# First Things vs National Affairs

First Things and National Affairs both sit at 4.6 stars, but that hides the real split: 50% of National Affairs's written reviews are positive against 39% of First Things's. National Affairs also leads on iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.6). First Things's advantage is update cadence (every 4 months vs every 8 months). On price, rating, ratings volume and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. First Things sells 33 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month and National Affairs sells 16 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.6 for First Things against 4.5 for National Affairs. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 362 and 129 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 39% of First Things's written reviews are positive against 50% of National Affairs's.

First Things ships an update every 4 months, National Affairs every 8 months. The most recent releases landed on September 22, 2026 and September 17, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | First Things | National Affairs |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.6 (362 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/first-things/id450439723/reviews)** | [4.5 (129 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/national-affairs/id1207725056/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **362** | 129 |
| Positive reviews | 39.5% of reviews | **50.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 4 months** | Every 8 months |
| Monetization | Subscription | Subscription |
| Size | 60 MB | 61 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 | **13.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [THE INSTITUTE ON RELIGION & PUBLIC LIFE INC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1471355252) | [National Affairs, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1491186052) |

## What reviewers say

### First Things

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/first-things/id450439723)

Access insightful articles and essays on religion, public life, and philosophy. Explore diverse perspectives on contemporary issues from a leading research institute. Stay informed with curated content designed to foster informed public discourse.

**Highlights:** Articles on religion and public life, Essays on philosophy and society, Diverse perspectives, Informed public discourse, Interreligious and nonpartisan content

**In-app purchases (33)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| First Things | $2.99 | per month |
| First Things | $24.99 | per year |
| June/July 2011 | $0.99 | one-time |
| August/September 2011 | $0.99 | one-time |
| May 2011 | $0.99 | one-time |
| November 2011 | $0.99 | one-time |
| February 2012 | $0.99 | one-time |
| March 2012 | $0.99 | one-time |
| April 2012 | $0.99 | one-time |
| August/September 2016 | $4.99 | one-time |
| First Things Feed 48 | $4.99 | one-time |
| First Things Feed 49 | $4.99 | one-time |
| First Things Feed 50 | $4.99 | one-time |
| First Things Feed 51 | $4.99 | one-time |
| First Things Feed 52 | $4.99 | one-time |
| First Things Feed 77 | $4.99 | one-time |
| First Things Feed 76 | $4.99 | one-time |
| First Things Feed 72 | $4.99 | one-time |
| First Things Feed 69 | $4.99 | one-time |
| First Things Feed 67 | $4.99 | one-time |
| First Things Feed 66 | $4.99 | one-time |
| First Things Feed 65 | $4.99 | one-time |
| First Things Feed 54 | $4.99 | one-time |
| First Things Feed 64 | $4.99 | one-time |
| First Things Feed 63 | $4.99 | one-time |
| First Things Feed 62 | $4.99 | one-time |
| First Things Feed 61 | $4.99 | one-time |
| First Things Feed 60 | $4.99 | one-time |
| First Things Feed 59 | $4.99 | one-time |
| First Things Feed 58 | $4.99 | one-time |
| First Things Feed 57 | $4.99 | one-time |
| First Things Feed 56 | $4.99 | one-time |
| First Things Feed 55 | $4.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Excellent content and writing
- 👍 Superb publication
- 👍 Thought-provoking articles
- 👍 Coherently intellectual analysis
- 👍 Premiere journal of religion and public life

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Requires separate subscription for app
- 🐛 Login methods not working
- 🐛 App not updating editions
- 🐛 App is like a PDF reader, no interaction
- 🐛 App difficult to navigate

**Reported bugs**

- Login methods not working
- App not updating editions
- Preview pane interferes with reading
- Cuts off bottom of page, black bar on top
- Cannot minimize horizontal scrolling

**Requested features**

- Allow login with digital subscription username/password
- Fix login methods
- Make table of contents hyperlinked
- Include a Contents menu to see articles before buying
- Fix preview pane issue


### National Affairs

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/national-affairs/id1207725056)

This quarterly journal offers in-depth essays on domestic policy, political economy, society, culture, and political thought. It aims to foster clearer thinking about public life and self-government with insightful analysis and concrete proposals.

**Highlights:** In-depth essays on domestic policy, Analysis of political economy, Discussions on society and culture, Exploration of political thought, Concrete proposals for public issues, Focus on American self-government

**In-app purchases (16)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly Subscription | $2.99 | per month |
| Annual Subscription | $19.99 | per year |
| Spring 2017 | $3.99 | one-time |
| Fall 2017 | $3.99 | one-time |
| Winter 2018 | $3.99 | one-time |
| Spring 2018 | $3.99 | one-time |
| Summer 2018 | $3.99 | one-time |
| Fall 2018 | $3.99 | one-time |
| Winter 2019 | $3.99 | one-time |
| Nat'l Affairs Feed 9 | $3.99 | one-time |
| Nat'l Affairs Feed 22 | $3.99 | one-time |
| Nat'l Affairs Feed 28 | $3.99 | one-time |
| Nat'l Affairs Feed 27 | $3.99 | one-time |
| Nat'l Affairs Feed 26 | $3.99 | one-time |
| Nat'l Affairs Feed 24 | $3.99 | one-time |
| Nat'l Affairs Feed 23 | $3.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is First Things free?

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

### Is National Affairs free?

National Affairs is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, First Things or National Affairs?

First Things is rated higher. First Things averages 4.6 out of 5 from 362 ratings, while National Affairs averages 4.5 from 129 ratings.

### Do First Things or National Affairs have ads?

Both First Things and National Affairs show ads.

### Which is updated more often, First Things or National Affairs?

First Things ships an update every 4 months, and National Affairs every 8 months. Most recently, First Things was updated on September 22, 2026 and National Affairs on September 17, 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.*