# VRM E vs Merkurist

The clearest difference is review sentiment: VRM E at 80% against Merkurist's 20%. VRM E also leads on update cadence (every 6 weeks vs every 7 months). Merkurist's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 15). On price, ads, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. VRM E sells 11 in-app purchases, starting at $14.99 per month. Merkurist asks for nothing beyond the download.

VRM E ships an update every 6 weeks, Merkurist every 7 months. Both last shipped on October 26, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | VRM E | Merkurist |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.3 (12 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/vrm-e-paper/id730277419/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **12** | — |
| Positive reviews | **80.0% of reviews** | 20.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 6 weeks** | Every 7 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 30 MB | 6 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.6 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [VRM GmbH & Co. KG](https://appshunter.io/developer/1582138423) | [Merkurist MaWi GmbH](https://appshunter.io/developer/6788288170) |

## What reviewers say

### VRM E

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/vrm-e-paper/id730277419)

Access digital editions of regional newspapers on your tablet or smartphone. Enjoy enhanced reading with adjustable font sizes, a reading list, and text-to-speech. Solve interactive puzzles and explore exclusive digital content, including e-magazines.

**Highlights:** Digital newspaper editions, Adjustable font size, Reading list, Text-to-speech, Interactive puzzles, Exclusive e-magazines, Regional editions

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (11)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Dieburger Anzeiger Monatsabo | $14.99 | per month |
| MAIN-SPITZE Monatsabo | $34.99 | per month |
| Allgemeine Zeitung Monatsabo | $39.99 | per month |
| Wiesbadener Kurier Monatsabo | $39.99 | per month |
| Wormser Zeitung Monatsabo | $39.99 | per month |
| Rüsselsheimer Echo Monatsabo | $39.99 | per month |
| Einzelausgabe | $2.99 | one-time |
| Unsere Bergstraße Nr. 1 | $3.99 | one-time |
| Unsere Bergstraße Nr. 2 | $3.99 | one-time |
| Unsere Bergstraße Nr. 3 | $3.99 | one-time |
| Unsere Bergstraße Nr. 4 | $3.99 | one-time |


### Merkurist

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/merkurist/id1169099712)

Get local news from Mainz, Wiesbaden, Frankfurt, and more. Contribute your own observations and story ideas, which professional journalists then develop into articles. Receive instant updates on your contributions and new local content.

**Highlights:** Local news from multiple cities, Submit story ideas and observations, Professional journalist-created articles, Push notifications for updates, Track your contributions, Engage with comments and opinions

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is VRM E free?

VRM E is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Merkurist free?

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

### Do VRM E or Merkurist have ads?

Neither VRM E nor Merkurist shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, VRM E or Merkurist?

VRM E ships an update every 6 weeks, and Merkurist every 7 months. Most recently, VRM E was updated on October 26, 2026 and Merkurist on October 26, 2026.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*