# First Community CU (MO) vs Essence Flex Spend

The clearest difference is review sentiment: First Community CU (MO) at 55% against Essence Flex Spend's 8%. First Community CU (MO) also leads on rating (4.8 vs 1.9) and ratings volume (24K vs 21). Essence Flex Spend's advantage is ads (none vs shown). On price, update cadence, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

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

First Community CU (MO) holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 1.9. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: First Community CU (MO) has 24K ratings behind it against 21, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 55% of First Community CU (MO)'s written reviews are positive against 8% of Essence Flex Spend's.

First Community CU (MO) ships an update every 3 months, Essence Flex Spend every 4 months. The most recent releases landed on September 24, 2026 and September 21, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | First Community CU (MO) | Essence Flex Spend |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (24K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/first-community-cu-mo/id670970004/reviews)** | [1.9 (21 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/essence-flex-spend/id6479701344/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **24K** | 21 |
| Positive reviews | **55.4% of reviews** | 7.7% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 months** | Every 4 months |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 110 MB | 29 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | 17.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [FIRST COMMUNITY CREDIT UNION INC](https://appshunter.io/developer/670970007) | [Essence Healthcare, Inc](https://appshunter.io/developer/1736959493) |

## What reviewers say

### First Community CU (MO)

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/first-community-cu-mo/id670970004)

Manage your finances on the go with this mobile banking app. Access account balances, transfer funds, deposit checks remotely, and pay bills. Find nearby branches and ATMs, and view current rates. Your banking sessions are secured with SSL encryption.

**Highlights:** View account balances and transaction history, Transfer funds between accounts, Deposit checks remotely, Schedule and pay bills, Find branch and ATM locations, View deposit and loan rates

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to use
- 🚀 Convenient access to accounts
- 🔒 Secure banking
- 💡 Helpful features like notes for transfers

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent app crashes and stability issues
- 🐛 Balance and transaction display problems
- 🐛 Unreliable mobile check deposit
- 🐛 Slow processing of transactions and transfers
- 🤔 Unnecessary changes to UI and features

**Reported bugs**

- Login issues with incorrect password errors
- Notification badges that don't clear
- Crashes when trying to access certain features

**Requested features**

- Dark mode option
- Ability to nickname accounts
- Instant transaction notifications
- Card controls (lock/unlock)
- Longer history of transactions and statements


### Essence Flex Spend

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/essence-flex-spend/id6479701344)

Manage your Flex Card on the go with this secure mobile app. Check balances, scan product barcodes for eligibility, and view account summaries. Retrieve forgotten credentials and report lost or stolen cards.

**Highlights:** Secure card management, Check available balances, Scan product barcodes for eligibility, View account summaries, Retrieve forgotten credentials, Report lost/stolen cards, Set notification preferences

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is First Community CU (MO) free?

First Community CU (MO) is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Essence Flex Spend free?

Essence Flex Spend is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, First Community CU (MO) or Essence Flex Spend?

First Community CU (MO) is rated higher. First Community CU (MO) averages 4.8 out of 5 from 24K ratings, while Essence Flex Spend averages 1.9 from 21 ratings.

### Do First Community CU (MO) or Essence Flex Spend have ads?

First Community CU (MO) shows ads; Essence Flex Spend does not.

### Which is updated more often, First Community CU (MO) or Essence Flex Spend?

First Community CU (MO) ships an update every 3 months, and Essence Flex Spend every 4 months. Most recently, First Community CU (MO) was updated on September 24, 2026 and Essence Flex Spend on September 21, 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.*