# MyCompassion vs First 5

The clearest difference is rating: First 5 at 4.5 against MyCompassion's 3.6. First 5 also leads on review sentiment (73% vs 51%) and ratings volume (879 vs 42). MyCompassion's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and monetization model (free vs ad-supported). On price, update cadence, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

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

First 5 holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 3.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: First 5 has 879 ratings behind it against 42, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 51% of MyCompassion's written reviews are positive against 73% of First 5's.

MyCompassion ships an update every 2 months, First 5 every 3 months. Both last shipped on October 15, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | MyCompassion | First 5 |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.6 (42 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mycompassion/id384410347/reviews) | **[4.5 (879 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/first-5/id997457664/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 42 | **879** |
| Positive reviews | 51.4% of reviews | **72.9% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 months** | Every 3 months |
| Monetization | **Free** | Ad-supported |
| Size | 75 MB | 40 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | **14.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Compassion International, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/384410350) | [Proverbs 31 Ministry, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1217584851) |

## What reviewers say

### MyCompassion

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mycompassion/id384410347)

Easily manage your child sponsorship journey. Send letters, view photos and updates, receive prayer requests, and learn about their world. Stay connected with real-time alerts.

**Highlights:** Send letters to sponsored child, View photos and updates, Receive prayer requests, Set prayer reminders, Discover stories and facts, Real-time alerts and updates

**Features:** Apple Wallet

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 💌 Easy letter writing and composition
- 📸 Photo attachment capability
- 🗺️ Location and weather information about sponsored child
- 🙏 Prayer reminders and prompts
- 📖 Access to letter history and correspondence

**What reviewers complain about**

- ⏱️ Extremely slow login process
- 💾 Letters not saving properly or disappearing
- 🔄 Frequent app crashes
- 🔐 Requires re-login on every app open
- 🖼️ Photo upload functionality broken

**Reported bugs**

- Login process takes excessive time to load
- Letter drafts fail to save or save incompletely
- App crashes when uploading photos
- Letter button requires multiple clicks to function
- App force closes during prayer selection

**Requested features**

- Restore previous app version with better navigation
- Improve login speed and eliminate re-login requirement
- Add Apple Pencil support for handwritten letters on iPad
- Implement push notifications for received letters
- Make child photos larger and easier to access


### First 5

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/first-5/id997457664)

This app provides daily biblical teachings to help users establish a consistent spiritual practice. It offers tools for highlighting, saving, and sharing scripture, along with a built-in Bible and community features.

**Highlights:** Daily biblical teachings, Highlight, save, and share scripture, Integrated Bible reader, Customizable reminders, Community groups, Exportable notes

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Solid biblical teaching
- 👍 Comprehensive and beautiful app
- 👍 Excellent resource for Bible study
- 👍 Helpful for spiritual growth
- 👍 Intuitive and user-friendly

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 App crashes or freezes
- 🐛 Glitchy or buggy functionality
- 🐛 Restricted access requiring sign-up
- 👎 Text is too small, no font size options
- 👎 Lack of dark mode or night theme

**Reported bugs**

- App not loading or showing blank screen
- Inability to access past or current studies
- Login/sign-in issues and account problems
- Repeated log-outs and sign-in requirements

**Requested features**

- Add dark mode or night theme
- Improve font size and zoom options
- Allow offline access to past studies
- Implement text-to-speech feature
- Provide more customization options


## Frequently asked questions

### Is MyCompassion free?

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

### Is First 5 free?

First 5 is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, MyCompassion or First 5?

First 5 is rated higher. MyCompassion averages 3.6 out of 5 from 42 ratings, while First 5 averages 4.5 from 879 ratings.

### Do MyCompassion or First 5 have ads?

First 5 shows ads; MyCompassion does not.

### Which is updated more often, MyCompassion or First 5?

MyCompassion ships an update every 2 months, and First 5 every 3 months. Most recently, MyCompassion was updated on October 15, 2026 and First 5 on October 15, 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.*