first direct vs Newpay
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
first direct
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.
- Check account balances
- View transaction history
- Pay family and friends
- Simplified money management
- Mobile banking convenience
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Your everyday just got a whole lot easier. Even better banking has arrived. At the coffee shop, deciding if it’s a skinny soy latte or a cup of tea. In a taxi stuck in traffic, wondering how much you’ve saved for your trip to Machu Picchu. On a rollercoaster, planning the decorations for your dog’s third birthday party… Wherever you are, whatever you’re doing, our new and improved mobile app makes banking even simpler. From checking your balances and viewing transactions to paying family and friends, mobile banking takes all the hassle out of everyday money stuff. You can now do more than ever from the comfort of your own phone - and if that’s not exciting enough, this is just the start of our mini digital revolution, with loads more improvements on the way. So go on. Get yourself up to date. Update now >> • Free to use, but providers may charge for download and usage • Use in accordance with local laws and check charges if using abroad • Use in accordance with our App terms and conditions • Use in accordance with Apple terms and conditions • This app may be withdrawn at any time, but we’ll always keep you in the loop.
Newpay
Manage your credit account on the go with this secure mobile app. View your balance, track transactions, make payments, and manage your direct debit. Access retailer information and update your contact details easily.
- View balance and credit limit
- Browse retailers
- Track transactions
- Manage instalment plans
- Make payments
- Set up Direct Debit
- Update contact details
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Manage your Newpay account anywhere, anytime, with our secure mobile app. It's free to download now, just use the details you signed up with. Our mobile app has lots of features to enable you to manage your account easily: • View your latest balance and available credit limit • Browse all Newpay retailers • View your latest transactions, including transactions that are still pending • Check the progress of your instalment plans • Make a payment on your account • Set up or manage your Direct Debit • Manage your statement preferences • Update your contact details • Get in contact with us and view our FAQs If you would like to learn more about Newpay, check out our website www.newpay.co.uk or look for Newpay when you check out to spread the cost at your favourite retailers. Credit provided by NewDay Ltd. 18+. UK only. Subject to status. T&Cs apply.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is review sentiment: first direct at 77% against Newpay's 17%. first direct also leads on monetization model (free vs ad-supported). Newpay's advantage is update cadence (every 9 days vs monthly). On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
first direct ships an update monthly, Newpay every 9 days. The most recent releases landed on October 14, 2026 and October 8, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | first direct | Newpay |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.9 (2K ratings) — better | — |
| Positive reviews | 76.5% of reviews — better | 16.7% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 2K — better | — |
| Update frequency | Monthly | Every 9 days — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free — better | Ad-supported |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better | iPhone, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | 15.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 271 MB | 159 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | first direct | NewDay Ltd |
Customer experience
first direct
Newpay
Bugs and requests
first direct
Reported bugs
4 issues- App freezing and crashing
- Issues with cheque deposit functionality
- Problems with multi-device authentication
- Inconsistent behavior when updating payee details
Requested features
5 requests- Dark mode option
- Improved transaction history and insights
- Ability to edit scheduled payments and payees
- Streamlined payment flow
- Better categorization and budgeting tools
Newpay
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
first direct
No in-app purchases
Newpay
No in-app purchases









