Local Now: News, Movies & TV

Review by eFreeware

Most streaming apps ask you to pick a side: either you get a deep on-demand catalog with no live television, or you get a bundle of live channels with little to watch when nothing is on. Local Now tries to sit in both camps at once, pairing local news and weather with a long list of free channels and a movie library. That combination is the most distinctive thing about it, and it is what I would weigh first when deciding whether to install it.

The app is free to download and use, and it comes from Weather Group, LLC. It has been on Google Play since June 2016, and the install figures suggest it has found a steady audience: more than a million downloads and a 4.0 average from roughly 3,459 ratings. It is free with ads and does not offer in-app purchases.

So who is it for? I would point to two groups. The first is people who have cut the cord but still want the local newscast and forecast they grew up with, rather than a national feed. The second is viewers who want something free to watch in the evening without committing to another subscription. If either of those sounds like your situation, this is a reasonable place to start.

Local news and weather as the anchor

The feature the developer leads with is local news and weather, and that is the part I would treat as the core of the app rather than a bonus. Rather than one national feed, the pitch is coverage tied to where you live.

For anyone who checks both every morning, that saves a step. The trade-off is that the depth of coverage will vary by market, since local reporting depends on what stations serve your area. In a large metro you can expect a fuller slate; in smaller markets the selection is naturally thinner.

This is also where the app differs from a general-purpose streaming service. A big platform can offer prestige series and original films, but it rarely cares about your zip code. Local Now is built around the assumption that hometown coverage is the reason you opened the app in the first place, and the entertainment sits around that anchor.

What else is in the channel lineup

Beyond news and weather, the app carries more than 400 channels and thousands of movies, ranging from national news and courtroom programming to comedy, nature, sports, food, horror, and gaming.

The movie library is the other half of the offer. Thousands of titles, free to watch. I would not expect the newest theatrical releases here; free ad-supported libraries tend to lean on older films and catalog titles. For a casual movie night, that is often enough, and it costs nothing beyond your attention during the ad breaks.

Spanish-language and international channels are part of the mix as well, which broadens the appeal beyond English-only households. The developer also describes Local Now as carrying more free channels than any other streaming service, a claim I would treat as marketing rather than a measured fact.

The overall shape is a wide but shallow catalog: many channels, many titles, and browsing that suits people who do not arrive with one specific show in mind.

What it asks of you

The requirements are modest. The app is free, so you will not be nudged toward a subscription or a one-off unlock while you watch. That keeps the cost side simple: nothing to budget for, and nothing to cancel later.

The trade-off is advertising. Local Now contains ads. How frequent or long those breaks are is not something I can judge from the app's store page, so treat that as the main unknown before you commit an evening to it.

The app is rated Teen, which matters if younger viewers share the device. Streaming also needs a reliable connection and enough data, so long sessions on a metered plan can add up.

Getting the most from it

The sensible way to approach Local Now is to set it up around your routine rather than browse it like a video store. Check the local forecast and headlines in the morning, then leave the entertainment for later. That split matches how the app is organized and keeps the news side from getting buried under the movie catalog.

When you do want something to watch, start with the categories rather than scrolling the full channel list. The same goes for the movie library: pick a genre and let the app do the work instead of hunting for a title you already had in mind.

It also helps to think of this as one app among several rather than a full replacement for paid television. Free, ad-supported streaming rarely includes the newest releases or the prestige series people subscribe for elsewhere, but used alongside whatever else you watch, it fills the local news gap that most streaming services ignore, at no cost.

One practical note: the app was last updated in April 2026, so the version you install is a current one.

A free option for local coverage and casual viewing

Local Now makes most sense for people who want local news and weather without paying for a cable package, and who are happy to fill the rest of their viewing time from a free, ad-supported catalog. The combination of 400-plus channels and thousands of movies gives you plenty to sample, and the absence of in-app purchases keeps the cost picture clean.

The caveats are straightforward. Ads are part of the deal, the movie selection leans on catalog titles rather than new releases, and the depth of local coverage will depend on your market. None of that undermines the core offer, but it does mean the app works best as a complement to whatever else you watch rather than your only source of television.

If you have been paying for a service mainly to get your local newscast, this is a free way to test whether you still need it. Download it and see how the local side holds up where you live before deciding anything else.