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

WMC5 First Alert Weather vs 5NEWS Northwest Arkansas

WMC5 First Alert Weather 4.7★ · Free to download 65
Winner 5NEWS Northwest Arkansas
5NEWS Northwest Arkansas 4.8★ · Free to download 75

Choose 5NEWS Northwest Arkansas for a more reliable and user-friendly weather experience.

Full reviews: WMC5 First Alert Weather · 5NEWS Northwest Arkansas

Both apps provide weather updates, but 5NEWS Northwest Arkansas has a slight edge in user satisfaction and functionality. While WMC5 First Alert Weather has faced significant complaints about updates and reliability, 5NEWS has also received criticism but maintains a better overall rating and user experience.

Head to head

features edge: 5NEWS Northwest ArkansasR2R8R67R70
WMC5 First Alert Weather Users appreciate the weather alerts and storm preparedness features, but many complain about the radar and update issues.
5NEWS Northwest Arkansas Users enjoy the local news integration and weather updates, though some mention the app's radar functionality needs improvement.
ease of use edge: 5NEWS Northwest ArkansasR3R27R64R73
WMC5 First Alert Weather Some users find the app cluttered with ads and difficult to navigate, especially after updates.
5NEWS Northwest Arkansas While there are complaints about the new layout, many users find the app easy to use, though it sometimes requires restarting for updates.
reliability edge: 5NEWS Northwest ArkansasR1R4R67R113
WMC5 First Alert Weather Frequent reports of glitches and alerts not functioning properly have frustrated users.
5NEWS Northwest Arkansas Users have reported issues with the radar and location settings, but overall, the app is still considered reliable for updates.
price/value tieR3R59R72R89
WMC5 First Alert Weather The app is free, but users express frustration with the number of ads.
5NEWS Northwest Arkansas Also free, but users are willing to pay for an ad-free experience due to excessive ads.
support tieR54R64R88R112
WMC5 First Alert Weather Users report that support seems lacking, especially after updates that have caused issues.
5NEWS Northwest Arkansas Some users feel the support is responsive, but others wish for better communication regarding updates.
Pick WMC5 First Alert Weather if

you prioritize storm preparedness and have used WMC5 for years and prefer its features despite current issues.

Pick 5NEWS Northwest Arkansas if

you want a more reliable and user-friendly experience with fewer complaints about functionality.

Evidence note: Both apps are free, which means many negative reviews stem from user frustrations with ads and functionality rather than outright dissatisfaction with the price.

Frequently asked

Which app is better for weather alerts?
5NEWS Northwest Arkansas is generally considered better for weather alerts, with users appreciating its local coverage and timely updates despite some complaints about accuracy.

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. [R2] WMC5 First Alert Weather 5/5 · US The best app ever: This is the best app ever on my phone I love how y’all prepared for storms like tornadoes and severe thunderstorms, which we just had them on Monday and Tuesday not very much on Monday but a lot on Tuesday, please make more videos. I really wanna see what’s happening and I live in Memphis so yeah
  2. [R8] WMC5 First Alert Weather 5/5 · US Keeps me alerted: The first alert weather keeps my family safe from the storm
  3. [R67] 5NEWS Northwest Arkansas 1/5 · US Weather: Since they updated the app it’s TERRIBLE!!! The radar never works!!!!!
  4. [R70] 5NEWS Northwest Arkansas 1/5 · US New app HORRIBLE: I am actually writing this before I delete the app due to its horrendous layout for the news and lack of both functionality and accuracy on the weather. I have always relied on KFSM and the actual meteorologists are still great for live coverage , but the app is absolutely worthless since the latest update. It has to be closed and reopened numerous times to get the weather to loa
  5. [R3] WMC5 First Alert Weather 3/5 · US Accurate weather; Scam ads: The accuracy of the weather forecast on this app is good, but the whole app is covered in fraudulent, scam ads.
  6. [R27] WMC5 First Alert Weather 3/5 · US Ads: Way too many ads cluttering the page.
  7. [R64] 5NEWS Northwest Arkansas 1/5 · US The update ruined everything: Ever since the new update the app is absolutely trash. I always rely on the 5 news app for weather and since the update, it always says my location is in Fayetteville even after numerous times I’ve set my location to Fort Smith and have my location setting on. Half the time the radar and weather even load. I have to constantly open and close it for it to be set to For
  8. [R73] 5NEWS Northwest Arkansas 1/5 · US New update is awful and so user unfriendly: Please go back to the original one! The all white is awful. Stories are harder to find. Anytime I want to check the actual weather I have to restart the app because nothing loads!
  9. [R1] WMC5 First Alert Weather 2/5 · US Alerts don’t work!!!!: Since the last update, I do not get any verbal notifications. Also, when you go to turn alerts on the map none of them show up. There’s a lag even though the app is connected to the Internet just needs to be fixed. I’ve used this app for more than 10 years and now it’s barely functional.
  10. [R4] WMC5 First Alert Weather 1/5 · US Update ruined radar: This app used to be great but the update has ruined the radar options.
  11. [R113] 5NEWS Northwest Arkansas 5/5 · US Weather Radar: It was very good for years but in the past year it went from updating every 5-6 minutes to every 22 minutes. I now use another stations weather mapping. Sad.
  12. [R59] WMC5 First Alert Weather 4/5 · US Ads: Too many ads ! Hard to get around without accidentally touching and activating the ridiculous ad.
  13. [R72] 5NEWS Northwest Arkansas 3/5 · US More Ads Than News: The volume of advertisements is excessive and significantly detracts from the user experience. At times, it feels more like a platform for ads than a reliable news app, which undermines its credibility.
  14. [R89] 5NEWS Northwest Arkansas 4/5 · US Ads: I would pay $20 for an ad free version of this app. There’s just too many
  15. [R54] WMC5 First Alert Weather 1/5 · US Poor service: After an automatic update, the system will not run the radar loop. I have to back out, close it, reopen and relaunch each time. I have tried to delete and reload it, but it still doesn’t work. I used the weather channel app, it has the same radar, just not able to set notifications and color on it.
  16. [R88] 5NEWS Northwest Arkansas 2/5 · US Locks up: This app constantly freezes up.
  17. [R112] 5NEWS Northwest Arkansas 1/5 · US Must view ads before seeing weather warnings: I understand the need for app revenue but in a weather emergency (tornado warning) these ads IMHO should be turned off.
  18. [R68] 5NEWS Northwest Arkansas 5/5 · US Mr. Brent Anderton: Great coverage for the Arkansas River Valley.

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