# Echelon vs First Derivative

The clearest difference is iOS requirement: First Derivative at 16.0 against Echelon's 26.1. On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Echelon sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $0.29 per 7 days and First Derivative sells 9 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Echelon ships an update fortnightly, First Derivative every 2 weeks. Both last shipped on October 25, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Echelon | First Derivative |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Fortnightly | **Every 2 weeks** |
| Monetization | — | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 33 MB | 72 MB |
| Requires iOS | 26.1 | **16.0** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 17+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Huseyin Umut Kazan](https://appshunter.io/developer/1803193641) | [Edvard Bjarnason](https://appshunter.io/developer/1540586411) |

## What reviewers say

### Echelon

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/echelon-foreign-affairs/id6757264385)

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

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Echelon Pro Weekly | $0.29 | per 7 days |
| Echelon Pro Monthly | $0.99 | per month |


### First Derivative

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/first-derivative/id6758227291)

This app analyzes global events and situations across geopolitics, markets, and risk. It models over 2,000 events daily from 100,000 articles to provide structured, forward-looking analysis with probable outcomes. Designed for decision-makers seeking context over noise.

**Highlights:** Daily event modeling from 100,000 articles, Structured analysis of situations, Forward-looking scenarios with probabilities, System dynamics modeling, Global risk radar, 14-day free trial

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

**In-app purchases (9)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Ad-Free | $1.99 | per month |
| Analytics | $4.99 | per month |
| Ad-free + Analytics | $4.99 | per month |
| Ad-free | $19.99 | per year |
| Analytics | $49.99 | per year |
| Ad-free + Analytics | $49.99 | per year |
| Credits 20 | $9.99 | one-time |
| Credits 50 | $19.99 | one-time |
| Credits 100 | $34.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Echelon free?

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

### Is First Derivative free?

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

### Do Echelon or First Derivative have ads?

Neither Echelon nor First Derivative shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Echelon or First Derivative?

Echelon ships an update fortnightly, and First Derivative every 2 weeks. Most recently, Echelon was updated on October 25, 2026 and First Derivative on October 25, 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.*