A First Then app alternative: First Then Visual Schedule and GentleTime compared

First Then Visual Schedule and GentleTime at a glance

The facts about First Then Visual Schedule HD (by Good Karma Applications) below come from its website and US App Store listing, checked on 30 September 2026. Check the current details yourself before you decide.

Where First Then Visual Schedule is strong

First Then Visual Schedule has a lot going for it, especially in a classroom or at home on an iPad.

• A low, one-time price. You pay once, with no subscription.
• A very large symbol set. More than 10,000 Smarty Ears symbols, plus your own photos, the camera and an internet image search.
• Five view modes. Including a first-then board, a checklist, choice boards and video modeling.
• Printing. You can print schedules from the app, which is handy for a classroom wall or a take-home copy.
• Sync and sharing on Apple devices. Backups and sync via iCloud or Dropbox, and Family Sharing for up to 6 people.

If you work with an iPad and want a first-then board, choice boards and printouts in one inexpensive app, it is a practical choice.

Where GentleTime is different

GentleTime is built for a caregiver who plans a whole day, and a person who follows it wherever they are.

• On the wrist. On an Apple Watch or Wear OS watch the person sees a picture of what is happening now, a countdown and what comes next. A gentle vibration marks each transition, with an optional heads-up before the change. It keeps working offline on the watch after syncing.
• Follow without reading. A picture and a countdown carry the message, so someone who cannot read yet can follow along.
• Beyond Apple. Besides Apple Watch it works on Wear OS, and the web app runs in the browser, so Android phones, tablets and computers can use it too.
• Step by step, like a first-then board. Per person you choose the structure: step by step (the next step starts when the current one is done, so there is no "late"), by the clock, by parts of the day, or as a checklist. Step by step works much like a first-then board on the wrist: now this, then that.
• A team with roles. Parents, a school and a care team can all plan the same person's day, from different places.
• Pictograms in 5 languages. About 3,000 Mulberry Symbols with names in English, Dutch, German, French and Spanish, plus your own pictures.
• A free printable maker. Make a paper first-then strip or a full day schedule in the free visual schedule maker, no account needed.

Which one fits you?

• You teach with an iPad and want a first-then board, choice boards and printouts. First Then Visual Schedule may fit better, at a low one-time price.
• You need the largest possible symbol library. First Then has more than 10,000 symbols; GentleTime has about 3,000 Mulberry Symbols plus your own pictures.
• Your family uses Android. We did not find an Android or web version of First Then. GentleTime works on Wear OS and in the browser.
• The person needs the schedule outside home or class. A watch goes along to the playground, the car or a day out. See our smartwatch visual schedule guide.
• Several people plan the day. For example parents at home and staff at school or day care. GentleTime has shared planning with several caregivers.
• You plan in Dutch, German, French or Spanish. First Then is in English; GentleTime has pictogram names in five languages.

Using both

A first-then board is a simple, widely used idea, and it works on paper, on a tablet or on a watch. Some teachers keep a tablet app for choice boards and video modeling in class, while the child follows the rest of the day on a watch. For more on first-then boards and warnings before a change, see our guide to transitions between activities and how to make a visual schedule.

Frequently asked questions

Is there a First Then app for Android?

On 30 September 2026 we found First Then Visual Schedule for iPhone, iPad, Mac and Vision Pro, but no Android version. GentleTime works on Wear OS watches, and the person can also follow the day in the browser, including on an Android phone or tablet.

Does First Then work on Apple Watch?

The App Store listing does not include an Apple Watch app. GentleTime works on Apple Watch and Wear OS.

How much does First Then Visual Schedule cost?

The HD version is $14.99 as a one-time purchase in the US App Store (30 September 2026). A separate iPhone version is also listed; we could not confirm its current price on the store page. GentleTime costs €7.99 a month for Single and €14.99 a month for Family; see pricing.

Can I make a first-then board in GentleTime?

GentleTime's step-by-step structure shows what is happening now and what comes next on the watch, which works much like a first-then board on the wrist. For a paper first-then board, use the free maker.