# Himalaya Reader vs The National E

The clearest difference is rating: The National E at 4.8 against Himalaya Reader's 3.8. The National E also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 2) and review sentiment (67% vs 47%). Himalaya Reader's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (every 6 weeks vs every 8 months). On price and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Himalaya Reader sells 2 one-off in-app purchases. The National E asks for nothing beyond the download.

The National E holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 3.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: The National E has 138 ratings behind it against 5, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 47% of Himalaya Reader's written reviews are positive against 67% of The National E's.

Himalaya Reader ships an update every 6 weeks, The National E every 8 months. The most recent releases landed on October 5, 2026 and October 2, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Himalaya Reader | The National E |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.8 (5 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/himalaya-reader/id492689212/reviews) | **[4.8 (138 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-national-e-reader/id522987896/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 5 | **138** |
| Positive reviews | 47.4% of reviews | **66.7% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 6 weeks** | Every 8 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Ad-supported** |
| Size | 13 MB | 45 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 17.6 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 17+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [himalaya-soft](https://appshunter.io/developer/464715011) | [PressReader Inc](https://appshunter.io/developer/313904714) |

## What reviewers say

### Himalaya Reader

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/himalaya-reader/id492689212)

Access a vast library of news articles, journals, and books for free, with no monthly reading limits. Listen to content on the go, even while multitasking, making information accessible anytime, anywhere.

**Highlights:** Free access to news and journals, Unlimited reading, Listen to content, Read web pages and books, Multitasking audio playback

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

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Saving Article Service | $0.99 | one-time |
| Unlimited Reading | $4.99 | one-time |


### 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 Himalaya Reader free?

Himalaya Reader is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is The National E free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Himalaya Reader or The National E?

The National E is rated higher. Himalaya Reader averages 3.8 out of 5 from 5 ratings, while The National E averages 4.8 from 138 ratings.

### Do Himalaya Reader or The National E have ads?

The National E shows ads; Himalaya Reader does not.

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

Himalaya Reader ships an update every 6 weeks, and The National E every 8 months. Most recently, Himalaya Reader was updated on October 5, 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.*