# NewsFirst vs Zephyr

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: NewsFirst at none against Zephyr's 3. NewsFirst also leads on update cadence (every 4 days vs fortnightly) and device support (3 vs 1). On price and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Zephyr sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month. NewsFirst asks for nothing beyond the download.

NewsFirst ships an update every 4 days, Zephyr fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on October 25, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | NewsFirst | Zephyr |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | — | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/zephyr-rss-reader/id6756065855/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | — | **1** |
| Positive reviews | — | 100.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 4 days** | Fortnightly |
| Monetization | — | Freemium |
| Size | 31 MB | 6 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.1** | 18.6 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Stewart Innovation](https://appshunter.io/developer/1856876664) | [Evolve Rocks Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/1858247703) |

## What reviewers say

### NewsFirst

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/newsfirst/id6755879776)

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


### Zephyr

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/zephyr-rss-reader/id6756065855)

Organize your favorite news, blogs, and updates into streamlined feeds. Enjoy an ad-free, distraction-free reading experience with smart syncing for offline access. Unlock unlimited feed sources with a subscription.

**Highlights:** Curated news and blog feeds, Ad-free reading experience, No tracking or distractions, Smart syncing for offline access, Unlimited feed sources with subscription

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

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly Subscription | $3.99 | per month |
| Yearly Subscription | $39.99 | per year |
| Perpetual License | $54.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is NewsFirst free?

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

### Is Zephyr free?

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

### Do NewsFirst or Zephyr have ads?

Neither NewsFirst nor Zephyr shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, NewsFirst or Zephyr?

NewsFirst ships an update every 4 days, and Zephyr fortnightly. Most recently, NewsFirst was updated on October 25, 2026 and Zephyr on October 24, 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.*