News app screenshots with a ranking claim
#1, top, best, most popular. “#1” and “best” say that many others have already chosen the app, and are claims the reader cannot check on the page.
From the top 98 free News apps on the US App Store, read on October 9, 2026. Screenshots are the developers’ own, shown from Apple’s servers with a link to each app.
The numbers
Apps that do it
31% 30 of 98
Screenshots that do it
7% 38 of 517
The top ten
4 of 10 against 26 of the other 88
38 of the 517 News screenshots read (7%) do this, across 30 of the top 98 apps (31%). 4 of the top ten do it (40%), against 26 of the other 88 (30%): the top ten do it more than the rest. Of the 23 categories read so far, News is 1st for this. It is most common in News (31% of apps) and least common in Developer Tools (4%).
12 examples from the chart.
12 of the 38 News app screenshots with a ranking claim, one from each app, the highest on the chart first.
“Upvote quality posts to the top”
“World-class writing”
“Find the cheapest gas near you”
“Listen to the most popular scanners”
“Watch LIVE local news & top stores”
“The Biggest Movers in the Market, Live”
“Find calm in the chaos”
“Hear the top stories of the day, curated by NPR”
“Breaking News & Top Stories”
“World leading journalism all in one place.”
“Catch up on top news with Your Briefing”
“Discover Top Stories and In-Depth Coverage”
Real headline examples, word for word.
The words on all 38 that carry any, as each app wrote them.
“Upvote quality posts to the top”
Reddit · #2 · screenshot 4“World-class writing”
Substack · #4 · screenshot 3“Find the cheapest gas near you”
NewsBreak: Local News & Alerts · #6 · screenshot 3“Listen to the most popular scanners”
Police Scanner Radio & Fire · #8 · screenshot 4“Watch LIVE local news & top stores”
FOX LOCAL: Live News & Weather · #15 · screenshot 1“The Biggest Movers in the Market, Live”
Every stock on NYSE and NASDAQ, scanned in real time.Stocks.News－Market Alerts · #16 · screenshot 1“Find calm in the chaos”
“The Pour Over is the only news source I need to stay smart, but focus on Christ” || “Relieved to read simple and clean news with a Christian perspective” || “Trims down the endless information of news into bite-sized stories without trying to sell me on a polical agenda”The Pour Over · #20 · screenshot 2“Hear the top stories of the day, curated by NPR”
NPR: National & Local News · #23 · screenshot 1“Breaking News & Top Stories”
Stay informed with timely push notifications.SmartNews: Breaking News · #24 · screenshot 3“World leading journalism all in one place.”
BBC: World News & Stories · #25 · screenshot 1“Catch up on top news with Your Briefing”
Google News · #27 · screenshot 1“Discover Top Stories and In-Depth Coverage”
FOX News: US & World Headlines · #31 · screenshot 1“Stream the world's biggest stories”
CNN: Live & Breaking News · #34 · screenshot 1“The #1 most downloaded podcast app”
Podcast App · #35 · screenshot 2“Award-winning reporting with fewer ads”
Reuters - Breaking World News · #36 · screenshot 5“Read award winning global journalism”
Bloomberg: Business News Daily · #44 · screenshot 4“The important stories from the most respected voices on the right.”
Daily Wire · #47 · screenshot 3“America's #1 most trusted news source”
ABC News: Live & Breaking · #52 · screenshot 1“TOP STORIES AND BREAKING NEWS”
Award-winning journalism and trusted analysis from NBC NewsNBC News: Breaking & US News · #53 · screenshot 1- SEE IT HAPPEN.
“Watch clips of the latest headlines and top stories.”
Washington Post: Breaking News · #56 · screenshot 3 “The best listening experience”
Podbean Podcast App & Player · #58 · screenshot 5“The world's leading global business publication”
Financial Times: Business News · #64 · screenshot 1“THE #1 FREE STREAMING NEWS CHANNEL”
LIVE NEWS, 24/7CBS News: Live Breaking News · #65 · screenshot 1“The #1 app for UFO sightings”
Enigma: What’s that in the Sky · #69 · screenshot 1“In-Depth Financial Analysis”
Expert insights from our award-winning newsroom.Barron’s - Investing Insights · #76 · screenshot 1“Outstanding Exclusive Entertainment”
Fox Nation · #77 · screenshot 1“AWARD-WINNING”
SERIES & DOCSVery Local: News & Weather · #79 · screenshot 4“Today's top news. A tap away.”
The Guardian - US & World News · #80 · screenshot 2“Live Broadcast”
Watch the most important live events and join the conversation.Epoch Times: Live & Breaking · #81 · screenshot 4“Top stories from every Al Jazeera channel”
Al Jazeera - الجزيرة · #97 · screenshot 1“The best discussions”
Substack · #4 · screenshot 4“Follow the Biggest Investors and CEOs”
See every move whale traders makeStocks.News－Market Alerts · #16 · screenshot 4“Loved By Readers”
“My go-to first thing in the morning is SmartNews. Informative and always updated.”SmartNews: Breaking News · #24 · screenshot 4“Stream award-winning shows and films”
CNN: Live & Breaking News · #34 · screenshot 5“SUBSCRIBE AND GO DEEPER”
Get the best of NBC News, including subscriber-only video briefings, exclusive newsletters, and more with fewer ad interruptionsNBC News: Breaking & US News · #53 · screenshot 3“أهم الأخبار من كل قناة الجزيرة”
Al Jazeera English | الجزيرةAl Jazeera - الجزيرة · #97 · screenshot 2“NEWS WIDGETS”
Today's top headlines at a glance from your home screenNBC News: Breaking & US News · #53 · screenshot 5“Award-winning journalism الصحافة الحائزة على جوائز”
Al Jazeera - الجزيرة · #97 · screenshot 6
Top ten News apps that do it.
- #2Reddit1 of its 6 screenshots
- #4Substack2 of its 6 screenshots
- #6NewsBreak: Local News & Alerts1 of its 6 screenshots
- #8Police Scanner Radio & Fire1 of its 6 screenshots
The same tactic in other categories.
| Category | Apps that do it | Screenshots | Top ten |
|---|---|---|---|
| News | 31% 30 of 98 | 7% 38 of 517 | 4 of 10 |
| Sports | 30% 30 of 100 | 6% 35 of 558 | 2 of 10 |
| Education | 22% 22 of 100 | 4% 24 of 555 | 2 of 10 |
| Entertainment | 22% 22 of 100 | 5% 26 of 544 | 1 of 10 |
| Music | 20% 20 of 100 | 4% 23 of 550 | 1 of 10 |
| Reference | 19% 19 of 100 | 4% 23 of 566 | 3 of 10 |
| Productivity | 18% 18 of 99 | 3% 19 of 551 | 2 of 10 |
| Finance | 18% 18 of 100 | 4% 21 of 581 | 1 of 10 |
| Health & Fitness | 18% 18 of 100 | 4% 21 of 574 | 4 of 10 |
| Food & Drink | 17% 17 of 100 | 4% 19 of 540 | 1 of 10 |
| Shopping | 17% 17 of 100 | 4% 21 of 562 | 2 of 10 |
| Travel | 17% 17 of 100 | 4% 22 of 561 | 3 of 10 |
| Navigation | 16% 16 of 99 | 4% 23 of 566 | 1 of 10 |
| Photo & Video | 14% 14 of 100 | 3% 15 of 566 | 1 of 10 |
| Social Networking | 14% 14 of 100 | 3% 17 of 554 | 0 of 10 |
| Weather | 14% 14 of 100 | 3% 17 of 555 | 3 of 10 |
| Business | 13% 13 of 100 | 3% 17 of 554 | 0 of 10 |
| Lifestyle | 13% 13 of 100 | 3% 16 of 556 | 2 of 10 |
| Utilities | 12% 12 of 100 | 3% 14 of 549 | 0 of 10 |
| Graphics & Design | 10% 10 of 99 | 2% 10 of 564 | 0 of 10 |
| Medical | 8% 8 of 100 | 2% 10 of 548 | 1 of 10 |
| Games | 5% 5 of 100 | 1% 5 of 567 | 0 of 10 |
| Developer Tools | 4% 4 of 100 | 1% 4 of 507 | 1 of 10 |
Related tactics.
Often on the same screenshot
- Premium tone29% of these screenshots, against 3% of all News screenshots
- Words at the top100% of these screenshots, against 78% of all News screenshots
- A person in the picture47% of these screenshots, against 30% of all News screenshots
- Blue50% of these screenshots, against 33% of all News screenshots
- Has a headline100% of these screenshots, against 84% of all News screenshots
- Gradient background53% of these screenshots, against 38% of all News screenshots
More in proof
Questions, answered from the chart.
How many top News apps have App Store screenshots with a ranking claim?
30 of the top 98 News apps (31%) have at least one, and 38 of their 517 screenshots (7%) do it. Counted from the US App Store’s top free chart on October 9, 2026.
Which News apps have App Store screenshots with a ranking claim?
In the top ten: Reddit (#2), Substack (#4), NewsBreak: Local News & Alerts (#6) and Police Scanner Radio & Fire (#8). Further down the chart: FOX LOCAL: Live News & Weather (#15), Stocks.News－Market Alerts (#16), The Pour Over (#20), NPR: National & Local News (#23) and SmartNews: Breaking News (#24), and 21 more.
Should my News app have App Store screenshots with a ranking claim?
The chart shows who does it, not whether it would work for your app. 4 of the top ten News apps do it (40%), against 26 of the other 88 (30%), so the top ten do it more than the rest. Ten apps is a small group, so read that as a description of this chart and not as a rule.
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