# U9 App vs Lantern

The clearest difference is rating: Lantern at 4.1 against U9 App's 3.6. Lantern also leads on chart position (#187 vs unranked) and review sentiment (23% vs 13%). U9 App's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 5) and ratings volume (2.7K vs 9). On price, update cadence, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Lantern sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $12.99 per month. U9 App asks for nothing beyond the download.

Lantern holds the better App Store score, 4.1 against 3.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: U9 App has 2.7K ratings behind it against 9, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 13% of U9 App's written reviews are positive against 23% of Lantern's.

U9 App ships an update every 3 months, Lantern every 6 weeks. Both last shipped on October 22, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | U9 App | Lantern |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.6 (2.7K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/u9-app/id976062898/reviews) | **[4.1 (9 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/lantern-fast-secure-vpn/id1457872372/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **2.7K** | 9 |
| Positive reviews | 13.0% of reviews | **22.9% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | **Every 6 weeks** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | — | **#187** |
| Size | 412 MB | 194 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.0** | 15.6 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [OOREDOO MYANMAR LIMITED](https://appshunter.io/developer/975112424) | [Brave New Software Project, Inc](https://appshunter.io/developer/1769431553) |

## What reviewers say

### U9 App

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/u9-app/id976062898)

This digital companion allows users to manage their mobile services, recharge accounts, and pay bills. It also offers entertainment options like games and music, along with digital payment features and exclusive rewards.

**Highlights:** SIM and account management, Recharge and data pack purchases, Bill payments, Money transfers, Games, music, and video streaming, Exclusive rewards and offers, Digital wallet integration

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Useful features
- 👍 Variety of gaming apps and data offers

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes
- 🐛 Buggy and unstable
- 🐛 Slow and poor connection
- 🐛 Unreliable service
- 🐛 Errors and issues with balance and purchases

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes frequently
- Errors when trying to buy packages or check balance
- Incompatibility with newer iOS versions
- Freezing and white screen issues
- OTP not received consistently

**Requested features**

- Fix app errors and crashes
- Improve app stability and performance
- Enhance customer service and support
- Provide reliable internet connection
- Ensure accurate billing and balance information


### Lantern

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/lantern-fast-secure-vpn/id1457872372)

**Currently charting:** #187 Top Free · Productivity (US App Store)

This app provides a secure and fast VPN connection to keep your internet activity private. It offers both a free plan and a Pro subscription with advanced features, all from a nonprofit dedicated to an open internet.

**Highlights:** Secure and private internet connection, Host your own VPN server, Global network access, Open source code, Strict no-logs policy, Built-in ad blocking (Pro), Unlimited data (Pro)

**Features:** Apple Wallet

**In-app purchases (5)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly Subscription | $12.99 | per month |
| One Year Plan | $48.00 | per year |
| Lantern Pro: One Month Plan | $12.00 | one-time |
| Lantern Pro: One Year Plan | $55.99 | one-time |
| Lantern Pro: Two Year Plan | $100.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Fast connection
- 🔒 Secure and encrypted
- 👍 Simple and easy to use
- 💡 Useful for bypassing censorship

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes and connection issues
- 🔋 Drains battery quickly
- 👎 Unreliable and unstable
- 💸 Paid version doesn't work as expected

**Reported bugs**

- iOS version frequently fails to connect
- Paid subscription doesn't work on all devices
- Inconsistent performance across different platforms
- Confusing or missing in-app settings

**Requested features**

- Add support for more devices and platforms
- Improve customer support and responsiveness
- Provide better guidance on using the paid version
- Implement more advanced security and privacy features


## Frequently asked questions

### Is U9 App free?

U9 App is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Lantern free?

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

### Which has better reviews, U9 App or Lantern?

Lantern is rated higher. U9 App averages 3.6 out of 5 from 2.7K ratings, while Lantern averages 4.1 from 9 ratings.

### Do U9 App or Lantern have ads?

Neither U9 App nor Lantern shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, U9 App or Lantern?

U9 App ships an update every 3 months, and Lantern every 6 weeks. Most recently, U9 App was updated on October 22, 2026 and Lantern on October 22, 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.*