Line vs Firstext
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Line
Streamline message creation and sending via SMS and email using customizable templates. Quickly edit and insert text, time, date, and location data. Attach pictures and reuse saved text pieces across templates.
- Send SMS and Email from one template
- Divide messages into editable pieces
- Automated time and date input
- Location data integration for Maps URLs
- Attach multiple pictures to emails
- Reusable text 'models' across templates
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"Line-Writer" saves your time to make a message and send it. Features --- - Send a message to SMS and Email from same template - Divide a message of template into some pieces to quickly access and modify these pieces of template that you need to edit it - Select how to input text for each piece, - keyboard typing, selecting text, Input time and date automatically - Change whether text of each piece will be added on message Input text style of piece --- * Long Tap allows you to edit text with the keyboard Enter text (keyboard typing) ・Specify keyboard type (Ex. number pad, phone pad, URL, and so forth) ・Cache the history of text you save in each piece ・Use assist menu to enter text - UNDO(Maximum number of undos is 20) - Search / Replace - Clipboard - Paste text of Notes - Use function of model of piece - Paste text of data in Contacts - Insert Text - Convert piece to 'Select Text' type / Divide piece Select text ・Pick one out from all ・Select multiple text Input time automatically ・Now ・Add or reduce time you specified(Ex. 1hour later) ・Round time to the nearest minute interval you set (5, 10, or 15 minutes) ・Specify time (preset) ・Select time by using picker Input date automatically ・select date by using picker ・Add or reduce number of days you specified to date (you can shift the day before or later if the day calculated is the day of the week you specified) ・Add or reduce number of days without day of the week you specified to date ・Change whether elements of date, year, month, day, and day of the week, will be included in a message Location (Make URL of Maps) ・Use Location services ・Search the location by address or keyword ・Drop a Pin in Map ・Save a screenshot of Maps as an attachment Piece for the others --- Recipient ・SMS ・E-Mail Attachment (picture) ・Attach multiple pictures to email * SMS is not supported ※ All templates can share the piece which is saved as 'model'. So you don't need to make same pieces, for example signature, group of recipients, and greeting, for each template. Other Functions --- Notes ・Save text such as drafts and various information. Widgets ( Up to iOS13 ) URL scheme ・Launch this app from other apps. ( Please enter this " linewriter: " ) ・Select the template when launching Line-Writer by URL scheme. (Please copy URL scheme in the view of template setting) Copy text / Open In… Ways you can copy and export text is below. ・"Open In..." option ( Export .txt file ) ・Open Mail App ( Copy text to pasteboard ) ・Run text as URL Scheme ・Open LINE App * To use this function, please tap text part in Preview. * The function of exporting text file is only available in case that other app which supports text file is exist on your device. Please notes --- ※ HTML template is not supported. ※ The SMS sending feature is only available on the iPhone. ※ In case iOS takes the address you set to be invalid, you need to add the address to field of recipient after launching view of Email or SMS. ※ An single e-mail cannot be sent if the number of recipient you set is more than the recipient limit by cellphone company's spam policy that you can email at one time. ※ An Internet connection is required to display maps or to search the location by address. ※ You must enable Location Services on your device and give your permission to “Line-Writer” before it can use your location data. You can turn Location Services on or off at Settings > Privacy > Location Services. ※ Please check the information about precision or privacy of Location Services on Apple website https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT207056
Firstext
This app is a straightforward text editor designed for quick note-taking and text creation. It automatically saves your work and allows for easy sharing to other applications with customizable actions. Advanced features like search, replace, and character counting are also included.
- Instant text input on launch
- Automatic text saving and restoration
- Customizable text sharing actions
- Cursor movement by swiping
- Search and replace functionality
- Character and line counting
- Font size adjustment
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Firstext is a simple text editor application. I named it "First" + "Text" = "Firstext" with the aim of making it the "first step" in all kinds of text creation. Firstext has the following features. ・Start typing as soon as the application is launched. ・The text you type is automatically saved and can be restored at any time. ・Ability to freely share text to other apps by creating and adding share actions to suit your needs. There is no functionality for managing multiple texts or notes, decorating text, or inserting photos. *Before removing the limitation by in-app purchase, the number of shared actions is limited to 10, and the number of saved history is limited to 20. Please understand. After confirming the usability of the application, you can use it without restrictions by making an in-app purchase. Main functions and features ・Input text as soon as the application is launched. ・Automatic saving and restoration of text ・Ability to create and add shared actions. ・Ability to move the cursor by swiping left and right. ・Ability to search and replace text. ・Ability to search and delete history. ・Ability to count the number of characters and lines. ・Ability to change the font size of text. ・Ability to change icons. ・URL scheme support - Launch → firstext:// - Startup by replacing the current text with the clipboard contents → firstext://clipReplace - Starts by appending the clipboard contents to the end of the current text → firstext://clipAdd - Inserts the clipboard content at the cursor position of the current text → firstext://clipInsert - Starts with replacing the current text with the specified text → firstext://textReplace?text=[text] - Appends the specified text to the end of the current text → firstext://textAdd?text=[text] - Inserts the specified text at the cursor position of the current text → firstext://textInsert?text=[text] The following features will be added in future updates Synchronization of text, shared actions, and history with other devices via iCloud *I have confirmed an issue where an alert regarding pasting is displayed every time when using clipboard-related URL schemes on iOS 16 or later. This issue can be avoided by updating to iOS16.1 or later and making the following settings from the Settings app. (1) Select "Firstext" in the Settings app and select "Paste from Other Apps". (2) Change the setting to "Allow". *Notification about pasting will appear even after changing to "Allow". Due to the limitation of iOS, you cannot turn off this notification.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is price: Firstext at Free against Line's $4.99. Firstext also leads on update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 3 months). Line's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 4) and ads (none vs shown). On device support there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS
Firstext is free to download; Line costs $4.99 up front. Firstext sells 4 one-off in-app purchases. Line asks for nothing beyond the download.
Line ships an update every 3 months, Firstext every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on June 24, 2026 and September 16, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Line | Firstext |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $4.99 | Free — better |
| Positive reviews | 66.7% of reviews — better | 50.0% of reviews |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | Every 2 weeks — better |
| Ads | No — better | Yes |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | Paid | Free with in-app purchases — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod — better | iPhone |
| Requires iOS | 13.0 — better | 17.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 11 MB | 6 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | TAKESHI ONO | Akihiro Usui |
Customer experience
Line
Firstext
In-app purchases
Line
No in-app purchases
Firstext
- Snack-Sized Tip$0.49
- Restriction Removal$1.99
- Coffee-Sized Tip$1.99
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- Lunch-Sized Tip$3.99









