# El Universal + vs Excélsior

The clearest difference is rating: El Universal + at 5.0 against Excélsior's 1.9. Excélsior's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 4) and ratings volume (7 vs 2). On price, review sentiment, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. El Universal + sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month. Excélsior asks for nothing beyond the download.

El Universal + holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 1.9. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 2 and 7 respectively. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 63% and 64% positive.

El Universal + ships an update every 5 weeks, Excélsior every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on September 24, 2026 and June 9, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | El Universal + | Excélsior |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[5.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/el-universal-plus/id483272548/reviews)** | [1.9 (7 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/excelsior/id510688559/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 2 | **7** |
| Positive reviews | 63.2% of reviews | **64.1% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 5 weeks** | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Ad-supported** |
| Size | 46 MB | 77 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.4 | **13.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 12+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [El Universal CPN](https://appshunter.io/developer/383395270) | [Invent Mx-Grupo Imagen](https://appshunter.io/developer/510688562) |

## What reviewers say

### 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


### Excélsior

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/excelsior/id510688559)

Access breaking news from Mexico and around the world instantly. Stay updated with real-time reports, videos, articles, and special coverage. Enjoy live TV and radio broadcasts.

**Highlights:** Real-time news updates, In-depth reports and articles, Video content, Live TV and radio streams, Sports and entertainment coverage

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Apple Wallet

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Instant access to news
- 👍 Easy to navigate
- 💡 Offline reading option
- 🚀 Fast loading times
- 👍 Comprehensive coverage

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes
- 💸 Intrusive advertisements
- 🔍 Difficult to find specific content
- 🐛 Unreliable video/audio playback
- 🔍 Cluttered interface

**Reported bugs**

- App freezes when opening articles
- Sections not loading properly
- Notifications not working consistently
- Compatibility issues with older devices
- Sync problems between app and website

**Requested features**

- Customizable news feed
- Offline content downloading
- Improved search functionality
- Horizontal layout option
- Reduced advertising


## Frequently asked questions

### Is El Universal + free?

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

### Is Excélsior free?

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

### Which has better reviews, El Universal + or Excélsior?

El Universal + is rated higher. El Universal + averages 5.0 out of 5 from 2 ratings, while Excélsior averages 1.9 from 7 ratings.

### Do El Universal + or Excélsior have ads?

Both El Universal + and Excélsior show ads.

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

El Universal + ships an update every 5 weeks, and Excélsior every 2 months. Most recently, El Universal + was updated on September 24, 2026 and Excélsior on June 9, 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.*