«الشرق الأوسط» Asharqalawsat vs Ajel
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
«الشرق الأوسط» Asharqalawsat
Stay informed with in-depth news and analysis from a trusted pan-Arab source. Enjoy a rich digital experience with narrated articles, podcasts, live coverage, weather, and engaging puzzles.
- In-depth news and analysis
- Narrated opinion articles
- Podcast
- Live news coverage
- Weather reports
- Sudoku and crosswords
Read full descriptionHide full description
Access the latest in-depth news and analysis on the move from Asharq Al-Awsat, the Middle East’s most trusted source of pan-Arab news for 45 years. Bringing the same quality journalism to a new digital audience, our rich in-app experience includes the latest articles from Asharq Al-Awsat alongside additional features such as narrated opinion articles, a podcast, live news coverage, weather reports, sudoku, crosswords, user profile enhancements, and more.
Ajel
This is a Saudi electronic newspaper that provides round-the-clock news coverage, both locally and internationally. It utilizes a dedicated network of editors and correspondents to deliver its content.
- 24/7 news coverage
- Saudi and international news
- Network of editors and correspondents
- Electronic newspaper
Read full descriptionHide full description
Ajel – Breaking News from Saudi Arabia & Around the World Stay ahead with real-time breaking news, in-depth coverage, and personalized updates from one of Saudi Arabia's leading digital news platforms. Whether you're interested in politics, business, technology, sports, or local events, Ajel delivers trusted news as it happens. Features • Real-time breaking news alerts • Comprehensive coverage of Saudi, regional, and international news • Personalized notifications based on your interests • Fast and modern reading experience • Home Screen Widgets for instant updates • Apple Watch support • Optimized for iPhone and iPad • Powerful search to find the stories that matter • Easy sharing across social media and messaging apps • Light and Dark Mode support Download Ajel today and stay connected to the stories that matter most.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is ads: «الشرق الأوسط» Asharqalawsat at none against Ajel's shown. «الشرق الأوسط» Asharqalawsat also leads on monetization model (free vs ad-supported) and iOS requirement (15.1 vs 17.0). Ajel's advantage is ratings volume (559 vs 39). On price, rating, review sentiment and update cadence there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.2 for «الشرق الأوسط» Asharqalawsat against 4.2 for Ajel. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Ajel has 559 ratings behind it against 39, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 34% of «الشرق الأوسط» Asharqalawsat's written reviews are positive against 32% of Ajel's.
Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 2 months. Both last shipped on October 23, 2026.
| Parameter | «الشرق الأوسط» Asharqalawsat | Ajel |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.2 (39 ratings) | 4.2 (559 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 34.5% of reviews — better | 31.6% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 39 | 559 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | Every 2 months |
| Ads | No — better | Yes |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free — better | Ad-supported |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch |
| Requires iOS | 15.1 — better | 17.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 66 MB | 9 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | Saudi Research and Publishing Co. | Ejaz Electronic Broadcasting |
Customer experience
«الشرق الأوسط» Asharqalawsat
Ajel
Bugs and requests
«الشرق الأوسط» Asharqalawsat
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
Ajel
Reported bugs
5 issues- App crashes when trying to share news
- Cannot connect to the website
- App is not working
- News is not displayed
- Newspaper website is not working
Requested features
3 requests- Increase font size for users aged 30-50
- Improve image quality or size
- Add sharing to Facebook and Twitter
In-app purchases
«الشرق الأوسط» Asharqalawsat
No in-app purchases
Ajel
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is «الشرق الأوسط» Asharqalawsat free?
Is Ajel free?
Which has better reviews, «الشرق الأوسط» Asharqalawsat or Ajel?
Do «الشرق الأوسط» Asharqalawsat or Ajel have ads?
Which is updated more often, «الشرق الأوسط» Asharqalawsat or Ajel?
Other comparisons
