# Commonweal Mag vs The Catholic Thing

The clearest difference is rating: The Catholic Thing at 4.3 against Commonweal Mag's 1.5. The Catholic Thing also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 17) and update cadence (every 9 months vs every 57 months). On price, review sentiment, ratings volume and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Commonweal Mag sells 17 in-app purchases, starting at $4.49 per month. The Catholic Thing asks for nothing beyond the download.

The Catholic Thing holds the better App Store score, 4.3 against 1.5. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 11 and 23 respectively. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 0% and 0% positive.

Commonweal Mag ships an update every 57 months, The Catholic Thing every 9 months. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 27, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Commonweal Mag | The Catholic Thing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [1.5 (11 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/commonweal-mag/id1161373385/reviews) | **[4.3 (23 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-catholic-thing/id6447444891/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 11 | **23** |
| Positive reviews | 0.0% of reviews | 0.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 57 months | **Every 9 months** |
| Monetization | Subscription | **Free** |
| Size | 18 MB | 25 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | **13.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [PressPad Sp. z o.o.](https://appshunter.io/developer/449000752) | [Slynet Communications, Inc](https://appshunter.io/developer/1403137952) |

## What reviewers say

### Commonweal Mag

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/commonweal-mag/id1161373385)

This app offers a forum for civil debate on faith, politics, and culture from a Catholic perspective. It features well-argued viewpoints on contemporary issues, social justice, and theological discussions, providing a space for diverse opinions.

**Highlights:** Civil debate on faith and culture, Catholic perspective on contemporary issues, Independent lay-run journal, Social justice and ecumenism discussions, Diverse viewpoints from leading writers

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (17)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Commonweal Magazine | $4.49 | per month |
| 1 Commonweal Magazine | $54.99 | per year |
| October 7, 2016 | $3.99 | one-time |
| Issue #77 | $3.99 | one-time |
| Issue #81 | $3.99 | one-time |
| Issue #82 | $3.99 | one-time |
| Issue #85 | $3.99 | one-time |
| Issue #110 | $3.99 | one-time |
| Issue #121 | $3.99 | one-time |
| Issue #127 | $3.99 | one-time |
| Issue #154 | $3.99 | one-time |
| Issue #181 | $3.99 | one-time |
| Issue #185 | $3.99 | one-time |
| Issue #208 | $3.99 | one-time |
| Issue #204 | $3.99 | one-time |
| Issue #188 | $3.99 | one-time |
| Issue #193 | $3.99 | one-time |


### The Catholic Thing

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-catholic-thing/id6447444891)

This app provides a platform for thoughtful Catholic commentary and discussion. It serves as a forum for intelligent perspectives on faith and culture. Access insightful articles and engage with a community of Catholic thinkers.

**Highlights:** Intelligent Catholic commentary, Forum for discussion, Faith and culture perspectives, Insightful articles, Community engagement

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Commonweal Mag free?

Commonweal Mag is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is The Catholic Thing free?

The Catholic Thing is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Commonweal Mag or The Catholic Thing?

The Catholic Thing is rated higher. Commonweal Mag averages 1.5 out of 5 from 11 ratings, while The Catholic Thing averages 4.3 from 23 ratings.

### Do Commonweal Mag or The Catholic Thing have ads?

Neither Commonweal Mag nor The Catholic Thing shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Commonweal Mag or The Catholic Thing?

Commonweal Mag ships an update every 57 months, and The Catholic Thing every 9 months. Most recently, Commonweal Mag was updated on October 24, 2026 and The Catholic Thing on October 27, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*