# first direct vs Skipton Building Society

The clearest difference is review sentiment: first direct at 77% against Skipton Building Society's 38%. first direct also leads on ratings volume (2K vs 23) and rating (4.9 vs 4.6). Skipton Building Society's advantage is iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.0). On price, update cadence, 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.

first direct holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: first direct has 2K ratings behind it against 23, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 77% of first direct's written reviews are positive against 38% of Skipton Building Society's.

first direct ships an update monthly, Skipton Building Society every 2 months. Both last shipped on November 6, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | first direct | Skipton Building Society |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.9 (2K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/first-direct/id405905004/reviews)** | [4.6 (23 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/skipton-building-society/id1244142924/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **2K** | 23 |
| Positive reviews | **76.5% of reviews** | 38.4% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Monthly** | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 319 MB | 56 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | **13.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [first direct](https://appshunter.io/developer/405905007) | [Skipton Building Society](https://appshunter.io/developer/1240175659) |

## What reviewers say

### first direct

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/first-direct/id405905004)

Manage your finances on the go with this intuitive banking app. Check balances, view transactions, and send money to friends and family with ease. This app simplifies everyday money management with a host of features designed for convenience.

**Highlights:** Check account balances, View transaction history, Pay friends and family, Simplified money management, Intuitive user interface

**Features:** Apple Wallet

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to use
- 🚀 Fast and accurate
- 🔒 Excellent security
- 💡 Helpful customer service
- 👍 Consistent and reliable

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional app crashes
- 🔒 Overly complex security measures
- 💡 Outdated and basic design
- 🔒 Frustrating authentication process
- 🐛 Buggy cheque deposit feature

**Reported bugs**

- App freezing and crashing
- Issues with cheque deposit functionality
- Problems with multi-device authentication
- Inconsistent behavior when updating payee details

**Requested features**

- Dark mode option
- Improved transaction history and insights
- Ability to edit scheduled payments and payees
- Streamlined payment flow
- Better categorization and budgeting tools


### Skipton Building Society

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/skipton-building-society/id1244142924)

Manage your savings and mortgage accounts with this secure mobile banking app. View balances, transaction history, make payments, and open new accounts. Communicate securely with the building society.

**Highlights:** Secure login with fingerprint, face, or PIN, View savings and mortgage account details, Transaction history and balance checks, Transfer funds between accounts, Open new savings accounts, Secure messaging with the building society

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to use
- 🚀 Intuitive interface
- 🔒 Excellent security
- 💡 All accounts in one place
- 👍 User-friendly app

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent log-out issues
- 🐛 Device limit problems
- 🐛 Unreliable app performance
- 🐛 Confusing registration process
- 🐛 Inability to withdraw funds

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes and freezes
- Inconsistent login experience
- Incorrect account information display
- Inability to access closed accounts

**Requested features**

- Ability to view interest rates
- Option to download interest certificates
- Functionality to make mortgage overpayments
- Clearer account management options
- Improved in-app messaging and support


## Frequently asked questions

### Is first direct free?

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

### Is Skipton Building Society free?

Skipton Building Society is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, first direct or Skipton Building Society?

first direct is rated higher. first direct averages 4.9 out of 5 from 2K ratings, while Skipton Building Society averages 4.6 from 23 ratings.

### Do first direct or Skipton Building Society have ads?

Neither first direct nor Skipton Building Society shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, first direct or Skipton Building Society?

first direct ships an update monthly, and Skipton Building Society every 2 months. Most recently, first direct was updated on November 6, 2026 and Skipton Building Society on November 6, 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.*