Report updated Mar 28, 2026
Houston Chronicle
v202603.8Houston-area residents and individuals interested in Texas-specific news, politics, and sports who value trusted, professional journalism.
What Is Houston Chronicle?
Launched Sep 27, 2011
Updated Mar 2026
What users think iIndependent intel reports to help builders create better apps or enhance existing ones. Still in beta, accuracy and relevancy get better every day. For informational purposes only.
Media Gallery
What are Houston Chronicle's key features?
A digital replica of the physical newspaper for a traditional reading experience
Converts written articles into audio format for hands-free consumption
Access to a suite of reimagined and brand-new daily puzzles
Push notifications tailored to user-preferred topics
In-app access to exclusive podcasts like 'Texas Take' and 'Fifth Down'
What do users think of Houston Chronicle? iIndependent intel reports to help builders create better apps or enhance existing ones. Still in beta, accuracy and relevancy get better every day. For informational purposes only.
“Recent user voice shows a mixed sentiment. Users appreciate quality of local journalism, but report subscription cancellation difficulties and app stability and technical bugs.”
What Users Love
The quality of the reporting is unmatched.
Value of local papers is that they are the only source of local news that has the budget and personnel for investigative reporting.
Pain Points
The e-subscription cannot be cancelled without making a phone call during business hours.
They keep charging me even after the account was cancelled.
It crashes, it crashes, it crashes.
The mobile app has been unstable for a while and very glitchy.
High confidence · 99 reviews available
App Store Performance
| Chart | Rank | Change |
|---|---|---|
| Grossing | #59 | ▲6 |
What are the pros and cons of Houston Chronicle?
Pros
- Strong brand equity in local investigative journalism
- Successful integration of engagement features like Puzzmo
- Effective monetization strategy for print-to-digital transition
Cons
- High frequency of app crashes and technical bugs
- Cumbersome, non-digital subscription cancellation process
- Declining sentiment trend
What is the market outlook for Houston Chronicle?
Growth Opportunities
- Implement self-service in-app cancellation
- Expand audio content to compete with podcast-first news
- Develop community features around Puzzmo
Market Threats
- Churn driven by technical instability
- Consumer sensitivity to perceived political bias
- Potential platform-level changes to subscription billing
What are the key takeaways for Houston Chronicle?
Houston Chronicle is a divisive news app that is available. With a 4.5/5 rating from 14.4K reviews, it receives mixed feedback from users. Users particularly appreciate quality of local journalism, though subscription cancellation difficulties remains a common concern.
Best for: Houston-area residents and individuals interested in Texas-specific news, politics, and sports who value trusted, professional journalism.
How much does Houston Chronicle cost?
Model: subscription
Uses a 'freemium' entry point via a free trial to convert users to a recurring monthly subscription model, with strong incentives for existing print subscribers to link their accounts.
iOS Version
202603.8
Android Version
202603.18
Release Date
Sep 27, 2011
iOS Price
Free
Android Price
Free
Developer
Hearst Newspapers