# First Ruston vs The Gathering

The clearest difference is update cadence: The Gathering at every 6 months against First Ruston's every 31 months. The Gathering also leads on iOS requirement (13.4 vs 15.1). First Ruston's advantage is ratings volume (3 vs 1). On price, rating, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for First Ruston against 5.0 for The Gathering. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 3 and 1 respectively.

First Ruston ships an update every 31 months, The Gathering every 6 months. The most recent releases landed on September 22, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | First Ruston | The Gathering |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [5.0 (3 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/first-ruston/id1103372455/reviews) | [5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-gathering-west-monroe/id6446127972/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **3** | 1 |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 31 months | **Every 6 months** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 51 MB | 47 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.1 | **13.4** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple TV** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [The First Baptist Church of Ruston Louisiana](https://appshunter.io/developer/1510608421) | [NEW LIFE WESLEYAN CHURCH OF WEST MONROE, LA.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1676168545) |

## What reviewers say

### First Ruston

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/first-ruston/id1103372455)

Stay connected with church activities through messages, notifications, and event updates. Access the Bible and view the church calendar directly from your mobile device.

**Highlights:** Watch or listen to messages, Receive push notifications, Read the Bible, View event calendar, Stay connected with church

**In-app purchases:** none


### The Gathering

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-gathering-west-monroe/id6446127972)

Stay connected with your church community through this app. Access past messages, receive important updates via push notifications, and share content with friends. Download messages for offline listening.

**Highlights:** Watch or listen to past messages, Stay up to date with push notifications, Share messages via social media or email, Download messages for offline listening

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is First Ruston free?

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

### Is The Gathering free?

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

### Which has better reviews, First Ruston or The Gathering?

First Ruston and The Gathering are both rated 5.0 out of 5 on the App Store, from 3 and 1 ratings respectively.

### Do First Ruston or The Gathering have ads?

Neither First Ruston nor The Gathering shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, First Ruston or The Gathering?

First Ruston ships an update every 31 months, and The Gathering every 6 months. Most recently, First Ruston was updated on September 22, 2026 and The Gathering on October 24, 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.*