Report updated Mar 26, 2026

What Is cleveland.com?

cleveland.com is a regional news platform providing exclusive local journalism and archives for Northeast Ohio. It utilizes a subscription-based model to monetize its content, targeting a loyal, community-focused audience. Despite its strong content offering and #71 Grossing rank, the app is suffering from severe technical debt. Users are increasingly frustrated by app instability and broken subscription authentication, which threatens to undermine the brand's reputation and long-term revenue potential.

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.

Upset
Content Quality
App Stability and Crashes... Show more

Media Gallery

Key Features

Local News CoverageDifferentiator

In-depth reporting on stories and events specific to Northeast Ohio communities

All Access SubscriptionStandard

Unlimited access to premium content, including exclusive sports and local news coverage

Custom AlertsStandard

Personalized notifications for breaking news and specific topics of interest

Digital ArchiveDifferentiator

Access to historical newspapers and past stories via integrated archives

Multimedia ContentStandard

Access to podcasts, videos, and photo galleries alongside traditional articles

Recent User Sentiment 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.

Upset

Recent user voice shows a upset sentiment. Users appreciate content quality, but report app stability and crashes and subscription and login issues.

What Users Love

Content Quality

I still enjoy the writer’s but it’s getting tough to continue using.

The content is great but the screen often freezes

Pain Points

App Stability and Crashes

The app takes minutes to open. Latest updates have made it garbage

Constantly crashes after reading one, maybe two articles.

Subscription and Login Issues

Cleveland.com claims to have no record of my subscription even though I provided proof of purchase

Keeps asking me to log in, which I do but just keeps repeating the same request.

High confidence · 99 reviews available

App Store Performance

ChartRankChange
Grossing#715
No ranking data for this selection.

Pros and Cons

Pros

  • Strong brand equity and trust as a primary source for local news.
  • Exclusive, high-quality content that is difficult for generic news aggregators to replicate.
  • Established monetization model with a clear path to annual recurring revenue.

Cons

  • Severe technical debt leading to frequent crashes and slow load times.
  • Broken authentication logic causing friction for paying subscribers.
  • Poor UI/UX design, including non-intuitive navigation and font scaling issues.

Market Outlook

Growth Opportunities

  • Capitalize on the lack of high-quality local digital competitors by fixing the core product.
  • Improve retention by streamlining the subscription management and login flow.
  • Expand multimedia offerings (podcasts/video) to better engage younger demographics.

Market Threats

  • High churn risk due to users losing patience with technical failures.
  • Potential for local competitors or national news apps with better tech stacks to capture the market.
  • Negative app store reviews damaging the brand's long-term reputation.

Key Takeaways

cleveland.com is a upsetting news app that is available. With a 4.4/5 rating from 12K reviews, it upsets most users from users. Users particularly appreciate content quality, though app stability and crashes remains a common concern.

Best for: Residents of Northeast Ohio and individuals with a strong interest in local community news, regional politics, and Cleveland-area sports teams.

App Details & Pricing

Model: subscription

Tiers:
Free access to limited contentMonthly Subscription at $9.99Annual Subscription at $99.99

Uses a metered or premium-gated model to convert casual readers into recurring subscribers by emphasizing exclusive local journalism.

iOS Version

4.5.9

Android Version

4.5.2.2

Release Date

Oct 2, 2010

iOS Price

Free

Android Price

Free

Developer

cleveland.com

Independent intel to help builders create better apps.

No publisher influence. No third-party bias. Built with objectivity in mind to serve the builder community. Reports are continuously improved and refined. For informational purposes only.

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