# MBR vs The National E

The clearest difference is ads: MBR at none against The National E's shown. MBR also leads on review sentiment (93% vs 67%) and update cadence (every 3 months vs every 8 months). The National E's advantage is ratings volume (138 vs 10) and rating (4.8 vs 4.6). On price, in-app purchases, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

The National E holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: The National E has 138 ratings behind it against 10, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 93% of MBR's written reviews are positive against 67% of The National E's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

MBR ships an update every 3 months, The National E every 8 months. The most recent releases landed on October 8, 2026 and October 2, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | MBR | The National E |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.6 (10 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mbr/id447490188/reviews) | **[4.8 (138 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-national-e-reader/id522987896/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 10 | **138** |
| Positive reviews | **92.9% of reviews** | 66.7% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 months** | Every 8 months |
| Monetization | **Free** | Ad-supported |
| Size | 74 MB | 45 MB |
| Requires iOS | **16** | 17.6 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 17+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Government of Dubai Media Office](https://appshunter.io/developer/447490191) | [PressReader Inc](https://appshunter.io/developer/313904714) |

## What reviewers say

### MBR

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mbr/id447490188)

Access the official website of the Vice President and Prime Minister of Dubai. Stay updated on political, economic, social, and humanitarian activities in Dubai and the UAE. Follow personal interests like horse riding and poetry.

**Highlights:** Official website access, News updates for Dubai and UAE, Political activity tracking, Economic and social updates, Humanitarian initiatives, Personal interests coverage

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

**In-app purchases:** none


### The National E

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-national-e-reader/id522987896)

Access and read The National Newspaper exactly as it appears in its print edition. Stay informed with the latest news presented in a familiar layout. This application provides a direct digital replica of the physical publication.

**Highlights:** Read print edition replica, Access latest news, Digital newspaper format, Familiar layout

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is MBR free?

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

### Is The National E free?

The National E is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, MBR or The National E?

The National E is rated higher. MBR averages 4.6 out of 5 from 10 ratings, while The National E averages 4.8 from 138 ratings.

### Do MBR or The National E have ads?

The National E shows ads; MBR does not.

### Which is updated more often, MBR or The National E?

MBR ships an update every 3 months, and The National E every 8 months. Most recently, MBR was updated on October 8, 2026 and The National E on October 2, 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.*