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The Catholic Man Show
Two Good Books, Two Different Approaches
For years, if you wanted a monthly book to help you pray every day, the answer was Magnificat. It’s beautiful, it’s trusted, and plenty of men keep one in the truck or on the nightstand. This fall Ascension launched Alto, a monthly prayer companion built around the same idea: open the book and pray.
Both are good. They’re built differently, and the differences matter once you know how you like to pray. Here’s how they compare.
The Short Answer
Choose Alto if you want the official Morning and Night Prayer of the Church, a monthly theme that ties the reflections together, Fr. Mike Schmitz content, and a print-only book that keeps you off your phone.
Choose Magnificat if you want morning, evening, and night prayer in one book, a digital edition included with print, sacred art commentary, or a large-print format at a lower price.
Side by Side
Sources: Ascension and Magnificat. Prices as of October 2026.
The Biggest Difference: The Liturgy of the Hours
Ascension says Alto is the only Catholic periodical with both the daily Mass readings and the official text of Morning and Night Prayer. Each issue goes through four reviews, including the USCCB, the Secretariat of Divine Worship, ICEL, and an imprimatur review through the Archdiocese of Philadelphia.
Magnificat describes its morning and evening prayers as inspired by the Liturgy of the Hours. They’re shorter and simpler, which many people love. If your goal is to pray the same Hours that priests and religious pray, Alto gets you there without a breviary or a ribbon chart. If you want a gentler daily structure that includes evening, Magnificat has it.
New to the Hours? Start with Morning and Night Prayer for Beginners, No Breviary Needed.
Structure or Variety
Alto gives each month a theme (October: the Parables, November: the Last Things, December: Joy to the World) and builds the reflections, novena, and Bible study around it. If you like a plan, it’s a plan.
Magnificat leans into variety: meditations from across the centuries, sacred art, and essays. It reads more like a devotional magazine.
Screens
Magnificat includes a digital edition, which is handy when you travel. Alto is print only on purpose. For a lot of men, that’s the selling point. We wrote about why in A Daily Prayer Companion for the Man Who Wants to Put Down His Phone.
Price
Magnificat costs less. Alto is $109.99 a year, or $75 if you already pay annually for the Ascension app. With Alto you’re paying for the official Liturgy of the Hours text, the monthly Bible study, and the Fr. Mike content. Our code TCMS10 takes 10% off your first year. For the full math, see Is Alto Worth It?
[ADAM or DAVID: one line on which one you use and why. Only if true. Example: “I’ve used Magnificat for years and still love it. What got me with Alto was having official Night Prayer printed out so my wife and I could pray it together.”]
Can You Use Both?
Sure. Some men keep Magnificat for Mass and Alto for the Hours. Most of us need one book we’ll actually open every day, so pick the one that matches how you pray.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Alto better than Magnificat?
Neither is better across the board. Alto has the official Morning and Night Prayer and a monthly theme. Magnificat includes evening prayer, a digital edition, and a lower price.
Does Magnificat include the Liturgy of the Hours?
It includes morning, evening, and night prayers inspired by the Liturgy of the Hours, in a shorter form.
Does Alto have a digital version?
No. Alto is print only. Some features are available to premium Ascension app subscribers.
Who publishes Alto?
Ascension, the publisher behind The Bible in a Year and The Catechism in a Year podcasts.
Which one is better for a beginner?
If you want the shortest daily routine, Magnificat’s prayers are briefer. If you want to learn the Church’s official prayer from day one, Alto lays out Morning and Night Prayer in order so you can open to the date and pray.
Ready to Try Alto?
Explore Alto and subscribe through our link and use code TCMS10 for 10% off your first year. Subscribe by November 3 to receive the December edition with printed adaptations of Fr. Mike Schmitz’s Advent reflections. For everything else about Alto, see our complete guide to Alto.
Just open Alto and pray.
