TLDR Review: The Wall Street Journal
Pros
- •Automatically downloads the paper daily for offline reading, allowing access without needing to be always online (though with some limits).
- •Offers a "Now" edition that provides intraday updates with the latest news as the day progresses.
- •The visual design closely mimics the print edition, creating a familiar and appealing reading experience.
- •Navigating through sections and articles is generally intuitive, with the ability to swipe stories sequentially or select them from a sidebar.
- •Provides options for combined print/digital subscriptions through negotiation, adding flexibility for subscribers.
- •Performance is stable at times with no crashes reported by some users.
- •The user interface is clean and enables easy section and story browsing for those who can work around occasional glitches.
Cons
- •The app frequently fails to update with the latest editions, often displaying outdated content or blank screens for many articles, which can be infuriating.
- •Offline reading capabilities are limited; many articles and photos still need an active internet connection, restricting true offline use.
- •Ads appear even for loggen subscribers, interrupting the reading experience and pushing for higher subscription levels.
- •Forced portrait orientation makes reading awkward, especially on tablets or devices better suited for landscape mode.
- •The app is highly unstable for many users, with frequent crashes that require uninstalling and reinstalling to temporarily resolve.
- •Navigation has frustrating quirks, such as needing to open an article first before accessing a full section index, and section switching often fails about half the time.
- •Customer support is reportedly unhelpful in addressing these persistent issues.
- •No option exists to control how often stories update, potentially affecting data usage for those with limited internet plans.
- •Overall, the app’s instability and inconsistent usability make it a frustrating companion to an otherwise strong content offering.
Bottom Line
The Wall Street Journal app delivers an attractive and familiar reading experience with daily automatic downloads and updated editions, but its unstable performance and frustrating navigation bugs seriously undermine its usability. If seamless offline reading and app reliability are critical, you might want to wait for future updates or consider reading the paper through their mobile or desktop website instead. For users deeply invested in print plus digital flexibility, its subscription options remain a plus, but prepare for some headaches with the app’s current quirks.
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