# Universalis vs iCatholicRadio

The clearest difference is price: iCatholicRadio at Free against Universalis's $9.99. iCatholicRadio also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 11) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.6). Universalis's advantage is update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 6 months) and ratings volume (9.7K vs 236). On ads and device support there is nothing between them.

iCatholicRadio is free to download; Universalis costs $9.99 up front. Universalis sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. iCatholicRadio asks for nothing beyond the download.

Universalis holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Universalis has 9.7K ratings behind it against 236, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 95% of Universalis's written reviews are positive against 87% of iCatholicRadio's.

Universalis ships an update every 3 weeks, iCatholicRadio every 6 months. The most recent releases landed on October 26, 2026 and October 23, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Universalis | iCatholicRadio |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $9.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | **[4.9 (9.7K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/universalis/id284942719/reviews)** | [4.6 (236 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/icatholicradio/id370685543/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **9.7K** | 236 |
| Positive reviews | **94.6% of reviews** | 86.6% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 weeks** | Every 6 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Best chart rank | **#4** | — |
| Size | 78 MB | 17 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 | **13.0** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch** | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Universalis Publishing](https://appshunter.io/developer/284942722) | [The Station of the Cross Catholic Radio Network](https://appshunter.io/developer/991124306) |

## What reviewers say

### Universalis

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/universalis/id284942719)

**Currently charting:** #4 Top Paid · Lifestyle, #151 Top Paid (US App Store)

This app provides the Liturgy of the Hours and Mass readings for every day, along with additional spiritual content. It offers offline access, customizable display options, and optional spoken audio. It's designed for daily prayer and spiritual enrichment.

**Highlights:** Liturgy of the Hours (Divine Office), Daily Mass readings and prayers, Offline access, Customizable display (fonts, themes), Spiritual reading and commentaries, Optional spoken audio add-on

**Features:** Family Sharing, Apple Watch app, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Daily Mass Readings | $1.99 | per month |
| Daytime Hours | $2.99 | per month |
| All Hours | $2.99 | per month |
| Daily Mass Readings | $19.99 | per year |
| Daytime Hours | $29.99 | per year |
| All Hours | $29.99 | per year |
| Add-on translation: RSV Hours | $1.99 | one-time |
| Sung Latin Compline | $3.99 | one-time |
| Revelations of Divine Love | $5.99 | one-time |
| Journey into Light | $5.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🙏 Wonderful Catholic app
- 🙌 Great app for Catholic devotions
- 📚 This is a wonderful app for the laity
- 🙏 Excellent resource for Mass and Liturgy of the Hours
- 🌟 Comprehensive and easy to use

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🤔 Hymns selection could be improved
- 🤔 Navigation can be confusing
- 🤔 Kenyan version text does not match book
- 🤔 Difficult to navigate, missing menu buttons

**Reported bugs**

- Gospel readings sometimes incorrect
- App crashes when trying to change hymns or readings

**Requested features**

- Add Salesian saints and young saints
- Include NAB translation for US users
- Add option for 1962 liturgical calendar
- Improve hymn selection, especially for seasons
- Implement more inclusive language in prayers


### iCatholicRadio

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/icatholicradio/id370685543)

Access Catholic talk radio and faithful Catholic music in a single application. Explore Scripture, devotionals, Church history, and apologetics. Enjoy live streams and on-demand podcasts featuring international and local affiliate stations, plus a dedicated music stream.

**Highlights:** Catholic talk radio streams, Catholic music streams, Live and on-demand content, Scripture and devotional content, Church history and apologetics, English and Spanish streams, Local affiliate station broadcasts

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 📻 Comprehensive Catholic radio programming and content
- 👍 User-friendly and easy-to-navigate interface
- 🆓 Free app with no subscription requirements
- 📱 Portable access to Catholic content anytime, anywhere
- 🎙️ High-quality programming with engaging hosts and priests

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 App crashes and stops working unexpectedly
- 📡 Audio streaming cuts out or drops connection
- 🔤 Font size too small and difficult to read
- 🎵 No song/artist information displayed during music playback
- 🔄 Navigation issues between live broadcast and podcasts

**Reported bugs**

- App stops working after extended use or randomly
- Audio playback fails to start or play
- Streaming disconnects during long listening sessions
- App crashes on certain device models (iPhone 5, etc.)
- Live feed unavailable while podcasts still work

**Requested features**

- Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility
- Song and artist metadata display for music content
- Chromecast support for casting to other devices
- Ability to remember last-played stream on app restart
- Improved commercial break transitions


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Universalis free?

Universalis costs $9.99, and also offers in-app purchases.

### Is iCatholicRadio free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Universalis or iCatholicRadio?

Universalis is rated higher. Universalis averages 4.9 out of 5 from 9.7K ratings, while iCatholicRadio averages 4.6 from 236 ratings.

### Do Universalis or iCatholicRadio have ads?

Neither Universalis nor iCatholicRadio shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Universalis or iCatholicRadio?

Universalis ships an update every 3 weeks, and iCatholicRadio every 6 months. Most recently, Universalis was updated on October 26, 2026 and iCatholicRadio on October 23, 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.*