# EL PAÍS vs El Universal +

The clearest difference is review sentiment: El Universal + at 63% against EL PAÍS's 14%. El Universal + also leads on rating (5.0 vs 2.1). EL PAÍS's advantage is ratings volume (198 vs 2) and update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 5 weeks). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. EL PAÍS sells 8 in-app purchases, starting at $9.00 per month and El Universal + sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

El Universal + holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 2.1. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: EL PAÍS has 198 ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 14% of EL PAÍS's written reviews are positive against 63% of El Universal +'s.

EL PAÍS ships an update every 2 weeks, El Universal + every 5 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 23, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | EL PAÍS | El Universal + |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [2.1 (198 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/el-pais/id301049096/reviews) | **[5.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/el-universal-plus/id483272548/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **198** | 2 |
| Positive reviews | 14.1% of reviews | **63.2% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 weeks** | Every 5 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 299 MB | 46 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **16.4** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, Apple TV** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 12+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Ediciones El Pais SL](https://appshunter.io/developer/375656061) | [El Universal CPN](https://appshunter.io/developer/383395270) |

## What reviewers say

### EL PAÍS

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/el-pais/id301049096)

Access global Spanish-language news from a leading media outlet. Read articles from various editions, enjoy multimedia content, and save stories for offline reading. Subscribers get access to print editions and exclusive content.

**Highlights:** Access to multiple editions (Spain, Americas, Mexico, Brazil, English, Catalonia), Unlimited access to all content, sections, and publications, Offline reading capability, News alerts, Multimedia content, Exclusive articles for registered users, Access to print editions and supplements for subscribers

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (8)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Suscripción básica mensual | $9.00 | per month |
| Suscripción básica mensual | $10.00 | per month |
| Suscripción básica mensual | $10.00 | per month |
| Monthly global | $10.99 | per month |
| Suscripción premium mensual | $14.00 | per month |
| Suscripción básica anual | $99.99 | per year |
| Suscripción básica anual | $99.99 | per year |
| Suscripción premium anual | $129.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🌐 Good for learning Spanish
- 📰 Quality journalism
- 👍 Easy to navigate

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes
- 💤 Slow performance
- 📢 Excessive ads
- 🔒 Difficult to cancel subscription
- 🔄 Constant log-out issues

**Reported bugs**

- App freezes or crashes on launch
- Inability to log in or stay logged in
- Corrupted or missing content after updates
- Navigation issues (e.g. getting stuck on home page)

**Requested features**

- Dark mode option
- Ability to save articles for later
- Improved integration with other apps (e.g. Pocket, Google)
- More customization options


### El Universal +

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/el-universal-plus/id483272548)

Access breaking news, in-depth analysis, and multimedia content from a leading Mexican news source. Enjoy a modern, intuitive design with real-time updates, exclusive podcasts, videos, and photo galleries. Subscribers receive special event access and benefits.

**Highlights:** Real-time news updates, Expert analysis and reports, Exclusive podcasts and videos, Photo galleries, Subscriber-exclusive events and benefits, Modern, intuitive design

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

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Digital Plus Mensual | $0.99 | per month |
| Digital Plus Anual | $0.99 | per year |
| Digital Plus Mensual | $4.99 | per month |
| Digital Plus Anual | $49.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🌟 Excellent news source
- 📲 Keeps me connected to Mexico
- ⏱️ Timely and up-to-date information

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐞 Frequent crashes and freezes
- 🔍 Difficult to navigate and find content
- 💤 Slow loading times
- 📢 Excessive ads and pop-ups

**Reported bugs**

- Notifications don't link to correct articles
- Images and galleries not displaying properly
- Sections not updating regularly

**Requested features**

- Improve notification settings and functionality
- Enhance article linking from notifications
- Optimize layout and readability
- Add offline reading mode


## Frequently asked questions

### Is EL PAÍS free?

EL PAÍS is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is El Universal + free?

El Universal + is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, EL PAÍS or El Universal +?

El Universal + is rated higher. EL PAÍS averages 2.1 out of 5 from 198 ratings, while El Universal + averages 5.0 from 2 ratings.

### Do EL PAÍS or El Universal + have ads?

Both EL PAÍS and El Universal + show ads.

### Which is updated more often, EL PAÍS or El Universal +?

EL PAÍS ships an update every 2 weeks, and El Universal + every 5 weeks. Most recently, EL PAÍS was updated on October 24, 2026 and El Universal + 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.*