# Retrace vs Firsts

The clearest difference is update cadence: Retrace at every 2 days against Firsts's fortnightly. Retrace also leads on ratings volume (3 vs 1). On price, rating, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Retrace sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 per month and Firsts sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $0.69 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for Retrace against 5.0 for Firsts. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 3 and 1 respectively.

Retrace ships an update every 2 days, Firsts fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on November 4, 2026 and October 30, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Retrace | Firsts |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [5.0 (3 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/retrace-life-diary-and-tracker/id6481981341/reviews) | [5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/firsts/id6505028556/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **3** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | — | 100.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 days** | Fortnightly |
| Monetization | Freemium | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 79 MB | 13 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | **17.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, Apple Watch | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [美群 唐](https://appshunter.io/developer/1628513026) | [杰滨 李](https://appshunter.io/developer/1528346803) |

## What reviewers say

### Retrace

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/retrace-life-diary-and-tracker/id6481981341)

This app automatically tracks your daily activities using location data and AI to create a personal history. It offers insights into your time allocation and integrates with health data, all while prioritizing user privacy with no sign-in required.

**Highlights:** Automatic activity tracking, Smart life analysis, Health integration, Comprehensive reports, Privacy-focused design, Time management tracking

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Apple Watch app, Vision Pro support, iPhone Duo support

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly | $5.99 | per month |
| Yearly | $29.99 | per year |
| Yearly (Standard) | $59.99 | per year |
| Lifetime membership | $129.99 | one-time |


### Firsts

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/firsts/id6505028556)

This app helps you document and revisit significant "first times" in your life. It automatically organizes memories by age and allows you to add details like photos, locations, and tags. Review your life's chapters with visual charts and enjoy heartwarming moments through home screen widgets.

**Highlights:** Focus on 'first times' only, Categorized by age, Photo-based memory creation, Insights and review charts, Widget support

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

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly | $0.69 | per month |
| Annually | $5.99 | per year |
| Lifetime | $12.99 | one-time |
| Lifetime Family | $19.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Retrace free?

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

### Is Firsts free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Retrace or Firsts?

Retrace and Firsts are both rated 5.0 out of 5 on the App Store, from 3 and 1 ratings respectively.

### Do Retrace or Firsts have ads?

Neither Retrace nor Firsts shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Retrace or Firsts?

Retrace ships an update every 2 days, and Firsts fortnightly. Most recently, Retrace was updated on November 4, 2026 and Firsts on October 30, 2026.

---

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