# The Mirror vs PENA.AL

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: PENA.AL at none against The Mirror's 2. PENA.AL also leads on ads (none vs shown) and iOS requirement (12.0 vs 15.0). On price, update cadence and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. The Mirror sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month. PENA.AL asks for nothing beyond the download.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly monthly. The most recent releases landed on October 18, 2026 and October 1, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | The Mirror | PENA.AL |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (1.5K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-mirror/id538338235/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **1.5K** | — |
| Positive reviews | 36.6% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Monthly | Monthly |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Size | 200 MB | 139 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | **12.0** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 12+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Trinity Mirror Digital Media Limited](https://appshunter.io/developer/360153141) | [LIST ALBANIA SH.P.K](https://appshunter.io/developer/1652653646) |

## What reviewers say

### The Mirror

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-mirror/id538338235)

Stay updated with breaking news from the UK and around the world, including exclusive stories from award-winning journalists. Get the latest on sports, celebrity gossip, technology, and money-saving tips. Customize your news feed and read articles offline.

**Highlights:** Breaking UK and global news, Sports news and reports, Celebrity gossip, Money saving tips, Customizable news feeds, Offline reading, Topic and author following

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

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly | $3.99 | per month |
| Yearly | $39.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Up-to-date news
- 👍 Informative content
- 🇨🇦 Useful for international users

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes and freezes
- 💤 Outdated and stale content
- 🤖 Excessive ads and redirects
- 🤔 Biased and low-quality journalism
- 🔒 Restrictive comment moderation

**Reported bugs**

- Login issues
- Notifications not working
- Inconsistent app performance

**Requested features**

- Improved navigation and scrolling
- Customizable news feeds
- Better comment functionality


### PENA.AL

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/penaal/id6448729949)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is The Mirror free?

The Mirror is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is PENA.AL free?

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

### Do The Mirror or PENA.AL have ads?

The Mirror shows ads; PENA.AL does not.

### Which is updated more often, The Mirror or PENA.AL?

The Mirror ships an update monthly, and PENA.AL monthly. Most recently, The Mirror was updated on October 18, 2026 and PENA.AL on October 1, 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.*