# First Mate vs Sentry NFC

The clearest difference is price: Sentry NFC at Free against First Mate's $19.99. First Mate's advantage is update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 14 months). On ads, in-app purchases, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Sentry NFC is free to download; First Mate costs $19.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

First Mate ships an update every 3 weeks, Sentry NFC every 14 months. The most recent releases landed on September 9, 2026 and June 4, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | First Mate | Sentry NFC |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $19.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | — | **[1.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sentry-nfc/id1604634174/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | — | **1** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 weeks** | Every 14 months |
| Monetization | — | Free |
| Size | 3 MB | 1 MB |
| Requires iOS | 14.5 | **14.0** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Matthew Ricciardo](https://appshunter.io/developer/1585527362) | [SentryCard Technologies, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1604634176) |

## What reviewers say

### First Mate

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/first-mate/id1603120795)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### Sentry NFC

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sentry-nfc/id1604634174)

This utility app enables users to enroll their biometric Sentry Card using their smartphone. It facilitates secure card management and access through your mobile device.

**Highlights:** Biometric Sentry Card enrollment, Phone-based card management, Secure access via smartphone, Card enrollment utility

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is First Mate free?

First Mate costs $19.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Sentry NFC free?

Sentry NFC is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Do First Mate or Sentry NFC have ads?

Neither First Mate nor Sentry NFC shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, First Mate or Sentry NFC?

First Mate ships an update every 3 weeks, and Sentry NFC every 14 months. Most recently, First Mate was updated on September 9, 2026 and Sentry NFC on June 4, 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.*