The online version uses the Jerusalem Bible for the readings and canticles and then uses a Psalm translation that was commissioned by universalis. The Jerusalem Bible is approved for liturgical use in the UK, but not in the US. The Psalm translation on the online version is not approved for liturgical use anywhere. I dont know where the antiphons, intercessions, etc. come from, but i suspect they are their own as the generally do not match the official translations. So strictly speaking, the online version is not an approved set of translations for liturgical use.
The downloadable version has two additional options that are not available in the online version. First, it includes an option to use the NAB for readings and canticles, which is the approved translation for the US. Second, it includes the grail psalms which are used in both the US and UK. So it is possible that the psalms and readings are approved translations, but I’m still not sure about the antiphons, et cetera.
For someone that is bound to recite the office (clergy and religious) I would say they would be better off using approved translations for their region/order rather than whatever universalis cobbles together to comply with copyright issues. Why? Because clergy and religious are engaged in public liturgical worship, even if reciting them in private. As a liturgical act, it should use approved liturgical materials.
For someone that is praying the hours as a private devotion? I guess you can use anything you want, but I would still prefer to use the approved translations. I have been in groups where one person is using universalis, another a book, someone else using “Divine Office”. The person using universalis will be off making it nearly impossible to pray in a group.
Long and short? Universalis, to the best of my knowledge, is not using fully approved texts in any of its available formats.
