# Rateel vs GBH ESS

Rateel and GBH ESS are too close to call on the numbers: across 6 compared parameters — price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases among them — neither pulls far enough ahead to decide it. What separates them is feature set and interface, not measurable difference.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 29, 2026 and October 28, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Rateel | GBH ESS |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[3.7 (119 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/rateel/id1458263012/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **119** | — |
| Positive reviews | 51.4% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | Every 3 weeks |
| Monetization | Free | — |
| Size | 128 MB | 47 MB |
| Requires iOS | 14.0 | **13.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [stc lab](https://appshunter.io/developer/1506599538) | [GBH-GETS](https://appshunter.io/developer/1651435860) |

## What reviewers say

### Rateel

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/rateel/id1458263012)

Identify Quran reciters and surahs simply by listening to audio. Browse and download favorite recitations, and check prayer times with countdowns.

**Highlights:** Identify reciter from audio, Identify surah from audio, Browse and download recitations, New user-friendly design, View prayer times, Prayer time countdown

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to use interface
- 🌟 Great for Quran recitation
- 🕌 Reminds of prayer times
- 🤲 Includes morning and evening supplications
- 💡 Innovative feature for recognizing reciters

**What reviewers complain about**

- ❌ Reciter recognition often fails
- 📉 Feature for recognizing reciters removed
- ❓ Prayer times inaccurate for some regions
- ⚠️ Weak and fabricated hadiths in interpretations
- 🎛️ UI can be cluttered

**Reported bugs**

- Reciter recognition not working
- Prayer time inaccuracies
- Weak/fabricated hadiths in interpretations
- App crashes or freezes
- Issues with reading progress saving

**Requested features**

- Add a prayer alarm with automatic activation
- Add a reminder for tasbih and salawat on the Prophet
- Add sleep supplications
- Change the 'press after reading' button to be larger and centered
- Add a version for smartwatches


### GBH ESS

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/gbh-ess/id6748888280)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Rateel free?

Rateel is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is GBH ESS free?

GBH ESS is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Do Rateel or GBH ESS have ads?

Neither Rateel nor GBH ESS shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Rateel or GBH ESS?

Rateel ships an update every 3 weeks, and GBH ESS every 3 weeks. Most recently, Rateel was updated on October 29, 2026 and GBH ESS on October 28, 2026.

---

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