# First Things vs Lingua Sacra

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Lingua Sacra at 93% against First Things's 39%. Lingua Sacra also leads on monetization model (free vs subscription) and ads (none vs shown). First Things's advantage is ratings volume (388 vs 36). On price, in-app purchases, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. First Things sells 33 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month and Lingua Sacra sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $19.99 per year. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Lingua Sacra holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: First Things has 388 ratings behind it against 36, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 39% of First Things's written reviews are positive against 93% of Lingua Sacra's.

First Things ships an update every 4 months, Lingua Sacra every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on October 22, 2026 and October 20, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | First Things | Lingua Sacra |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.6 (388 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/first-things/id450439723/reviews) | **[4.9 (36 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/lingua-sacra/id6760307277/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **388** | 36 |
| Positive reviews | 39.5% of reviews | **93.3% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 4 months | **Every 5 days** |
| Monetization | Subscription | **Free** |
| Size | 60 MB | 115 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) | [MARK MARQUEZ](https://appshunter.io/developer/1881057156) |

## 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


### Lingua Sacra

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/lingua-sacra/id6760307277)

Master ecclesiastical Latin through gamified lessons and authentic liturgical texts. Explore prayers, scripture, chant, and historical writings with structured learning paths and offline access.

**Highlights:** 197 structured lessons, 2,000+ vocabulary words, Liturgical and Patristic Latin content, Mass Companion and Office of the Day, Vulgate Bible reader, Offline functionality, Interactive paradigm tables

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

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Full Access | $19.99 | per year |
| Lingua Sacra Lifetime Access | $79.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is First Things free?

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

### Is Lingua Sacra free?

Lingua Sacra is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, First Things or Lingua Sacra?

Lingua Sacra is rated higher. First Things averages 4.6 out of 5 from 388 ratings, while Lingua Sacra averages 4.9 from 36 ratings.

### Do First Things or Lingua Sacra have ads?

First Things shows ads; Lingua Sacra does not.

### Which is updated more often, First Things or Lingua Sacra?

First Things ships an update every 4 months, and Lingua Sacra every 5 days. Most recently, First Things was updated on October 22, 2026 and Lingua Sacra on October 20, 2026.

---

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