# Picket List vs First Mate

The clearest difference is price: First Mate at Free against Picket List's $0.99. First Mate also leads on update cadence (monthly vs every 29 months). Picket List's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 2) and iOS requirement (9.0 vs 15.1). On ads and device support there is nothing between them.

First Mate is free to download; Picket List costs $0.99 up front. First Mate sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $12.99 per month. Picket List asks for nothing beyond the download.

Picket List ships an update every 29 months, First Mate monthly. Both last shipped on October 7, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Picket List | First Mate |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $0.99 | **Free** |
| Positive reviews | 70.6% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 29 months | **Monthly** |
| Monetization | Paid | — |
| Size | 1 MB | 105 MB |
| Requires iOS | **9.0** | 15.1 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Sawtell Software Pty Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/435270667) | [First Mate Pty Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/1676378839) |

## What reviewers say

### Picket List

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/picket-list/id435270664)

This app simplifies the creation of work schedules and duty rosters for managers and teams. It automatically assigns individuals to time slots and allows for on-the-fly adjustments, recalculating times instantly. Supports various duty configurations for continuous coverage.

**Highlights:** Automated member assignment to time slots, Squad management for groups, Save and reuse custom rosters, On-the-fly member addition/removal, Automatic time recalculation, Editable start and end times, Single and double staggered duty options

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

**In-app purchases:** none


### First Mate

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/first-mate/id6446157447)

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

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly subscription. | $12.99 | per month |
| Yearly subscription | $129.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Picket List free?

Picket List costs $0.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is First Mate free?

First Mate is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Do Picket List or First Mate have ads?

Neither Picket List nor First Mate shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Picket List or First Mate?

Picket List ships an update every 29 months, and First Mate monthly. Most recently, Picket List was updated on October 7, 2026 and First Mate on October 7, 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.*