# FBC Newcastle vs First 5

The clearest difference is ads: FBC Newcastle at none against First 5's shown. FBC Newcastle also leads on review sentiment (100% vs 73%) and monetization model (free vs ad-supported). First 5's advantage is ratings volume (888 vs 5) and rating (4.5 vs 4.2). On price, update cadence, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

First 5 holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 4.2. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: First 5 has 888 ratings behind it against 5, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 100% of FBC Newcastle's written reviews are positive against 73% of First 5's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

FBC Newcastle ships an update every 2 months, First 5 every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on October 10, 2026 and October 23, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | FBC Newcastle | First 5 |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.2 (5 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/fbc-newcastle/id556921691/reviews) | **[4.5 (888 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/first-5/id997457664/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 5 | **888** |
| Positive reviews | **100.0% of reviews** | 72.9% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 months** | Every 3 months |
| Monetization | **Free** | Ad-supported |
| Size | 52 MB | 40 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.1 | **14.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH NEWCASTLE INC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1451108517) | [Proverbs 31 Ministry, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1217584851) |

## What reviewers say

### FBC Newcastle

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/fbc-newcastle/id556921691)

Connect with a local church community through this app. Access information about upcoming events, listen to sermons, and find ways to engage with fellow members. Experience worship, fellowship, and teachings from God's Word.

**Highlights:** View current events, Access sermons, Connect with the church community, Information about church activities, Learn about church mission

**In-app purchases:** none


### First 5

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/first-5/id997457664)

This app provides daily biblical teachings to help users establish a consistent spiritual practice. It offers tools for highlighting, saving, and sharing scripture, along with a built-in Bible and community features.

**Highlights:** Daily biblical teachings, Highlight, save, and share scripture, Integrated Bible reader, Customizable reminders, Community groups, Exportable notes

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Solid biblical teaching
- 👍 Comprehensive and beautiful app
- 👍 Excellent resource for Bible study
- 👍 Helpful for spiritual growth
- 👍 Intuitive and user-friendly

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 App crashes or freezes
- 🐛 Glitchy or buggy functionality
- 🐛 Restricted access requiring sign-up
- 👎 Text is too small, no font size options
- 👎 Lack of dark mode or night theme

**Reported bugs**

- App not loading or showing blank screen
- Inability to access past or current studies
- Login/sign-in issues and account problems
- Repeated log-outs and sign-in requirements

**Requested features**

- Add dark mode or night theme
- Improve font size and zoom options
- Allow offline access to past studies
- Implement text-to-speech feature
- Provide more customization options


## Frequently asked questions

### Is FBC Newcastle free?

FBC Newcastle is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is First 5 free?

First 5 is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, FBC Newcastle or First 5?

First 5 is rated higher. FBC Newcastle averages 4.2 out of 5 from 5 ratings, while First 5 averages 4.5 from 888 ratings.

### Do FBC Newcastle or First 5 have ads?

First 5 shows ads; FBC Newcastle does not.

### Which is updated more often, FBC Newcastle or First 5?

FBC Newcastle ships an update every 2 months, and First 5 every 3 months. Most recently, FBC Newcastle was updated on October 10, 2026 and First 5 on October 23, 2026.

---

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