# U vs VOA

The clearest difference is update cadence: VOA at every 2 months against U's every 6 months. On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

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

U ships an update every 6 months, VOA every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on September 13, 2026 and September 25, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | U | VOA |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | — | **[4.3 (731 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/voa/id632618796/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | — | **731** |
| Positive reviews | — | 76.2% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 6 months | **Every 2 months** |
| Monetization | — | Free |
| Size | 8 MB | 77 MB |
| Requires iOS | **14.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [WAME](https://appshunter.io/developer/497712383) | [Voice of America](https://appshunter.io/developer/383845348) |

## What reviewers say

### U

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/u-today/id497712380)

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

**In-app purchases:** none


### VOA

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/voa/id632618796)

Access global news from one of the world's largest international media networks. Enjoy diverse content formats, including photos, videos, audio, and text. Download stories for offline access and share news easily.

**Highlights:** Photos, video, audio, and text content, On-demand podcasts and newscasts, Offline downloading of stories and media, Customizable interface, Multimedia streaming, Social media sharing

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Excellent news coverage
- 🌍 Wide range of international news
- 🔍 Unbiased and factual reporting
- 📱 Simple and easy-to-use app
- 🎶 Good music selection

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Bugs and crashes
- 🔊 Poor audio quality
- 🌙 Lack of dark mode
- 📢 Push notifications not working
- 🤔 Perceived political bias in some reporting

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes when switching languages
- Live streaming not working
- Incompatibility with certain devices
- Unable to access content after update

**Requested features**

- Adjust playback speed
- Ability to comment on articles
- Improved sharing options
- More language support
- Customizable home screen


## Frequently asked questions

### Is U free?

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

### Is VOA free?

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

### Do U or VOA have ads?

Neither U nor VOA shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, U or VOA?

U ships an update every 6 months, and VOA every 2 months. Most recently, U was updated on September 13, 2026 and VOA on September 25, 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.*