C-SPAN Now
Live Congress & Political News
How much does C-SPAN Now cost?
Prices are current as of 7 Sept 2026.
C-SPAN Now has no in-app products on record in the United States.
10+ alternatives to C-SPAN Now
| C-SPAN Now |   AP News |   NPR: National & Local News |   POLITICO |   MS NOW: Live & Breaking News |   NewsNation: Unbiased News |   Truth+ |   The Hill |   ProPublica |   Dome Watch |   Pocket Congress | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rating / 5 | 4.0 | 4.6 | 4.6 | 4.7 | 4.1 | 3.8 | 4.7 | 2.5 | 4.4 | 4.8 | 4.5 |
| Reviews | 681 | 404K | 72K | 58K | 24K | 742 | 501 | 284 | 148 | 76 | 75 |
| Released | 2021 | 2010 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2020 | 2024 | 2010 | 2010 | 2015 | 2022 |
| Monthly price | — | — | — | — | $7.99 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Annual price | — | — | — | — | $79.99 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
The going rate for each plan in United States, in its own currency, shaded from the cheapest price on the row to the dearest.
C-SPAN Now reviews
4.0 out of 5, based on 681 reviews.
What people like
- Unfiltered view of government work
- Simple and fast user interface
- Minimal ads compared to other apps
- Picture-in-picture mode works well
What they complain about
- Ads interrupt you constantly
- Video crashes when expanding full screen
- No search feature for content
- Hard to switch between videos
great✅
watch news n house sessions
Great when it works
Sometimes it won’t work at all, neither will the other app. I drive all day, the radio station won’t come in great in many areas so the only way to listen is through the app and when it doesn’t work and the tech support page gives 404 errors- it’s rather frustrating. -Long time caller, first time listener
Dark Mode
Both the UI and Icon need an update for automatic system wide dark mode.
Videos do not play
Can’t get the video clips to play back. Shows 0.000 minutes available.
Open Forums Segments Still Missing
WHY are the recordings of the open forums segments never included in this app? If I miss a day I have to be punished to watch them on my desktop or my phone’s buggy website? Come on. What gives? Include the open forums on here too!
STATE OF MIND
My name is GUNNIGAR RILEY SOOKWIPAT I AM AMERICAN CITIZEN SINCE 1994 I used to live in State California USA now I live in ARIZONA STATE of Sunshine
Degrading our Trust
This traditionally unbiased news source is proving time and time again in quick concession to be entirely one-sided, deciding to omit key facts in clips delivered via the mobile app, using headlines (again in the mobile app) which are written to deceive and be dishonest about the situation. Shame on your CSpan. Shame on you
Needs a search feature
I like this app and the ability to watch various hearings, but there is no search feature to search my name or hearing title. This seems like it would be an easy ad. Please consider adding this feature.
iPhone Only Screensize
This app is a disappointment. It only shows an iPhone screensize. It needs to be updated with a version that can detect the larger screensize of an iPad and adjust to it.
Ads
Adding ads is bad news. First they are repetitive and repeats every time you change to a new program. Isn’t there someplace we can go and not see ads all the time. What’s next a “paid” version. I thought C-Span was supposed to be paid for by cable providers?
Works perfectly! Love it!
Works flawlessly! I love that the app will use minimized view so I can look at/do other things. Very pleased!
Don’t bother
This used to be a helpful app. However, suddenly after a few “updates” ago, it stopped playing any of the videos or clips, although of course the ads play with no problem. I’ve updated the os several times and un/reinstalled the app several times across their updates, but the problem never resolved. This app isn’t worth your time - there are others that get you basically the same information but reliably.
Just needs to be a little more user friendly
Love Washington journal and cspan I just wish there was an easy way to access Washington journal episodes in full for at least a few weeks so I could go back and catch up when I miss it. Also I think it would be easier if in the app they had tabs set up for Senate and house with clips from hearings/confirmations/legislation.
Needs cable login
The C-SPAN radio app prodded me into installing this app; however, looking for simple replays of today’s sessions required a cable provider login. I understand the contractual restrictions with cable providers, but there needs to be a more innovative approach, especially for something that watches our own government and receives public funding. Maybe 10% of my acquaintances even subscribe to cable with the advent of streaming. Cable-only networks like FNC, CSPAN, and MSNBC will need to find a more innovative approach to reach the majority of America.
No Way to Search for Programs?
If there is a way to search for a previously broadcast program, I can’t find it.
Still the best!
I have been a fan of C-Span for long time, it is so great that we can watch C-Span on C-Span Now. Perfect!
Terrible
The video only plays in the corner. When I tap for full screen, it shuts off completely and is a black screen, no sound. It worked fine before the “upgrade.”
Add an AppleTV version Please
The app is great, but if y’all read this, please consider adding compatibility with AppleTV as well! Thank you for providing real news information.
Vanish
App is on my iPad, can’t figure out why the video vanishes when I try to expand view. In fact just about any adjustment causes the video to vanish.
Stuck
Can’t close one video and open another.
Educate yourself
I’m a junkie for sure enjoy the full menu…watch CSPAN and Chill.
Tulsi gabbard addressing Meeting of sec of state cancelled
Democrat propaganda
Spanning radio and TV
C-Span Radio app allows audio for radio AND television channels. This app doesn’t. Its listen function only allows for C-Span radio, opting for C-Span 1, 2, or 3 requires a service provider. Being in the UK I don’t have one so rely on the radio app. The radio app doesn’t provide a broadcast schedule based on my location unlike this app. I’ll keep both apps until an update makes one of them have all the features of the other.
iPad user issue
I keep having to close the App whenever I want to switch to another video segment or live broadcast.
Tolerable ui, scam virus ads not okay.
The app is functional. The user interface is a bit annoying. They let scam ads about your iphone being hacked run on the app though. That really bothers me.
News we need
True news we need unexpected unexpurgated
C-SPAN Now Playing Uncontested Lies
Tonight I clicked on the clip of Levitt’s lie that certain parties told US military and intelligence personnel that they should disobey legal orders. There was no reference to the actual video in question, there was no response from the members of the press to whom Levitt was speaking. What is the point of C-SPAN: purveying truth or fiction?
not functional on iPad Pro
All I get is tiny phone screen view on my iPad. How do I get full screen version on iPad Pro? Anyone resolve this? I love c-Span, can’t get it on YouTube Tv, and want full screen.
New NOW app software (?)
Was working great. A great service. But a couple of weeks ago, every time I click a video it all crashes. I hv 6s pls with iOS 15 . What am I doing wrong?
Great but…
Why is my government programming subject to adds? I already pay for this service through my taxes…
No option to navigate
11/12/2025 There is not a to navigate within the app. Right now it is stuck on the senate proceedings from November 9, 2025. There appears to be no way to close this and to see what the house of reps. are doing. So-o-o frustrating!! Please look into this so there is a broader range of choices. Thank you!
No search option
C-SPAN is great, but without the search option and clip making it doesn’t replace the website.,
Repeats???
Why is the Cspan mobile app repeating talks,( each sentence) more than once??? This has been like this for the last 3 days!!! Anyone speaking is repeated!!
It’s great! Do I need the C-Span Radio app anymore
I love the app, everything I love about CSPAN all wrapped up in one! I do wonder if I can delete the other app now, since I’m guessing it won’t have anymore updates
Open Forum
Where are the open forum segments for Washington Journal
Not what I’m looking for
Rather than a central place for all your podcasts and stuff, it would be way better to focus on your video content. I really want to see other clips that include the same speaker, or the same topic. Search and tagging could get it there.. but I sense this was designed with the intent to get all the features in the same app, which isn’t very useful. I’ll use a podcast app for the podcasts.. Update: Thanks for the response! As a mobile dev, I would say though that you’ve got a bit of a “straddling canoes” problem then.. The app is trying to be a home for a smattering of features rather than having a focused purpose. Btw, social media apps can’t do what you could do with an focused on cataloguing cspan content, social media is only really good for recent content, which seems to be also what this app is doing. Anyways, I would still love an app that was trying to have a full archive like your website does, and I would love it even more if there was an audio only option, so I can listen to speeches while I drive. Thanks!
A breath of fresh air
I’m a 23yo sick of media sensationalism and marketing (especially during election cycles)— I cannot tell you how much I am enjoying having the C-SPAN app. The ads are minimal, the UI is simple, the feeds are fast + high quality. Definitely a new mainstay for my daily news toolkit, and so cool to see the inner workings of government through an unfiltered lens
Treason
Fake as* news media sure would like to hear more on the treasonous actions of the Democrats and how media is covering it up
❤️
Works so great, love the app
Commercials?!!
C-Span radio now has commercials?! Are you kidding me. It’s either Commerical or it’s not. I’ve stopped listening.
C-SPAN Now FAQ
- Is C-SPAN Now free?
- Yes. The app is free, in all 175 countries it sells in, and it sells nothing inside it.
- Does C-SPAN Now have a free trial?
- No. None of its offers (US) come with a free trial.
- What are the best alternatives to C-SPAN Now?
- AP News (4.6 from 404,068 reviews), NPR: National & Local News (4.6 from 72,218 reviews) and POLITICO (4.7 from 57,585 reviews).
C-SPAN Now download
Last updated 5 months ago.
C-SPAN Now sells in 175 countries. It was released 5 years ago, on 27 Sept 2021. It holds a 4.0 rating from 681 reviews.
Supports 1 language: English.
How much does C-SPAN Now make?
Third-party estimates for the last 30 days, worldwide — not the store's own figures, which Apple publishes for nobody.