Comparison

First Things vs Greystone

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

First Things

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
Read full description

First Things is published by The Institute on Religion and Public Life, an interreligious, nonpartisan research and education institute whose purpose is to advance a religiously informed public philosophy for the ordering of society. First Things Pricing: • Subscription 1 Month - USD 2.99* • Subscription 1 Year - USD 24.99* * For non-US app stores, the equivalent currency charges will apply. Please note: App subscriptions do not include access to subscription-only content on our website. Additional Subscription Information: • Payment will be charged to iTunes Account at confirmation of purchase. • Subscription automatically renews unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24-hours before the end of the current period. • Account will be charged for renewal within 24-hours prior to the end of the current period, and identify the cost of the renewal. • Subscriptions may be managed by the user and auto-renewal may be turned off by going to the user's Account Settings after purchase. • No cancellation of the current subscription is allowed during active subscription period. Privacy Policy - https://firstthings.com/privacy-policy/ Terms of Use - https://www.backlight.co/legal/mazsystems-outputs-terms • Any unused portion of a free trial period, if offered, will be forfeited when the user purchases a subscription to that publication, where applicable.

About

Greystone

Features
Read full description

The app of Greystone Theological Institute, providing a rapidly growing library of thousands of hours of video and audio resources in Reformed theology, biblical studies, ethics, ministry, and spiritual formation, plus texts, live-streamed seminars, workshops, and other events. Enjoy a limited offering of free content, or subscribe for access to all content. Privacy Policy: https://www.greystoneinstitute.org/privacy-policy Terms of Service: https://treefortsystems.com/terms-of-service

Screenshots

First Things2 screens
Greystone4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is ads: Greystone at none against First Things's shown. On price, update cadence, 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. First Things sells 33 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month and Greystone sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $17.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

First Things ships an update every 4 months, Greystone every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on October 1, 2026 and September 25, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard1 real difference · 9 level
First Things versus Greystone: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterFirst ThingsGreystone
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.6 (362 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews39.5% of reviews—
Number of ratings362 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 4 monthsEvery 3 months — better
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationSubscription—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS15.615.1 — better
Further details — not scored
Size60 MB34 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperTHE INSTITUTE ON RELIGION & PUBLIC LIFE INCGreystone Theological Institute

Bugs and requests

First Things

Reported bugs

19 issues
  • 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
Show 14 more
  • Cannot log in with subscription
  • App is nonfunctional after update
  • Lost all saved items after update
  • App is unusable after update
  • Unreadable on iPhone, text size issues
  • Not optimized for small screens
  • App hides content
  • App crashes on startup
  • Zoom gets stuck, app freezes
  • App freezes when using zoom
  • New sash remains after reading
  • Swiping pages in landscape mode causes freezing
  • App crashes when opening in Newsstand
  • App freezes when using zoom

Requested features

19 requests
  • 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
Show 14 more
  • Allow saving and bookmarking articles
  • Improve app navigation
  • Allow interaction with text
  • Fix app to utilize full screen of newer iPhones
  • Make text readable size on iPhone
  • Optimize for small screens
  • Improve app interface
  • Fix zoom issues
  • Fix app freezing
  • Fix 'new' sash issue
  • Allow access to digital subscription on iPad
  • Make app professional with links in table of contents/menu
  • Allow offline reading of purchased editions
  • Fix app to display library of issues

Greystone

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

33 purchases

First Things

Subscriptions2
  • First Things$2.991 Month
  • First Things$24.991 Year
One-time31
  • June/July 2011$0.99
  • August/September 2011$0.99
  • May 2011$0.99
Show 28 more
  • November 2011$0.99
  • February 2012$0.99
  • March 2012$0.99
  • April 2012$0.99
  • August/September 2016$4.99
  • First Things Feed 48$4.99
  • First Things Feed 49$4.99
  • First Things Feed 50$4.99
  • First Things Feed 51$4.99
  • First Things Feed 52$4.99
  • First Things Feed 77$4.99
  • First Things Feed 76$4.99
  • First Things Feed 72$4.99
  • First Things Feed 69$4.99
  • First Things Feed 67$4.99
  • First Things Feed 66$4.99
  • First Things Feed 65$4.99
  • First Things Feed 54$4.99
  • First Things Feed 64$4.99
  • First Things Feed 63$4.99
  • First Things Feed 62$4.99
  • First Things Feed 61$4.99
  • First Things Feed 60$4.99
  • First Things Feed 59$4.99
  • First Things Feed 58$4.99
  • First Things Feed 57$4.99
  • First Things Feed 56$4.99
  • First Things Feed 55$4.99
3 purchases

Greystone

Subscriptions3
  • Greystone Monthly Membership$17.991 Month
  • Greystone Membership Plus$29.991 Month
  • Greystone Annual Membership$197.991 Year

Questions

Is First Things free?
First Things is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Greystone free?
Greystone is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do First Things or Greystone have ads?
First Things shows ads; Greystone does not.
Which is updated more often, First Things or Greystone?
First Things ships an update every 4 months, and Greystone every 3 months. Most recently, First Things was updated on October 1, 2026 and Greystone on September 25, 2026.

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