# «الشرق الأوسط» Asharqalawsat vs Ajel

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.

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.

## The numbers

| Metric | «الشرق الأوسط» Asharqalawsat | Ajel |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.2 (39 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/asharqalawsat/id470905035/reviews) | **[4.2 (559 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ajel/id491334303/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 39 | **559** |
| Positive reviews | **34.5% of reviews** | 31.6% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | **Free** | Ad-supported |
| Size | 66 MB | 9 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.1** | 17.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Saudi Research and Publishing Co.](https://appshunter.io/developer/404771495) | [Ejaz Electronic Broadcasting](https://appshunter.io/developer/1055333396) |

## What reviewers say

### «الشرق الأوسط» Asharqalawsat

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/asharqalawsat/id470905035)

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.

**Highlights:** In-depth news and analysis, Narrated opinion articles, Podcast, Live news coverage, Weather reports, Sudoku and crosswords

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


### Ajel

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ajel/id491334303)

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.

**Highlights:** 24/7 news coverage, Saudi and international news, Network of editors and correspondents, Electronic newspaper

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Good app
- 👍 Saudi news app
- 👍 Organized and beautiful app
- 👍 New sections are useful (e.g., employment)
- 👍 Good and easy to use

**What reviewers complain about**

- 😠 Annoying ads
- 😠 Ads appear on every article
- 😠 Black screen ads
- 🤬 Update is a failure
- 📉 Needs significant development

**Reported bugs**

- 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**

- Increase font size for users aged 30-50
- Improve image quality or size
- Add sharing to Facebook and Twitter


## Frequently asked questions

### Is «الشرق الأوسط» Asharqalawsat free?

«الشرق الأوسط» Asharqalawsat is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Ajel free?

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

### Which has better reviews, «الشرق الأوسط» Asharqalawsat or Ajel?

Ajel is rated higher. «الشرق الأوسط» Asharqalawsat averages 4.2 out of 5 from 39 ratings, while Ajel averages 4.2 from 559 ratings.

### Do «الشرق الأوسط» Asharqalawsat or Ajel have ads?

Ajel shows ads; «الشرق الأوسط» Asharqalawsat does not.

### Which is updated more often, «الشرق الأوسط» Asharqalawsat or Ajel?

«الشرق الأوسط» Asharqalawsat ships an update every 2 months, and Ajel every 2 months. Most recently, «الشرق الأوسط» Asharqalawsat was updated on October 23, 2026 and Ajel 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.*