# Centra Mobile vs First Merchants Mobile App

The clearest difference is ads: Centra Mobile at none against First Merchants Mobile App's shown. Centra Mobile also leads on update cadence (every 2 months vs every 5 months). First Merchants Mobile App's advantage is monetization model (free vs free with in-app purchases). On price, rating, review sentiment and ratings volume there is nothing between them.

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

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.9 for Centra Mobile against 4.7 for First Merchants Mobile App. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 12K and 29K respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 82% of Centra Mobile's written reviews are positive against 79% of First Merchants Mobile App's.

Centra Mobile ships an update every 2 months, First Merchants Mobile App every 5 months. Both last shipped on October 30, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Centra Mobile | First Merchants Mobile App |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.9 (12K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/centra-mobile/id573625283/reviews)** | [4.7 (29K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/first-merchants-mobile-app/id992147118/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 12K | **29K** |
| Positive reviews | **82.4% of reviews** | 79.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 months** | Every 5 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 180 MB | 57 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | 16.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Centra Credit Union](https://appshunter.io/developer/573625286) | [First Merchants Corporation](https://appshunter.io/developer/451194737) |

## What reviewers say

### Centra Mobile

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/centra-mobile/id573625283)

Manage your finances on the go with this banking app. Deposit checks, send money, pay bills, and track your spending and budget. You can also manage your debit cards and set up account alerts.

**Highlights:** Deposit checks remotely, Send money with Zelle®, Manage debit cards, Pay bills and set up recurring payments, Track spending and balances, Create budgets and track income

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Fast and efficient
- 👍 User-friendly and easy to navigate
- 💳 Convenient banking features
- 🔒 Secure and reliable
- 💡 Great customer service

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional crashes and freezes
- 🔒 Strict security measures can be inconvenient
- 💳 Limited functionality for loan payments
- 🔍 Difficulty finding certain information

**Reported bugs**

- Login issues after app update
- Landscape mode and printing not working
- Frequent disconnections of external accounts

**Requested features**

- Ability to pay extra on loan principal
- Improved Zelle integration
- More customization options
- Expanded account linking capabilities


### First Merchants Mobile App

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/first-merchants-mobile-app/id992147118)

Manage your finances conveniently from your mobile device. Check balances, transfer funds, pay bills, deposit checks, and send money to others. Locate nearby branches and ATMs easily.

**Highlights:** Check account balances and transactions, Transfer money between accounts, Pay bills and view history, Deposit checks remotely, Send and receive person-to-person payments, Find nearby branches and ATMs

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 💳 Convenient mobile banking features
- 🔒 Secure authentication options
- 💰 Helpful with managing finances
- 🤝 Friendly and knowledgeable staff
- 📲 Easy to use mobile app

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent app crashes and login issues
- 🔍 Difficult to navigate and find features
- 🔒 Unreliable biometric authentication
- 💳 Issues with mobile check deposits
- 🔄 Confusing app updates and changes

**Reported bugs**

- Inconsistent Face ID/Touch ID support
- Repeated requests for login credentials
- Inability to view all linked accounts
- Delayed transaction posting and balance updates
- Glitches when depositing larger checks

**Requested features**

- Add running balance display in transactions
- Improve bill pay functionality and visibility
- Enable transfers between all account types
- Provide more customization options in the app
- Integrate account notifications and alerts


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Centra Mobile free?

Centra Mobile is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is First Merchants Mobile App free?

First Merchants Mobile App is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Centra Mobile or First Merchants Mobile App?

Centra Mobile is rated higher. Centra Mobile averages 4.9 out of 5 from 12K ratings, while First Merchants Mobile App averages 4.7 from 29K ratings.

### Do Centra Mobile or First Merchants Mobile App have ads?

First Merchants Mobile App shows ads; Centra Mobile does not.

### Which is updated more often, Centra Mobile or First Merchants Mobile App?

Centra Mobile ships an update every 2 months, and First Merchants Mobile App every 5 months. Most recently, Centra Mobile was updated on October 30, 2026 and First Merchants Mobile App on October 30, 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.*