Universalis

Universalis is a daily prayer app that gives you the Liturgy of the Hours and the Mass readings for every day of the year. It is one of the longtime, well-known Catholic apps, and it earns that standing.

Open it in the morning and you have the Office of Readings, Morning Prayer, the readings for today's Mass, and the prayers that go with them. Through the day you can come back for the daytime hours, Evening Prayer, and Night Prayer. It also carries the Order of Mass, reflections, saint information, and the Rosary. Everything is dated and ready, so you are not flipping through ribbons trying to find the right page.

The thing I value most is that it works offline and does not nag you with a subscription. You buy it once and it is yours. For praying the Hours on a commuter train or in a quiet corner with no signal, that matters. The text is clean and the navigation is straightforward once you learn where the hours live.

This is a strong fit for anyone praying the Divine Office, whether you are a layperson trying to keep Morning and Evening Prayer, or someone who wants the daily Mass readings without carrying a missal. It is also a good companion for RCIA folks and converts who are learning the rhythm of the Church's day.

A couple of honest notes. The interface is functional rather than pretty, and first-time users can find the menus a little dense. There are settings for different calendars and translations, which is powerful but takes a minute to sort out. None of this is a real obstacle, but it is not the most hand-holding app you will use.

Universalis runs about $9.99 as a one-time purchase, from Universalis Publishing. You can find it on the App Store through Universalis by Universalis Publishing. If you want the Hours and the daily Mass in one dependable place, this is the one I keep coming back to.