CNN: Live & Breaking News

CNN App Review: Live TV Behind a Login, Articles Behind a Meter

Five-Minute Preview: What Live CNN Needs From a TV Provider or All Access

Live television runs as a five-minute preview until you sign in. A login from a participating pay TV provider unlocks the CNN, CNN International and HLN streams plus original series at no extra cost. Cord-cutters need All Access instead, which carries a live channel of CNN U.S. programming with select international shows, two FAST channels and CNN International bureau coverage on weekdays from 9am to 5pm ET; CNN's own plan terms warn that this video may vary from CNN TV. Short clips play with no login at all. Reviewers from July to September 2026 described the provider sign-in failing on Android and Fire TV, and streams snapping back to International or Headlines.

Basic at $3.99, All Access at $6.99: Where the Article Paywall Starts

Readers without a plan get a limited number of free articles each month, and stories marked subscriber-only lock on the first tap; a free account adds topic following and select free articles. Basic, launched in October 2024, costs $3.99 a month or $29.99 a year for unlimited articles but includes no streaming. All Access costs $6.99 a month or $69.99 a year and bundles articles with video. Both plans are US-only, prices may change, and a pay TV login does not cover unlimited reading. Of the 150 newest English Google Play reviews, posted June 23 to October 1, 2026, 70 give one or two stars, and more than 30 of those blame subscription prompts.

Magic Wall, Shorts and Live Audio: What Sits Beyond the Headlines

Magic Wall, the interactive map from election-night broadcasts, shows county-by-county results that can be set against past elections; a four-star reviewer in August 2026 found some races missing, such as Alabama primaries and certain runoffs. In November 2025 the home screen gained a Shorts tab, a vertical feed beside Top Stories that, per Nieman Lab, mixes every recent vertical clip with videos made only for the stream. Live audio covers CNN, CNN en Español, CNN International and HLN, and the 1 Thing podcast takes on the week's most-discussed story. A Your CNN page keeps saved stories next to recommendations drawn from viewing history.

Alerts, Ads and Tracking: What the Google Play and Apple Labels Disclose

Custom alerts can follow a developing story, but in July and August 2026 reviewers said taps often landed on a paywall, and one reported 30 seconds of logo screen before an article opened. Ads stay on both paid tiers, since CNN's plan cards promise fewer ads rather than none. Apple's privacy label lists location, browsing history, identifiers and usage data as used to track you across other companies' apps, and Google Play's Data safety section says approximate location, app interactions and device IDs are shared for advertising. The Warner Bros. Discovery privacy policy, updated July 9, 2025, says usage data may include recorded clicks, keystrokes and scrolling, and opting out through Ad Choices leaves ads in place.