# Universalis vs Discerning Hearts

The clearest difference is price: Discerning Hearts at Free against Universalis's $9.99. Discerning Hearts also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 10). Universalis's advantage is update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 3 months) and ratings volume (9.8K vs 965). On rating, review sentiment, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

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

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.9 for Universalis against 4.9 for Discerning Hearts. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Universalis has 9.8K ratings behind it against 965, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 94% of Universalis's written reviews are positive against 97% of Discerning Hearts's.

Universalis ships an update every 3 weeks, Discerning Hearts every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on November 5, 2026 and November 1, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Universalis | Discerning Hearts |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $9.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | [4.9 (9.8K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/universalis/id284942719/reviews) | **[4.9 (965 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/discerning-hearts/id523582765/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **9.8K** | 965 |
| Positive reviews | 94.3% of reviews | **96.9% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 weeks** | Every 3 months |
| Monetization | Paid | **Free** |
| Best chart rank | **#3** | — |
| Size | 78 MB | 51 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 | **15.1** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch** | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Universalis Publishing](https://appshunter.io/developer/284942722) | [Discerning Hearts](https://appshunter.io/developer/1241233037) |

## What reviewers say

### Universalis

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

**Currently charting:** #3 Top Paid · Lifestyle, #132 Top Paid (US App Store)

This app provides daily Catholic Mass readings and the Liturgy of the Hours. It offers offline access to prayers, saints' biographies, and commentaries, with customizable display options and optional spoken audio add-ons.

**Highlights:** Liturgy of the Hours (Divine Office), Daily Mass readings and prayers, Offline access, Customizable display (fonts, themes), Saints' biographies and reflections, Optional spoken audio add-on, Latin and English options

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


### Discerning Hearts

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/discerning-hearts/id523582765)

Access a vast library of spirituality audio and video podcasts on demand. Explore topics from the lives of saints to prayer and Catholic social teaching, featuring renowned authors and spiritual leaders.

**Highlights:** On-demand audio and video podcasts, Streaming content, Topics on prayer and discernment, Content from leading authors and teachers, Focus on saints and Catholic social teaching, Discussions on liturgy and everyday prayer

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🙏 Spiritual nourishment
- 🕰️ Variety of content
- 📚 Solid Catholic teaching
- 🌟 Inspiring speakers
- 🕊️ Deepens faith and prayer life

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 App crashes
- 🔍 Difficulty navigating content
- 💾 Lack of download/offline functionality

**Reported bugs**

- Crashes on launch
- Compatibility issues with newer iOS versions

**Requested features**

- Bookmark/favorites feature
- Text search functionality
- Improved user interface


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Universalis free?

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

### Is Discerning Hearts free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Universalis or Discerning Hearts?

Discerning Hearts is rated higher. Universalis averages 4.9 out of 5 from 9.8K ratings, while Discerning Hearts averages 4.9 from 965 ratings.

### Do Universalis or Discerning Hearts have ads?

Neither Universalis nor Discerning Hearts shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Universalis or Discerning Hearts?

Universalis ships an update every 3 weeks, and Discerning Hearts every 3 months. Most recently, Universalis was updated on November 5, 2026 and Discerning Hearts on November 1, 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.*