# first direct vs Co

first direct and Co both sit at 4.9 stars, but that hides the real split: 77% of first direct's written reviews are positive against 59% of Co's. first direct also leads on ratings volume (2K vs 162). On price, rating, update cadence and ads 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 — 4.9 for first direct against 4.8 for Co. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: first direct has 2K ratings behind it against 162, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 77% of first direct's written reviews are positive against 59% of Co's.

first direct ships an update monthly, Co every 6 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 28, 2026 and October 27, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | first direct | Co |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.9 (2K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/first-direct/id405905004/reviews)** | [4.8 (162 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/co-operative-bank/id1439204021/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **2K** | 162 |
| Positive reviews | **76.5% of reviews** | 59.2% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Monthly** | Every 6 weeks |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 271 MB | 98 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | 15.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [first direct](https://appshunter.io/developer/405905007) | [The Co-operative Bank](https://appshunter.io/developer/524673636) |

## What reviewers say

### first direct

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

Manage your finances on the go with this intuitive mobile banking application. Easily check balances, view transactions, and transfer funds to friends and family. This app simplifies everyday money management, with more enhancements planned for the future.

**Highlights:** Check account balances, View transaction history, Pay family and friends, Simplified money management, Mobile banking convenience

**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


### Co

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/co-operative-bank/id1439204021)

Manage your finances securely and conveniently with this mobile banking app. Perform everyday banking tasks like transfers, payments, and account management anytime, anywhere. Offers features for card management, transaction history, and fraud protection.

**Highlights:** Secure login with TouchID/FaceID, Manage current, savings, and loan accounts, Quick money transfers, Pay and manage payees, Freeze/unfreeze cards, View up to seven years of statements, Mortgage calculator

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to use
- 🚀 Straightforward banking
- 🔒 Secure and reliable
- 🎨 Simple and clean interface

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent app outages and downtime
- 🔍 Limited functionality compared to other banking apps
- 🕰️ Slow transaction processing and updates
- 🤖 Outdated and lacking modern features

**Reported bugs**

- Login issues and app crashes
- Inconsistent app behavior across devices
- Delayed or missing transaction updates

**Requested features**

- Ability to freeze/unfreeze debit cards
- Detailed transaction history and pending payments
- Push notifications for account activity
- Option to nickname/label accounts


## Frequently asked questions

### Is first direct free?

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

### Is Co free?

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

### Which has better reviews, first direct or Co?

first direct is rated higher. first direct averages 4.9 out of 5 from 2K ratings, while Co averages 4.8 from 162 ratings.

### Do first direct or Co have ads?

Neither first direct nor Co shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, first direct or Co?

first direct ships an update monthly, and Co every 6 weeks. Most recently, first direct was updated on October 28, 2026 and Co on October 27, 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.*