Morning, Midday & Evening Gates
Guard the moments you scroll most. Each Gate has its own start time and its own minutes, and every Gate releases at midnight.
- 🌅 6:30 AM · 10 min
- 🥪 12:30 PM · 5 min
- 🌙 9:00 PM · 5 min
Bible App Blocker for iPhone
Give God the first minutes of your day. Not your feed.
FirstThing rests Instagram, TikTok and the apps that steal your mornings — until you've spent a few minutes in Scripture. Then they open for the rest of the day.
- 3 days free, then $39.99/yr
- No ads · No commentary
- Data stays on your iPhone
Sound familiar?
“I grab my phone first thing in the morning — and the Bible waits.”
“I tell myself I'll read later. Later never comes.”
“I start strong, then fall off after a week.”
It isn't a willpower problem. It's a default problem. FirstThing changes the default.
The honest math
Where do your hours go?
Move the slider to your daily screen time (Settings › Screen Time shows your average).
76full days on your phone, every year
That time could read the whole Bible 24× a year.
You don't have to quit your phone. You just have to put God first.
How it works
A gentle gate. Every morning.
-
01
Set your Morning Gate
Pick the time your day starts — not 3 AM, your morning — and the apps that pull you in.
-
02
Tap Instagram. Read first.
Your apps show a quiet “Word first.” screen. One tap takes you straight to today's reading.
-
03
Only real reading counts
The timer pauses if you leave the app, lock your phone or stop scrolling. Your progress is saved.
-
04
Apps open. Streak grows.
Finish your minutes and everything unlocks instantly for the rest of the day.
Built for the way you actually scroll
Everything you need. Nothing you don't.
No shortcuts
Leave the app or lock your phone and the clock stops. Idle for a while? “Still reading?”
A path that never repeats
Start with John, the Four Gospels, Psalms & Proverbs, the New Testament or the whole Bible in order. Always picks up where you left off.
Your own paper Bible
Love your NIV, ESV or NLT? Read it on paper while FirstThing keeps time with the screen awake.
Emergency pass
Need maps or a ride? Hold for 3 seconds to open apps for 15 minutes — once a day.
Highlights, search & widgets
Highlight in four colors, search the whole Bible offline, and keep your streak and verse of the day on your Lock Screen.
Private by design
Apple's Screen Time keeps app usage on your iPhone — we can't see what you do in apps. Your streaks, highlights and history never leave your phone. No analytics, no ads, no account required.
Just Scripture
Six trusted Bibles. Fully offline.
No AI devotionals. No commentary. No spin. Just the Word, beautifully set in a serif made for long reading.
- BSB Berean Standard Bible Modern & clear — great if you usually read NIV or ESV
- KJV King James Version
- WEB World English Bible
- ASV American Standard Version
- DRC Douay-Rheims Catholic, all 73 books
- RV Reina-Valera 1909 Español
Honest by design
No “donations.” No surprises.
What we'll never do
- Call a subscription a “donation”
- Charge you before your trial ends
- Bill you outside the App Store
- Show ads or sell your data
- Hold your phone hostage
What we do instead
- One clear price, shown before you start
- A reminder the day before you're charged
- Cancel in Settings in two taps — refunds via Apple
- Everything stays on your iPhone
- A one-tap switch to turn blocking off
Pricing
One plan. Everything included.
Try every feature free for 3 days. Keep going for less than the cost of one coffee a month.
ANNUAL
$39.99/year
Just $0.11 a day · 3 days free
- 🔓TodayFull access. Your first Gate starts now.
- 🔔Day 2We remind you that your trial ends tomorrow.
- ☀️Day 3Membership starts at $39.99/year. Cancel before and you pay nothing.
Billed through your Apple ID. Renews yearly unless cancelled at least 24 hours before the end of the period.
FAQ
Questions, answered.
How does FirstThing block apps?
FirstThing uses Apple's Screen Time frameworks (Family Controls). You pick the apps; at your Gate time they show a “Word first.” screen until you've read for the minutes you chose. Then they unlock for the rest of the day.
Can I read the NIV, ESV or NLT?
Those translations are copyrighted and can't be included offline. FirstThing includes six public-domain Bibles — the Berean Standard Bible reads much like NIV/ESV. Prefer your own? Turn on “My own paper Bible” and read any translation on paper while FirstThing keeps time.
Can I just open the app and wait?
No. The timer counts only while FirstThing is open and you're actively reading. It pauses if you leave, lock your phone, or don't scroll for a few minutes.
What if I need an app urgently?
Hold the Emergency pass for 3 seconds to open your apps for 15 minutes, once a day. Phone, Messages and Maps can stay open all the time — you choose what rests.
How do I turn it off or delete it?
Open FirstThing › You and turn off “Rest apps until I read” — every app opens immediately. You can remove Screen Time access in Settings › Screen Time, and delete the app like any other.
What can you see about me?
Nothing that leaves your phone. Apple gives FirstThing private tokens, so we can't see which apps you use or what you do in them. Your streaks, history and highlights are stored only on your iPhone.
How do cancelling and refunds work?
Your membership is a standard App Store subscription. Cancel anytime in Settings › [your name] › Subscriptions. Refunds are handled by Apple at reportaproblem.apple.com.
Is there an Android version?
Not yet. FirstThing is built on Apple's Screen Time technology and requires an iPhone with iOS 17 or later.
Start tomorrow in the Word.
“But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added unto you.”Matthew 6:33 (BSB)
Launching soon. Email us to get notified →