# First Things vs Greystone

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.

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.

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.

## The numbers

| Metric | First Things | Greystone |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.6 (362 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/first-things/id450439723/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **362** | — |
| Positive reviews | 39.5% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 4 months | **Every 3 months** |
| Monetization | Subscription | — |
| Size | 60 MB | 34 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 | **15.1** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [THE INSTITUTE ON RELIGION & PUBLIC LIFE INC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1471355252) | [Greystone Theological Institute](https://appshunter.io/developer/1791639499) |

## 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


### Greystone

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/greystone/id6740783023)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Greystone Monthly Membership | $17.99 | per month |
| Greystone Membership Plus | $29.99 | per month |
| Greystone Annual Membership | $197.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked 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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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*