In today’s world which is constantly evolving, it is more important, especially for the youngsters to constantly keep updating yourself whether it is happening near your locality or anywhere else for that matter.
Staying updated with the latest news can help save your money or even life. Two classic examples: Majority of Indians learned that the government demonetised Rs.500 and Rs.1,000 currency notes after 8.15pm on November 8, 2016.
Similarly, news that 60 children, women and men were crushed under a running train near Amritsar during Dussehra celebrations was also flashed across the country just after 9 pm on October 9, 2018.
This news first reached people in India through news apps.
Importance of News Apps in India
This news will surprise you: most people in India now receive breaking news on their smartphones.
The reasons are simple. Nearly 25% of India’s population owns a smartphone and receive news. They forward the same to relatives and friends using WhatsApp or share on Facebook.
Also, the majority of Indians prefer watching movies and soap opera on TV or listen to filmy music on the radio. Hence, they cannot stay abreast with the news.
While newspapers are witnessing a rise in circulation, they provide news only the next morning. Thus, people miss the news that may concern the essential elements of their life or even their lives.
Further, nobody can remain glued to a TV channel or listen for extended hours. In such cases, news apps are your best option.
Top news apps in India serve as your window to the neighbourhood and world. They can help save money, time and also life.
Should you wish to stay updated with news, here are top 10 must-have News apps on your smartphone.
List of 12 Free Best News Apps in India
1. Dailyhunt
Dailyhunt is the most popular and best news app in India. In most cases, your smartphone would already have the Dailyhunt app installed by the manufacturer.
If not, you can download for free from Google Play or iTunes. Dailyhunt provides news from multiple sources including newswires, newspapers, TV channels and other reliable sources.
You can get news in English, Hindi, Tamil, Malayalam, Kannada, Telugu, Marathi, Bangla, Gujarati, Urdu, Oriya and Punjabi languages through Dailyhunt.
The app also has a feature to share news through WhatsApp, Facebook, Twitter and other social media and messaging platforms. You can also watch live TV on a smartphone with Dailyhunt.
Free Download Links: Android | IOS
Also Read: 10 Best English Newspapers in India
2. Google News
If you are always on the move and have little time for details, try Google News. As the name suggests, this app comes from Google.
Any smartphone that comes with Google apps including Chrome browser would have Google News installed too. Or you can just download for free.
Google News is best suited for those who are interested in breaking news, headlines and news briefs.
In fact, serves more as your assistant for giving you updated news briefs rather than bothering with much detailed information.
Google News sources its news from newspapers and newswires as well as other highly reliable sources.
The news is presented in a concise manner. You can always open the link in Chrome browser for further details.
Sharing information from Google News is possible on social media and instant messengers (IMs). It does not have a facility to watch live TV.
Free Download Links: Android | IOS
3. Inshorts
Inshorts is a popular and fastest news app that gives you news in just 60 words of lesser. Also, you can view images along with the news.
This instant news app provides news in English as well as Hindi. Inshorts is popular because it contains only the headlines and bare minimum facts about any news.
Hence, you can get to know only the essential details and do not have to read long articles to get correct information.
Inshorts comes with inbuilt functions that allow selection of the type of news, sharing, various heads including politics, sports, entertainment, national and international as well as business news among others.
It is an excellent app if you have less time for news or always on the move.
Free Download Links: Android | IOS
4. ABP Live News
ABP Live News comes from Kolkata based Ananda Bazar Patrika (ABP) group. During the last general elections in India, ABP Live News is known to be the best news app in for Android in India.
ABP Live News is also available for Bangla, Marathi, Hindi, Gujarati and Punjabi languages which makes it popular among masses that prefer news in regional or native languages.
This app has several other features and offers news on sports, entertainment, latest gadgets, travel, lifestyle, viral videos and lots more.
ABP Live News has a feature that allows viewing any of its channels- ABP Majha in Marathi, ABP News Hindi, ABP News English, APB Ananda in Bangla, ABP Asmita in Gujarati and ABP Sanjha in the Punjabi language.
Free Download Links: Android | IOS
5. NDTV
With NDTV official app, you can get flashes of breaking news, latest stories, videos and photos live from the popular channel’s newsrooms.
This allows you to remain abreast with news happening in your neighbourhood to any foreign country.
NDTV app also provides access to live TV, videos, photos, news flashes, sports and more on your smartphone.
The new NDTV app launched a few months ago has the fastest streaming that offers an experience similar to viewing on a TV screen.
Other features of NDTV news app includes easy sharing via Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp and other social media and IMs.
NDTV news also streams live radio broadcasts from various stations.
It offers news under Politics, Business, Cricket, Sports, Food, Entertainment, Opinions, Bollywood and other categories.
A very crucial feature of NDTV app is live updates of stock markets- Bombay Stock Exchange and National Stock Exchange that is important for investors and stock traders.
Free Download Links: Android | IOS
6. News 18
News 18 is an excellent free news app in India if you prefer watching live news on a smartphone.
This app connects you to live TV in 16 different languages. CNN News18 for international news and News18 India for local and Indian news.
Other live TV channels you can view through News 18 app include IBN Lokmat in Marathi and those in regional languages of Bihar, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Chattisgarh, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand, Gujarat, West Bengal and North East.
News 18 channels in Urdu, Kannada, Oriya and Tamil languages can also be accessed through this app.
This app provides the latest news on politics, sports, business, Bollywood and technology. The News 18 app also offers flashes for breaking news.
Free Download Links: Android | IOS
7. India TV
India TV provides genuine and unbiased news. It is the best app for news if you wish to avoid dramatics and propaganda typical to the paid news that is causing slow but steady decay in reporting standards.
India TV app provides breaking news as well as significant developments in politics, sports, business, entertainment, technology and international events.
It works on Second Generation (2G), Third Generation (3G) as well as 4G networks. This means you can access news anywhere in India regardless of Internet connection speed.
A unique feature of India TV smartphone app is the voice search. You only have to speak the content you want the app to display.
India TV app comes with audio enabled news reader: that allows you to listen to any story with a single tap.
You can also watch popular programs like ‘Aap Ki Adalat’ and ‘Aaj Ki Baat’ – the two most popular shows of India TV live or recorded.
This app allows you to bookmark a story for reading later. You can also select between Day and Night modes for easy reading and viewing.
Free Download Links: Android | IOS
8. FE (Financial Express)
Financial Express mobile app is for serious investors that require astute information about industries, currencies, commodities and stocks.
FE app also provides breaking news on politics, sports, entertainment and other areas of interest. It is mainly used by businessmen and investors to stay in touch with news of stock and commodities markets in India and abroad.
The FE app is useful company news, technology, industry, finding Net Asset Values of Mutual company profiles, automobile related news, developments in the Banking, Financial Services and Insurance (BFSI) sectors of India.
It has interesting information on personal health, science, travel and tourism among other hot topics. FE app also works seamlessly on 2G, 3G and 4G networks.
Free Download Links: Android | IOS
9. TOI (Times of India)
Any mention of topmost news apps of this country is incomplete without mentioning TOI- the official one from The Times of India. It is known to be the best Indian news app made available in all parts
This offers everything for a severe news reader. It has a feature that flashes breaking news and headlines.
You can also access, business, technology, politics, entertainment and other news through the official Times of India app.
There is a special section that helps Indians stay abreast with what is happening across our national frontiers with Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh, Bhutan, China and Sri Lanka as well as extended neighbourhood regions of the Far East and the Middle East.
The TOI app provides interviews with celebrities, top business persons and politicians, sports personalities and other eminent people.
You can access picture galleries and videos of news events through the TOI app too. TOI app is popular not only in India but also among the large Indian diaspora abroad.
News available on TOI is updated frequently. You can get news specific to some 50 Indian cities from the TOI app.
Also, breaking news about stocks and commodities, industries and other business news can be accessed from this newspaper app.
Free Download Links: Android | IOS
10. Aaj Tak
If you love dramatics with your news, download Aaj Tak. The eponymous TV channel and the daily news app rank as the highest viewed in India.
The only limitation being, Aaj Tak app also streams breaking news and live TV in Hindi. Despite, it is an app you will never get bored off. News on Aaj Tak is presented in a very livid manner that makes it worthwhile to watch.
Their journalists add comments liberally to news coverage. However, you need to get accustomed to the lively and excited tones in which news is presented on Aaj Tak TV and through the app.
This app allows you to access live TV, the latest news in Hindi, receive breaking news alerts, updates on national news, international news and local news.
You can also get juicy entertainment news and action-packed sports coverage. Crime news is a popular feature of this app.
“Aaj Tak is India’s most awarded, most-watched and most trusted news source,” claims Living Media India Ltd, its parent company.
Free Download Links: Android | IOS
11. Reuters
Reuters ranks among highly respected newswires of the world. The company has thousands of journalists around the globe covering almost everything from breaking news to politics, technology to entertainment and sports too serious business.
The app is presented by Thomson-Reuters, the parent company of Reuters’ Newswire.
Having the news reader app from Reuters – which ranks among the leading apps in the world- gives access to the latest developments in India and abroad.
You stay in touch with news that impacts the world, India, your business and finances as well as sports and entertainment not only in this country but also abroad.
The app has several features which allow you to select the type of news you wish to read.
Reuters’ app comes with a customisation feature that allows you to select the type of news you wish to watch live, get instant stock and commodities market updates and receive breaking news alerts from around the world.
Free Download Links: Android | IOS
12. AIR
Though we mention AIR at the end, it is one app you must have on a smartphone. In fact, it is the most popular app from India that is downloaded and accessed by the large Indian diaspora abroad.
AIR comes from All India Radio- national broadcaster of this country. It provides the latest national and international news from the most reliable sources.
Since AIR is state-owned, you can be assured it is free from any fake news, rumours, speculations and paid news.
Further AIR app also allows access to various radio channels operated by Prasar Bharati, the parent organisation.
Indian citizens abroad love AIR app because they have heard and read the news in their native language.
They also listen to live broadcasts and telecasts in their native tongue through AIR app. The AIR app earlier was rife with problems.
However, the latest version available on Google Play is speedy and provides news and other programs seamlessly.
Free Download Links: Android | IOS
To Sum Up
Apps are rapidly gaining ground as a preferred source for news. People are more inclined to read breaking news on their branded smartphone via news app before tuning into the radio or viewing TV for more information.
Apps also permit you to get breaking news even at work and are unobtrusive. You just hear a soft alert tone or mobile or a slight vibration of the device.
They help stay in touch with the world round the clock and ensure you never miss any significant or essential development in any field.
If you too are interested in staying updated with what is happening in your city, area, India and the rest of the world, download any of these top 12 news apps in India right away.