When theSkimm launched in 2012 it completely changed the world of email newsletters. From quirky introductions to hard-hitting news, every morning before I dig into my work, I enjoy reading what theSkimm sends to my inbox. When I heard the team that brought me my morning news was creating an app that’s “like your calendar ate a smart cookie,” I immediately said, “Sign me up! I love cookies!” I have now been using Skimm Ahead for a couple of weeks so my one-month free trial is just about up; will continue my subscription and pay $2.99/month?

The Good

The app itself is great. The Daily Skimm is available all day just in case you forget something important that you read this morning and tossed the email in your trash without thinking twice (guilty). Another great feature of the app is the “5 Min Read” they provide. The featured article opens right in the app where you can easily scroll through and catch up on one of the day’s important stories. Unfortunately for me, that’s where the good stuff ends…

The Bad

As soon as I got the app, I “Skimmified” my calendar, adding all the upcoming events theSkimm thought were important to my iPhone calendar (no Google Calendar option yet). This is, afterall, one of the primary features of the product. It was great at first, but since my calendar is already filled with work events, meetings and calls, adding one or two more items to the schedule made everything cluttered and confusing. And let’s be honest, I don’t necessarily need to know when Beyonce tickets go on sale. They do have newsworthy events on the calendar, like Election Day, when Apple’s next announcement is, etc., but it’s mixed with entertainment news that not everyone is interested in. If you do want to “Skimmify” your calendar but only want to add what you think is most important, there is a feature where you can individually add events you find appealing.  

Is it worth $2.99/month?

I love theSkimm. They brighten my mornings with news in an entertaining fashion. I appreciate the idea of expanding the brand and becoming more than just a newsletter. However, paying $2.99 per month for irrelevant calendar notifications is not worth it for me. I will stick to their good ol’ fashioned email while sipping on my morning coffee.

What do you think about Skimm Ahead? Let us know in the comments or on Twitter @BIGfishPR.