Playful News app screenshots
A joke, a wink, a pun. A joke or a pun gives the app a voice, and says something about what using it feels like.
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
8% 8 of 98
Screenshots that do it
3% 13 of 517
The top ten
0 of 10 against 8 of the other 88
13 of the 517 News screenshots read (3%) do this, across 8 of the top 98 apps (8%). 0 of the top ten do it (0%), against 8 of the other 88 (9%): the top ten do it about as often as the rest. Of the 23 categories read so far, News is 20th for this. It is most common in Games (48% of apps) and least common in Utilities (7%).
12 examples from the chart.
12 of the 13 playful News app screenshots, one from each app, the highest on the chart first.
“Same headlines, different headspace”
“Tease your brain with puzzles and games.”
“Play your way to the next level of word games.”
“BUILD YOUR STICKERBOOK.”
“The podcast app for podcast people”
“Deeply invested in sports? So are we.”
“Ejercita tu mente y desafía tu ingenio”
“CHALLENGE WHAT YOU THINK YOU KNOW”
“Sharpen your wit with cartoons and humor.”
“DISCOVER YOUR TV DNA.”
“Lend an ear to your interests.”
“COMPLETE YOUR COLLECTIONS.”
Real headline examples, word for word.
The words on all 13 that carry any, as each app wrote them.
“Same headlines, different headspace”
The Pour Over · #20 · screenshot 4“Tease your brain with puzzles and games.”
The New Yorker · #40 · screenshot 4- LEVEL UP.
“Play your way to the next level of word games.”
Washington Post: Breaking News · #56 · screenshot 5 “BUILD YOUR STICKERBOOK.”
COLLECT WHAT YOU WATCH. BUILD YOUR PERSONAL STICKERBOOK.TV Club: Movies & Show Tracker · #67 · screenshot 3“The podcast app for podcast people”
Pocket Casts: Podcast Player · #72 · screenshot 1“Deeply invested in sports? So are we.”
The Guardian - US & World News · #80 · screenshot 3“Ejercita tu mente y desafía tu ingenio”
Desconéctate de la rutina y diviértete con la sección de juegos interactivosPrensa Abierta · #85 · screenshot 4“CHALLENGE WHAT YOU THINK YOU KNOW”
Play True/False and solve fact-based crosswordsSnopes · #89 · screenshot 5“Sharpen your wit with cartoons and humor.”
“Is it time to go to sleep, or are we still waking up?”The New Yorker · #40 · screenshot 6“DISCOVER YOUR TV DNA.”
SEE HOW YOUR STATS STACK UP.TV Club: Movies & Show Tracker · #67 · screenshot 4“Lend an ear to your interests.”
The Guardian - US & World News · #80 · screenshot 4“COMPLETE YOUR COLLECTIONS.”
WATCH MORE ROLES AND UNLOCK CHARACTER STICKERS ALONG THE WAY.TV Club: Movies & Show Tracker · #67 · screenshot 6“Give your brain a break.”
PuzzlesThe Guardian - US & World News · #80 · screenshot 5
Top ten News apps that do it.
None of the top ten do. The highest app on the chart that does is The Pour Over, at #20.
The same tactic in other categories.
| Category | Apps that do it | Screenshots | Top ten |
|---|---|---|---|
| Games | 48% 48 of 100 | 20% 112 of 567 | 6 of 10 |
| Social Networking | 44% 44 of 100 | 14% 75 of 554 | 3 of 10 |
| Food & Drink | 43% 43 of 100 | 13% 68 of 540 | 5 of 10 |
| Graphics & Design | 32% 32 of 99 | 11% 61 of 564 | 4 of 10 |
| Entertainment | 32% 32 of 100 | 10% 55 of 544 | 3 of 10 |
| Shopping | 30% 30 of 100 | 7% 39 of 562 | 6 of 10 |
| Lifestyle | 28% 28 of 100 | 8% 43 of 556 | 3 of 10 |
| Education | 22% 22 of 100 | 6% 35 of 555 | 3 of 10 |
| Health & Fitness | 20% 20 of 100 | 5% 27 of 574 | 2 of 10 |
| Music | 20% 20 of 100 | 5% 27 of 550 | 1 of 10 |
| Photo & Video | 20% 20 of 100 | 5% 30 of 566 | 1 of 10 |
| Sports | 16% 16 of 100 | 4% 24 of 558 | 3 of 10 |
| Travel | 16% 16 of 100 | 4% 24 of 561 | 2 of 10 |
| Finance | 14% 14 of 100 | 3% 15 of 581 | 3 of 10 |
| Productivity | 11% 11 of 99 | 3% 14 of 551 | 1 of 10 |
| Navigation | 10% 10 of 99 | 3% 17 of 566 | 2 of 10 |
| Developer Tools | 10% 10 of 100 | 3% 13 of 507 | 0 of 10 |
| Reference | 10% 10 of 100 | 2% 11 of 566 | 1 of 10 |
| Business | 9% 9 of 100 | 2% 11 of 554 | 1 of 10 |
| News | 8% 8 of 98 | 3% 13 of 517 | 0 of 10 |
| Weather | 8% 8 of 100 | 3% 14 of 555 | 1 of 10 |
| Medical | 7% 7 of 100 | 1% 7 of 548 | 0 of 10 |
| Utilities | 7% 7 of 100 | 1% 7 of 549 | 0 of 10 |
Related tactics.
Often on the same screenshot
- Says “you” or “your”69% of these screenshots, against 22% of all News screenshots
- Tells you to do something77% of these screenshots, against 48% of all News screenshots
- A word in a different colour46% of these screenshots, against 19% of all News screenshots
- Solid background62% of these screenshots, against 39% of all News screenshots
- Words at the top100% of these screenshots, against 78% of all News screenshots
- Illustration or mascot46% of these screenshots, against 25% of all News screenshots
More in meaning
- Plain tone86%
- Leads with a feature81%
- States a benefit71%
- Urgent tone33%
- Subline explains the headline31%
- Asks for an action24%
- Subline adds a second benefit16%
- Premium tone15%
- Names its audience12%
- Compares with something9%
- Leads with what is new8%
- Leads with trust7%
- Leads with an outcome4%
- Leads with a problem3%
- Technical tone2%
- Leads with price1%
- Leads with who it is for1%
Questions, answered from the chart.
How many top News apps have playful App Store screenshots?
8 of the top 98 News apps (8%) have at least one, and 13 of their 517 screenshots (3%) do it. Counted from the US App Store’s top free chart on October 9, 2026.
Which News apps have playful App Store screenshots?
None of the top ten do. The highest on the chart: The Pour Over (#20), The New Yorker (#40), Washington Post: Breaking News (#56), TV Club: Movies & Show Tracker (#67) and Pocket Casts: Podcast Player (#72), and 3 more.
Should my News app have playful App Store screenshots?
The chart shows who does it, not whether it would work for your app. 0 of the top ten News apps do it (0%), against 8 of the other 88 (9%), so the top ten do it about as often as the rest. Ten apps is a small group, so read that as a description of this chart and not as a rule.
See your own app against this.
Pagefully reads your screenshots the same way, and makes a custom product page for each search people type, from your real screens.
Preview your pages