# Universalis vs Syro

The clearest difference is price: Syro at Free against Universalis's $9.99. Syro also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 11) and iOS requirement (13.2 vs 15.6). Universalis's advantage is rating (4.9 vs 4.4) and review sentiment (95% vs 63%). On ads and device support there is nothing between them.

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

Universalis holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Universalis has 9.4K ratings behind it against 54, 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 63% of Syro's.

Universalis ships an update every 3 weeks, Syro every 4 months. The most recent releases landed on September 26, 2026 and September 18, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Universalis | Syro |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $9.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | **[4.9 (9.4K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/universalis/id284942719/reviews)** | [4.4 (54 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/syro-malabar/id989226460/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **9.4K** | 54 |
| Positive reviews | **94.6% of reviews** | 62.5% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 weeks** | Every 4 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Best chart rank | **#5** | — |
| Size | 79 MB | 32 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 | **13.2** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch** | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Universalis Publishing](https://appshunter.io/developer/284942722) | [St. Thomas Syro Malabar Catholic Diocese Of Chicago](https://appshunter.io/developer/989226459) |

## What reviewers say

### Universalis

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

**Currently charting:** #5 Top Paid · Lifestyle (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


### Syro

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/syro-malabar/id989226460)

Access Syro-Malabar Catholic Church resources, including bilingual liturgy readings, Holy Mass texts, historical information, and church locations in the U.S. The app automatically updates seasonal content based on your device's date.

**Highlights:** Bilingual English/Malayalam text, Daily liturgy readings, Holy Mass (Qurbana) text, Church history, U.S. church locations, Automatic seasonal updates

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Universalis free?

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

### Is Syro free?

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

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

Universalis is rated higher. Universalis averages 4.9 out of 5 from 9.4K ratings, while Syro averages 4.4 from 54 ratings.

### Do Universalis or Syro have ads?

Neither Universalis nor Syro shows ads.

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

Universalis ships an update every 3 weeks, and Syro every 4 months. Most recently, Universalis was updated on September 26, 2026 and Syro on September 18, 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.*