TL;DR: No single app is best for everyone. Inshorts for speed, Dailyhunt for regional languages, Google News for personalization, The Balanced News for bias detection and multiple perspectives. Choose based on your priority: speed, language, depth, or understanding bias.
With hundreds of millions of Indians consuming news on smartphones, choosing the right news app matters. This guide compares the major options honestly, including their strengths and weaknesses.
The Major Players
1. Inshorts
Best for: Quick updates, busy people
What it does: - 60-word news summaries - Swipe-based interface - Quick daily updates - Breaking news alerts
Pros: - Super fast to consume - Clean interface - Good for staying updated - Low data usage
Cons: - Oversimplification loses nuance - No source comparison - Limited depth - Can't see bias - No regional languages
Verdict: Great for quick updates, not for understanding complex issues.
2. Dailyhunt
Best for: Regional language readers
What it does: - 14+ Indian languages - Aggregates many sources - Entertainment + news mix - Video content
Pros: - Best regional language support - Huge content library - Free to use - Local news coverage
Cons: - Ad-heavy experience - Quality inconsistent - Clickbait prevalent - No bias detection - Entertainment clutters news
Verdict: Essential for non-English readers, but quality varies widely.
3. Google News
Best for: Personalized feeds, global coverage
What it does: - AI-powered personalization - Full coverage feature - Multiple sources per story - Global and India news
Pros: - Excellent personalization - Shows multiple sources - Clean interface - Free, no ads - Global coverage
Cons: - Algorithm can create bubbles - Not India-focused - No explicit bias detection - Privacy concerns (Google data) - Can miss regional nuances
Verdict: Powerful but can reinforce your existing views.
4. Times of India App
Best for: Mainstream news, city coverage
What it does: - TOI content delivery - City-specific editions - Breaking news - Video and photos
Pros: - Strong local coverage - Reliable infrastructure - Good breaking news - Entertainment content
Cons: - Single source only - Ad-heavy - TOI bias not visible - Clickbait headlines - No source comparison
Verdict: Good if you trust TOI, limited perspective otherwise.
5. NDTV App
Best for: Video news, liberal perspective
What it does: - NDTV content - Live TV streaming - Video-first approach - Breaking news
Pros: - Quality journalism heritage - Good video content - Live streaming - In-depth coverage
Cons: - Single source perspective - Center-left bias not labeled - Ownership changes (Adani) - No source comparison - Limited language options
Verdict: Quality content but only one outlet's view.
6. The Balanced News
Best for: Understanding bias, multiple perspectives
What it does: - Aggregates 50+ sources - AI bias detection - Lens Score for underreported news - Compare sources on same story - 7 Indian languages
Pros: - See all perspectives - Bias scores visible - Find underreported stories - 50+ sources compared - Multiple languages - No filter bubbles
Cons: - No original reporting - Smaller user base (newer app) - No live TV - No video content
Verdict: Best for understanding how news is framed, not breaking news speed.
Feature Comparison Table
| Feature | Inshorts | Dailyhunt | Google News | TOI | NDTV | The Balanced News |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Speed | Best | Good | Good | Good | Medium | Good |
| Languages | English, Hindi | 14+ | 10+ | 2 | 2 | 7 |
| Bias Detection | No | No | No | No | No | Yes |
| Source Comparison | No | Partial | Yes | No | No | Yes |
| Regional Coverage | Low | High | Medium | High | Low | Medium |
| Ad Experience | Medium | Heavy | None | Heavy | Medium | Light |
| Original Content | No | Partial | No | Yes | Yes | No |
| Video | Limited | Yes | Yes | Yes | Best | No |
| Personalization | Medium | Medium | Best | Medium | Low | Medium |
Choosing Based on Your Needs
If you want: Quick updates while commuting
Choose: Inshorts - 60-word summaries - Fast swiping interface - Minimal reading time
If you want: News in your regional language
Choose: Dailyhunt - 14+ Indian languages - Local news coverage - Regional content creators
If you want: Personalized feed with multiple sources
Choose: Google News - AI personalization - Full coverage feature - International + India
If you want: To understand bias and see all perspectives
Choose: The Balanced News - AI bias detection - 50+ source comparison - Lens Score for hidden stories
If you want: Live TV and video news
Choose: NDTV - Live streaming - Video-first approach - Debate coverage
If you want: Reliable single-source news
Choose: TOI or any major outlet app - Consistent experience - Strong local coverage - Trusted brand
The Multi-App Strategy
Many informed readers use multiple apps:
Morning routine: 1. Inshorts for quick overview 2. The Balanced News for understanding perspectives on important stories 3. Single outlet app for depth on interesting topics
For major news events: 1. Google News Full Coverage to see multiple angles 2. The Balanced News to understand bias patterns 3. TV app for live coverage if needed
What's Missing from All Apps
No current app perfectly solves:
- Verification: None fact-check in real-time
- Context: Historical context often missing
- Solutions: Focus on problems, not solutions
- Local: Truly hyper-local coverage is weak
- Engagement: All apps are passive consumption
App Trends in 2025
AI Integration
- Summarization getting better
- Personalization improving
- Bias detection emerging (The Balanced News leads)
Short Video
- News reels growing
- TikTok-style formats
- Attention spans shrinking
Vernacular Growth
- Regional languages dominating
- English-first losing share
- Local content creators rising
Trust Issues
- Users skeptical of algorithms
- Demand for transparency
- Bias awareness increasing
Our Honest Take
Inshorts: Best for speed, worst for depth Dailyhunt: Best for languages, worst for quality control Google News: Best for personalization, risk of bubbles TOI/NDTV apps: Best for loyal readers, limited perspective The Balanced News: Best for bias awareness, no original content
The Bigger Question
Before choosing an app, ask yourself:
- Do I want to be informed or confirmed?
- If confirmed: Any single-source app works
-
If informed: Multi-source apps essential
-
How much time do I have?
- 5 minutes: Inshorts
- 15 minutes: The Balanced News overview
-
30+ minutes: Deep reading multiple sources
-
What's my priority?
- Speed: Inshorts
- Language: Dailyhunt
- Personalization: Google News
- Understanding bias: The Balanced News
Why We Built The Balanced News
We created The Balanced News because no app showed you HOW news is framed. Other apps give you news; we show you how different sources cover the same story with different biases.
Our app isn't for everyone. If you want: - Breaking news alerts: Try traditional apps - Live TV: Try NDTV or news channels - Maximum speed: Try Inshorts
But if you want to: - See all perspectives before forming opinions - Understand media bias patterns - Find important stories mainstream media ignores - Stop living in filter bubbles
Then The Balanced News was built for you.
Conclusion
The "best" news app depends on what you value. There's no perfect option - each has trade-offs.
For most thoughtful news consumers, we recommend: 1. A quick-update app for daily awareness 2. A multi-source app for understanding perspectives 3. Deep reading from diverse sources for important topics
Choose apps that challenge your views, not just confirm them. In an age of polarization, the ability to understand multiple perspectives is invaluable.
Compare 50+ sources with AI bias detection. Download The Balanced News for all perspectives in one app.
