# EL NORTE vs El Universal +

The clearest difference is rating: El Universal + at 5.0 against EL NORTE's 2.9. El Universal + also leads on review sentiment (63% vs 23%). EL NORTE's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and chart position (#139 vs unranked). On price, update cadence, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. EL NORTE sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $6.99 per 7 days 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 2.9. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: EL NORTE has 14 ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 23% of EL NORTE's written reviews are positive against 63% of El Universal +'s.

EL NORTE ships an update every 3 weeks, El Universal + every 5 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 22, 2026 and September 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | EL NORTE | El Universal + |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [2.9 (14 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/el-norte/id322378564/reviews) | **[5.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/el-universal-plus/id483272548/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **14** | 2 |
| Positive reviews | 23.3% of reviews | **63.2% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 weeks** | Every 5 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | **#139** | — |
| Size | 64 MB | 46 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 16.4 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 12+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Editora el Sol](https://appshunter.io/developer/322378567) | [El Universal CPN](https://appshunter.io/developer/383395270) |

## What reviewers say

### EL NORTE

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/el-norte/id322378564)

**Currently charting:** #139 Top Grossing · Magazines & Newspapers (US App Store)

Access independent journalism with a comprehensive news app. Enjoy video content, save articles, listen to news on the go, and receive breaking news alerts. Read the digital printed edition and engage in discussions.

**Highlights:** All content on one app, Free video content access, Favorites section for articles, Listen to articles module, Breaking news alerts, Digital printed edition, Comment and share features

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

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| El Norte | $6.99 | per 7 days |
| El Norte | $20.99 | per month |
| El Norte | $179.99 | per year |


### 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 NORTE free?

EL NORTE 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 NORTE or El Universal +?

El Universal + is rated higher. EL NORTE averages 2.9 out of 5 from 14 ratings, while El Universal + averages 5.0 from 2 ratings.

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

El Universal + shows ads; EL NORTE does not.

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

EL NORTE ships an update every 3 weeks, and El Universal + every 5 weeks. Most recently, EL NORTE was updated on September 22, 2026 and El Universal + on September 24, 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.*