TODAY

Review by eFreeware

The TODAY app is NBC's attempt to put a morning television show into a phone. That is the distinctive part: rather than a general news feed with a familiar logo, it is built around the program itself, its segments, its hosts and the mix of headlines and lighter features that fill its airtime. The developer's own pitch is that the app offers plenty worth returning to throughout the day, wherever you are, which is a fair description of what a show-branded app is trying to do.

I would expect this to suit people who already watch TODAY or who follow its presenters and want the same material between broadcasts. It also makes sense for anyone who prefers video-led news to a wall of text, since watching and reading sit side by side here. It concentrates on the TODAY show's own coverage, so it suits viewers who want that brand's mix of news and lifestyle stories.

It is free to download, it carries ads, and there are no in-app purchases to consider. The app has been around for a long time and sits at a 3.6 average from 4,009 ratings, with more than 500,000 installs.

The Digest, and why it is the headline feature

The feature the developer puts first is The Digest, described as a way to catch up quickly on the day's top moments. That framing tells you a lot about the intended use. It is not an endless feed you scroll for an hour; it is a short, curated pass over whatever the show's team has decided matters that day. For someone who wants the gist before a meeting or over a first coffee, that is the part of the app doing the real work.

What appeals to me about a digest-first design is the honesty of it. A morning show produces far more than anyone can watch, and a summary layer is a sensible way to make that volume manageable. You get the shape of the day without committing to a full broadcast, and you can decide from there whether a particular segment deserves more of your time.

The developer also describes a refreshed appearance for both stories and video. That is the kind of claim I treat as presentation rather than substance, but it matters for a media app: text that is comfortable to read and video that is easy to find are most of the experience. Whether the refresh lands well is something each viewer will judge for themselves.

Video, stories and casting to a bigger screen

Beyond the Digest, the app covers the ground you would expect from a show companion. You can catch up on the show itself, read news and pop culture headlines, find tips meant to improve your life, and read stories the developer describes as uplifting and inspiring. That is a deliberately broad brief, and it means the app is less a single-purpose news reader than a bundle of the show's regular segments in mobile form.

One detail I like is that video and stories can be used at the same time. Rather than forcing you to choose between watching a clip and reading an article, the app lets both run together, which suits the way people actually use a phone on a couch or at a kitchen table. It is a small thing that makes the app feel less rigid than a plain feed.

The other practical feature is casting. Videos can be played on a Chromecast or any other Cast-enabled device, so a clip you start on your phone can move to the television. For households that already have a Cast device set up, that turns the app into something you can share rather than something you keep to yourself.

The human side of the show is present too. Savannah Guthrie, Al Roker, Willie Geist, Carson Daly and the wider TODAY team are the familiar faces the app is built around, so it is as much about personalities as it is about headlines.

What the app asks of you

The requirements here are modest but worth stating plainly. The app is free to download and there are no in-app purchases, so nothing sits behind a paywall. In exchange, the app contains ads. That is the trade you are making: no cost, but advertising alongside the content.

Built-in Nielsen measurement software lets you join market research panels, TV ratings included. That is a normal arrangement for a television-linked product, and Nielsen's own digital privacy page sets out the measurement products and the choices available to you.

The content rating is Teen, which is consistent with a general news and entertainment feed that can include current events and pop culture. There is no subscription tier to weigh. For a free app tied to a broadcast brand, that keeps the decision simple: install it, watch what you want, accept the ads.

How I would fit it into a routine

The sensible way to use an app like this is as a first pass, not a destination. Open The Digest, take in the top moments, and stop. If a story or a segment catches you, that is when the rest of the app earns its keep: the video player, the headlines, the lifestyle pieces and the lighter reads are there for the moments when you have more time than a summary allows.

Casting is worth remembering for the times when a phone screen is the wrong size. If a clip is worth more than a glance, sending it to a Cast-enabled television is a better experience than holding a device at arm's length, and it is the feature that makes the app feel like an extension of the show rather than a companion to it.

I would also set expectations about what kind of app this is. It is a branded product, so the selection reflects the show's editorial instincts, its hosts and its regular segments. That is a strength if you already like those instincts and a limitation if you do not.

The most recent update was a change to the customer experience email. That is housekeeping rather than a new feature, so anyone coming to the app now should judge it on the core experience rather than on a recent overhaul.

A straightforward pick for viewers of the show

The TODAY app is best understood as a mobile arm of the broadcast, and it is strongest for people who already watch or follow the program. The Digest gives you a fast read on the day, video and stories can run together, and casting moves the good parts to a television. It is free, ad-supported, and does not ask for a purchase or a subscription.

The trade-offs are the ones you would expect. Ads are part of the deal, and the content is shaped by one show's editorial voice rather than a broad news agenda. If that voice is what you want, the app delivers it in a convenient form; if you are after something more neutral, this is a branded product through and through.

For a viewer who wants a quick morning catch-up with the option to go deeper, I would give it a try. It costs nothing but the space on your phone and the ads you will see, and for fans of the show that is a reasonable bargain.

What's new in version 2.1.4

Updating our Customer Experience email