# First Note vs Budget Hive

The clearest difference is price: First Note at $2.99 against Budget Hive's $24.99. First Note also leads on iOS requirement (15.0 vs 18.0). Budget Hive's advantage is update cadence (every 5 days vs every 3 months). On ads, in-app purchases, monetization model and device support there is nothing between them.

First Note costs $2.99 and Budget Hive $24.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

First Note ships an update every 3 months, Budget Hive every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on July 4, 2026 and September 20, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | First Note | Budget Hive |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **$2.99** | $24.99 |
| Rating | — | **[5.0 (7 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/budget-hive/id6739452291/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | — | **7** |
| Positive reviews | 66.7% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | **Every 5 days** |
| Monetization | Paid | Paid |
| Size | 3 MB | 78 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 18.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Gianfranco Percopo](https://appshunter.io/developer/594845026) | [Muhammad Zafar](https://appshunter.io/developer/1785392131) |

## What reviewers say

### First Note

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/first-note/id594845023)

Manage your finances with this tool that allows you to track daily, monthly, and year-over-year spending. Easily search for past transactions by date to compare expenses and make informed financial decisions.

**Highlights:** Daily balance tracking, Monthly spending reports, Carry-over balance from previous month, Transaction search by date, Historical spending comparison

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### Budget Hive

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/budget-hive/id6739452291)

Manage your finances with tools for budgeting, debt payoff, spending analysis, and billable time tracking. Project future savings, organize expenses, and track client hours with practical features. Offers a one-time purchase with no account required and private data storage.

**Highlights:** Income and expense tracking, Debt management and payoff calculator, Spending analysis and budget categories, Billable time tracking with AI voice entry, Savings projections, Profit tracking for self-employed

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is First Note free?

First Note costs $2.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Budget Hive free?

Budget Hive costs $24.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Do First Note or Budget Hive have ads?

Neither First Note nor Budget Hive shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, First Note or Budget Hive?

First Note ships an update every 3 months, and Budget Hive every 5 days. Most recently, First Note was updated on July 4, 2026 and Budget Hive on September 20, 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.*