First, let’s get a brief look at the ten apps and then a recommendation of our favorites based on which operating system or device you use and on what you want to do with the app. Finally, we’ll name an overall best and a couple of runners-up.
1 – Bible by Life.church
Bible app from Life.church. LEFT: Highlight verses, share them and more. CENTER: Find predefined reading plans. RIGHT: Watch Bible related videos.
The most downloaded Bible on any device comes from You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now.. They own the website You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now. where users can do most of what they enjoy in their app right on the web, including downloading modern translations as well as other languages.
They also include a slew of Bible reading plans and users can share inspirational Bible verses online through social media in either text or as a visual meme. There is a social media feel to this app too since users can follow other Bible readers from within the app. Keep friends accountable by tracking their daily reading while you share your progress with others. You can search for Bible verses by topic or text and it includes highlighting, copying to other apps, adding bookmarks, and notes too. Watch Bible related videos within the app and your church can even use the website to create live worship service presentations that run inside the app.
Find links to your chosen platform on their You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now..
PLATFORMS: iPhone, iPad, Android, Kindle Fire, Online
2 – Bible.IS
When I wanted to listen to the Bible in the past, I used to pull out a sleeve with a dozen CDs of Max MacLean reading the Bible like a Shakespearean actor. Now I fire up the You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now. app and listen to the Bible reading inside the app.
The Bible.IS app does more than reading you the Bible. It functions like a simple Bible reading app. You can download multiple translations and search the Bible. Share your favorite verses online, bookmark or highlight them, and record notes. This all works on their You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now. and You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now..
PLATFORMS: iPhone, iPad, Android, Kindle Fire, Online
3 – Bible Gateway
You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now. is one of the best online sites for You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now. and also offers a You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now.. Bible Gateway is free but advertising supported, which knocks it down the lower end of the recommendation list. However, users of the website should definitely look at Bible Gateway for mobile Bible reading and simple study. They do offer subscriptions that remove ads.
Bible Gateway provides multiple modern and international language translations. While reading, you can create bookmarks for passages, highlight them, add notes, and share them with others using social networks or your phone, tablet or browser’s sharing features.
You can search the Bible, set up reading plans, and open other resources from the menu found by opening the menu button in the upper left corner. There’s also an audio Bible to listen to the scriptures. Users can listen to the Bible in NIV, CSB, and KJV to name a few.
The Dashboard is the main screen when you first launch the app and it shows a verse of the day, the audio Bible, and your reading plan links. Access other parts of the Bible app from the dashboard too.
Bible Gateway offers a subscription service called Bible Gateway Plus with a library of reference books for more advanced study. Also, this removes the ads in the app and on the website. The books come from the site’s owner, Harper Collins, who also owns Olive Tree Bible Software, although they don’t give access to Olive Tree books you might own. You get the following:
PLATFORMS: iPhone, iPad, Android, Kindle Fire, Online
4 – Bible Hub
The You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now. app is a favorite for many users. I’m not a huge fan of the user-interface, but it’s included in this list because they do have a great online Bible study website. The site’s users will want to get the free app, so they can use Bible Hub on the go. The app’s really just a wrapper for their website, so you’ll need an Internet connection to use it.
You can read multiple modern and older translations and it has Strong’s dictionaries, topical Bibles for studying a topic like grace, and some public domain commentaries like Barnes Notes, Matthew Henry, and Clarke.
I created the video below as part of a review of the 6 best online Bible study sites for You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now. a few years ago.
The reader view on the iPhone app will remove all the clutter and let you see just the basic text without distractions.
Bible Hub is free on all platforms including You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now. and You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now..
PLATFORMS: iPhone, iPad, Android, Online
5 – Blue Letter Bible
You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now. also takes their online site and brings it to your mobile device with a simple interface. Like the others, it lets users read the Bible in a few different translations. The app includes fewer modern translations than some of the other apps.
In addition to reading the Bible, users can add notes, bookmark verses, and highlight. It also adds a few languages study tools like an interlinear Bible with Greek and Hebrew texts displayed along with the English text.
Blue Letter Bible integrates an eBook reader, something few of the other apps have. You import your PDF files via iTunes, which can get complicated, but it’s there for users to take advantage of. The You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now. website includes some files in their You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now..
Check the BlueLetter Bible site for a link to get the You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now. or their You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now.. The Kindle Fire app is in the You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now..
PLATFORMS: iPhone, iPad, Android, Kindle Fire, Online
6 – eBible
You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now. marries a social network with Bible study, sort of like the Life.Church Bible app and website. In addition to the Bible study site, there’s also a Q&A section where users can post thoughts and answer other people’s questions. eBible has some modern translations, but not as many as others. A subscription also adds other study tools. The subscription offers commentaries, dictionaries, and Strong’s dictionaries for only $24. The books are public domain works, so I can’t recommend paying for the subscription, since you can get the same for free elsewhere.
The mobile app is nicely laid out and easy to use. Sign in to sync with the website so you can access all of your reading plans, bookmarks, notes and highlights. Here’s the You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now.. They don’t offer apps for Kindle Fire or Android.
PLATFORMS: iPhone, iPad, Online
7 – e-Sword
One of the oldest and best tools for studying the Bible comes from You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now.. It’s free on a PC, but users can add ρrémíùm add-ons. They also offer versions for other platforms:
The above video shows off the e-Sword X user interface on the Mac. The app’s been updated since I created the video for a You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now., but this gives you a good idea of what it can do on Mac. The iPad and iPhone version looks similar, but are more compact for mobile screens.
You can read, search, and highlight the Bible and e-Sword has a great notes editor on the Mac and PC that you can sync with the iPhone and iPad too.
PLATFORMS: iPhone, iPad, Android, Kindle Fire, PC and Mac via Website
8 – Just1Word Bible
You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now. offers one of the most attractive of the Bible apps in this roundup. The You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now. and app has a subscription service that costs $.99/week that lets you download any of their Bibles including a decent collection of modern translations, but again, not as many as the more complete options from other apps.
If you don’t want to subscribe, you can buy individual Bibles for as little as $.99 (KJV, ASV) or as much as $6.99 (ESV, NIRV). You can also listen to the Bible, take notes, highlight, and bookmark verses.
The app offers a split screen mode, but strangely requires the reader to rotate their phone to landscape mode or it won’t turn on in the app. That’s a strange requirement since many other apps work in portrait mode, the more natural way to hold a phone.
PLATFORMS: iPhone, iPad, Android, Kindle Fire, PC (both Windows Store and web) and Mac via Website
9 – Laridian PocketBible
The most advanced of these apps come from You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now., which helped pioneer mobile Bible study with apps for Palm and Pocket PC devices a long time ago. Then when the iPhone and iPad came out, they jumped on the bandwagon and made one of the best iOS apps before many others. It’s improved over time. Now they offer apps for both the PC and Mac.
Laridian has some free content, but you will need pay for more advanced tools and modern translations or reference books. They offer competitive prices on Bibles, commentaries, dictionaries, lexicons and more. The free app often gets free updates.
I love that PocketBible lets the user display more than just two window panes and to customize the user interface better than most of the apps in this round-up. On a large screen, you can have a bunch of them open at once. On a phone, more than two might be too much. But while using my 12.9-inch iPad Pro, I like to open up four windows and show a couple of translations and a commentary with a dictionary all at once.
The app has a great user-interface that’s both simple and works well. The toolbar across the bottom of the mobile phone app has everything you need. There’s also a nice feature that grabs all your library info about a passage and presents it in an easy-to-find way to save you time. This feature costs extra. Laridian offers an advanced feature set that will cost $9.99/year for each platform or You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now. that includes all the platforms. That’a much better deal if you’re going to use two or more platforms.
PocketBible handles all the basics well like reading, searching, bookmarks, highlights, and notes. Sync those with other platforms to keep them ready to use on your phone, tablet or computer.
PocketBible doesn’t come in the Amazon Kindle Fire app store, so you’ll need to download the file to install it as a “side-loaded” app. That means you manually install it. The video below shows how to do this or go to their You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now..
Laridian also has a book creation tool. Book Builder ($19.99) or Book Builder Pro ($49.99) helps you make books for your own use. Find links to each version at the You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now..
PLATFORMS: iPhone, iPad, Android, Kindle Fire (You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now.), PC and Mac apps.
10 – Sword Project Bible Apps
There’s an open source Bible study platform called the You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now. and multiple apps support books of this format. You can find mostly public domain books, but there are a few modern translations. Get Sword Project books from the You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now.. If you’re daring enough and have the skill, you can You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now..
Some of the best You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now. for each platform include the following:
PLATFORMS: iPhone, iPad, Android, Kindle Fire, PC and Mac via Website
Best Bible Study App Based On Use
Which of these Bible apps should you use? We’ve got recommendations based on your usage. We’ll name our first choice and a runner-up in each category. First here’s our list of apps based on platform:
1 – Bible by Life.church
Bible app from Life.church. LEFT: Highlight verses, share them and more. CENTER: Find predefined reading plans. RIGHT: Watch Bible related videos.
The most downloaded Bible on any device comes from You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now.. They own the website You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now. where users can do most of what they enjoy in their app right on the web, including downloading modern translations as well as other languages.
They also include a slew of Bible reading plans and users can share inspirational Bible verses online through social media in either text or as a visual meme. There is a social media feel to this app too since users can follow other Bible readers from within the app. Keep friends accountable by tracking their daily reading while you share your progress with others. You can search for Bible verses by topic or text and it includes highlighting, copying to other apps, adding bookmarks, and notes too. Watch Bible related videos within the app and your church can even use the website to create live worship service presentations that run inside the app.
Find links to your chosen platform on their You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now..
PLATFORMS: iPhone, iPad, Android, Kindle Fire, Online
2 – Bible.IS
When I wanted to listen to the Bible in the past, I used to pull out a sleeve with a dozen CDs of Max MacLean reading the Bible like a Shakespearean actor. Now I fire up the You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now. app and listen to the Bible reading inside the app.
The Bible.IS app does more than reading you the Bible. It functions like a simple Bible reading app. You can download multiple translations and search the Bible. Share your favorite verses online, bookmark or highlight them, and record notes. This all works on their You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now. and You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now..
PLATFORMS: iPhone, iPad, Android, Kindle Fire, Online
3 – Bible Gateway
You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now. is one of the best online sites for You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now. and also offers a You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now.. Bible Gateway is free but advertising supported, which knocks it down the lower end of the recommendation list. However, users of the website should definitely look at Bible Gateway for mobile Bible reading and simple study. They do offer subscriptions that remove ads.
Bible Gateway provides multiple modern and international language translations. While reading, you can create bookmarks for passages, highlight them, add notes, and share them with others using social networks or your phone, tablet or browser’s sharing features.
You can search the Bible, set up reading plans, and open other resources from the menu found by opening the menu button in the upper left corner. There’s also an audio Bible to listen to the scriptures. Users can listen to the Bible in NIV, CSB, and KJV to name a few.
The Dashboard is the main screen when you first launch the app and it shows a verse of the day, the audio Bible, and your reading plan links. Access other parts of the Bible app from the dashboard too.
Bible Gateway offers a subscription service called Bible Gateway Plus with a library of reference books for more advanced study. Also, this removes the ads in the app and on the website. The books come from the site’s owner, Harper Collins, who also owns Olive Tree Bible Software, although they don’t give access to Olive Tree books you might own. You get the following:
- NIV Cultural Backgrounds Study Bible
- NIV Study Bible Notes
- NIV Quest Study Bible Notes
- Mounce’s Complete Expository Dictionary (advanced language study of Greek and Hebrew meanings)
- Zondervan Illustrated Bible Dictionary
- New International Dictionary of New Testament Theology
PLATFORMS: iPhone, iPad, Android, Kindle Fire, Online
4 – Bible Hub
The You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now. app is a favorite for many users. I’m not a huge fan of the user-interface, but it’s included in this list because they do have a great online Bible study website. The site’s users will want to get the free app, so they can use Bible Hub on the go. The app’s really just a wrapper for their website, so you’ll need an Internet connection to use it.
You can read multiple modern and older translations and it has Strong’s dictionaries, topical Bibles for studying a topic like grace, and some public domain commentaries like Barnes Notes, Matthew Henry, and Clarke.
I created the video below as part of a review of the 6 best online Bible study sites for You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now. a few years ago.
The reader view on the iPhone app will remove all the clutter and let you see just the basic text without distractions.
Bible Hub is free on all platforms including You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now. and You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now..
PLATFORMS: iPhone, iPad, Android, Online
5 – Blue Letter Bible
You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now. also takes their online site and brings it to your mobile device with a simple interface. Like the others, it lets users read the Bible in a few different translations. The app includes fewer modern translations than some of the other apps.
In addition to reading the Bible, users can add notes, bookmark verses, and highlight. It also adds a few languages study tools like an interlinear Bible with Greek and Hebrew texts displayed along with the English text.
Blue Letter Bible integrates an eBook reader, something few of the other apps have. You import your PDF files via iTunes, which can get complicated, but it’s there for users to take advantage of. The You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now. website includes some files in their You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now..
Check the BlueLetter Bible site for a link to get the You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now. or their You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now.. The Kindle Fire app is in the You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now..
PLATFORMS: iPhone, iPad, Android, Kindle Fire, Online
6 – eBible
You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now. marries a social network with Bible study, sort of like the Life.Church Bible app and website. In addition to the Bible study site, there’s also a Q&A section where users can post thoughts and answer other people’s questions. eBible has some modern translations, but not as many as others. A subscription also adds other study tools. The subscription offers commentaries, dictionaries, and Strong’s dictionaries for only $24. The books are public domain works, so I can’t recommend paying for the subscription, since you can get the same for free elsewhere.
The mobile app is nicely laid out and easy to use. Sign in to sync with the website so you can access all of your reading plans, bookmarks, notes and highlights. Here’s the You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now.. They don’t offer apps for Kindle Fire or Android.
PLATFORMS: iPhone, iPad, Online
7 – e-Sword
One of the oldest and best tools for studying the Bible comes from You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now.. It’s free on a PC, but users can add ρrémíùm add-ons. They also offer versions for other platforms:
- e-Sword X – You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now.
- e-Sword HD – You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now.
- e-Sword LT – You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now.
The above video shows off the e-Sword X user interface on the Mac. The app’s been updated since I created the video for a You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now., but this gives you a good idea of what it can do on Mac. The iPad and iPhone version looks similar, but are more compact for mobile screens.
You can read, search, and highlight the Bible and e-Sword has a great notes editor on the Mac and PC that you can sync with the iPhone and iPad too.
PLATFORMS: iPhone, iPad, Android, Kindle Fire, PC and Mac via Website
8 – Just1Word Bible
You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now. offers one of the most attractive of the Bible apps in this roundup. The You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now. and app has a subscription service that costs $.99/week that lets you download any of their Bibles including a decent collection of modern translations, but again, not as many as the more complete options from other apps.
If you don’t want to subscribe, you can buy individual Bibles for as little as $.99 (KJV, ASV) or as much as $6.99 (ESV, NIRV). You can also listen to the Bible, take notes, highlight, and bookmark verses.
The app offers a split screen mode, but strangely requires the reader to rotate their phone to landscape mode or it won’t turn on in the app. That’s a strange requirement since many other apps work in portrait mode, the more natural way to hold a phone.
PLATFORMS: iPhone, iPad, Android, Kindle Fire, PC (both Windows Store and web) and Mac via Website
9 – Laridian PocketBible
The most advanced of these apps come from You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now., which helped pioneer mobile Bible study with apps for Palm and Pocket PC devices a long time ago. Then when the iPhone and iPad came out, they jumped on the bandwagon and made one of the best iOS apps before many others. It’s improved over time. Now they offer apps for both the PC and Mac.
Laridian has some free content, but you will need pay for more advanced tools and modern translations or reference books. They offer competitive prices on Bibles, commentaries, dictionaries, lexicons and more. The free app often gets free updates.
I love that PocketBible lets the user display more than just two window panes and to customize the user interface better than most of the apps in this round-up. On a large screen, you can have a bunch of them open at once. On a phone, more than two might be too much. But while using my 12.9-inch iPad Pro, I like to open up four windows and show a couple of translations and a commentary with a dictionary all at once.
The app has a great user-interface that’s both simple and works well. The toolbar across the bottom of the mobile phone app has everything you need. There’s also a nice feature that grabs all your library info about a passage and presents it in an easy-to-find way to save you time. This feature costs extra. Laridian offers an advanced feature set that will cost $9.99/year for each platform or You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now. that includes all the platforms. That’a much better deal if you’re going to use two or more platforms.
PocketBible handles all the basics well like reading, searching, bookmarks, highlights, and notes. Sync those with other platforms to keep them ready to use on your phone, tablet or computer.
PocketBible doesn’t come in the Amazon Kindle Fire app store, so you’ll need to download the file to install it as a “side-loaded” app. That means you manually install it. The video below shows how to do this or go to their You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now..
Laridian also has a book creation tool. Book Builder ($19.99) or Book Builder Pro ($49.99) helps you make books for your own use. Find links to each version at the You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now..
PLATFORMS: iPhone, iPad, Android, Kindle Fire (You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now.), PC and Mac apps.
10 – Sword Project Bible Apps
There’s an open source Bible study platform called the You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now. and multiple apps support books of this format. You can find mostly public domain books, but there are a few modern translations. Get Sword Project books from the You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now.. If you’re daring enough and have the skill, you can You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now..
Some of the best You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now. for each platform include the following:
- Linux – Xiphos (also runs on Windows)
- BibleTime – Linux
- Eloquent – Mac
- Sword Project for Windows – Windows
- PocketSword – iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch
- MySword – Android
- SWORDWeb – Online
PLATFORMS: iPhone, iPad, Android, Kindle Fire, PC and Mac via Website
Best Bible Study App Based On Use
Which of these Bible apps should you use? We’ve got recommendations based on your usage. We’ll name our first choice and a runner-up in each category. First here’s our list of apps based on platform:
- MySword Bible – Android App
- Laridian PocketBible – iPhone, iPad and Mac Apps
- Kindle Fire App – Bible Gateway
- e-Sword – Windows PC App
- Bible Time – Linux App
- Bible Gateway – Online Browser App
- Life.church Bible – Daily Bible Reading
- Bible.IS – Audio Bible Listening
- Laridian PocketBible – Advanced Bible Study
- Life.church Bible – Sharing to Social Networks
- Laridian PocketBible – Multi-platform Usage
