore the page or the sound turns off and I have to hit the speaker icon to turn it back on. That means I miss a lot of the information. This happens on the web app and on the iOS app. This morning I couldn’t get the Investing Club Morning Meeting to work at all. That’s usually where I get the most informat
  17. [R88] The Economist 2/5 · US Poor Service: I’m unable to get somebody at The Economist to help me transfer my expired corporate group subscription from a prior employer to a personal account, so unfortunately I’m unable to pay for and access their wonderful coverage.
  18. [R16] CNBC 1/5 · US Livestream never loads: I hardly ever leave reviews and almost never leave negative reviews but this app has been so frustrating. I have to refresh it 30+ times to get the livestream to even load and sometimes it just never does and I can't watch that morning. Then sometimes I have to go through the same process after stops working after a commercial break. No one has time for that. I know it's sp
  19. [R67] The Economist 1/5 · US Awful. Bring back the old app: Will sometimes (but inexplicably not all the time) refuse to play downloaded articles when not connected to the internet. I listen to articles while hiking in areas that don’t have cell reception so this is a deal breaker for me. Was not a problem with the old app.
  20. [R106] The Economist 1/5 · US AI narration fails if not connected; useless on airplane: Hiking out of data coverage (or on airplane), app refused to play article even though I had all audio downloaded, because that story was “AI narrated” only. Again! Also, still dislike that sections are so badly ordered (Britain and Europe so far down the order)
  21. [R112] The Economist 1/5 · US Needs lots of improvements: Even if I’ve downloaded an issue, the app still needs Internet access. If I download issues and then go on an airplane and reopen the app, it still needs Internet access to show any articles or play any audio, defeating the entire purpose of downloading the issue for offline access. The reason appears to be a combination of bad requirements, coding, and testing. It is
  22. [R24] CNBC 3/5 · US Political bias: Steve Less-man’s Political bias is Disgusting! And a real dis-service to your viewers. Still wrong on tariffs, still wrong on inflation,still wrong on everything due to TDS. Andrew is a child with child views of the world. Sara and Joe are both thoughtful and reasonable and clearly the adults in the room.
  23. [R52] CNBC 1/5 · US I came here for stock tickers, not constant political slant: I downloaded the CNBC app to track my portfolio, monitor market trends, and get breaking financial news. Instead, my notification feed has turned into a constant stream of political commentary, specifically a relentless barrage of anti-Trump articles. If I wanted 24/7 political bias and opinion pieces dressing up as hard news, I would ha

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