# ESV Bible — Read, Listen, Study, Reflect

> A Bible app for reading, listening, studying, and reflecting on scripture. (iPhone/iPad app by Crossway.)

- Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/esv-bible/id361797273 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`)
- Developer: [Crossway](https://appshunter.io/developer/361797276)
- Category: Reference, Books
- Price: Free with in-app purchases
- Rating: 4.70/5 from 9,891 App Store ratings · 671 written reviews indexed
- Age rating: 4+
- Requires: iOS 16.0 · 34 MB
- Languages: American English
- Released: 2010-03-16
- Data updated: 2026-08-29
- Monetization: free with in-app purchases
- User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/esv-bible/id361797273/reviews.md

## What is ESV Bible?

The ESV Bible app allows you to easily read, study, and engage with God’s Word wherever you go, making it the best possible Bible reading experience for your phone or tablet.

Listen to Scripture with audio Bibles and meditate on God’s Word with instrumental background music. Customize your experience with a wide variety of reading plans and thematic playlist options, helping you make daily Bible reading a habit every day.

READ THE BIBLE WHEREVER YOU GO
• Toggle display options to a streamlined, distraction-free reader's mode
• Search tools allow you to quickly search the Bible by reference, keyword, or phrase
• Quick access to cross-references

LISTEN AND MEDITATE
• Listen to the Bible read aloud by acclaimed Christian artists, pastors, and Bible teachers
• Voices include Kristyn Getty, Ray Ortlund, Jackie Hill Perry, Michael Reeves, and more
• Instrumental background music to help you meditate as you listen
• A diverse selection of musical styles, artists, and genres
• Individual volume controls allow you to adjust the music and Bible audio separately

MAKE A HABIT OF BIBLE READING
• Choose from over 50 Bible reading plans
• One-year, devotional, and topical plans offer a wide variety of options to fit your lifestyle and reading goals

DIVE DEEPER INTO GOD’S WORD
• Access the ESV Global Study Bible for free
• Subscribe to unlock a full library of study resources, including the ESV Study Bible, ESV Archaeology Study Bible, Preaching the Word commentary series, ESV Expository Commentary series, and more

ENGAGE WITH SCRIPTURE
• Record your personal reflections using the easy-to-use notes feature
• Highlight and bookmark favorite portions of Scripture 
• All content saved via a free account is synced with ESV.org—giving you access to personal notes, bookmarks, and highlights from any device
• Adjust dozens of layout and text settings including font size, red letter, background color, and more

UNLOCK PREMIUM FEATURES 
• Access to the full range of study Bibles, commentaries, and playlists available online and in the app
• Over 50 playlists compile thematic verses to guide you through a particular mood, topic, or season

Deepen your time in God’s Word with customizable study and audio features available with the ESV Bible app. Download for free today!

EULA: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

## Key features

- Distraction-free reader's mode
- Search by reference, keyword, or phrase
- Audio Bibles with instrumental music
- Over 50 Bible reading plans
- Free ESV Global Study Bible access
- Notes, highlighting, and bookmarking
- Sync content with ESV.org

## Pricing and in-app purchases

Base price: Free.

**Subscriptions**

| Subscription | Price | Period |
| --- | --- | --- |
| ESV Bible App Subscription | $3.99 | per month |
| ESV Bible App Subscription | $39.99 | per year |


## Chart rankings

- #156 in Top Free · Reference (US App Store)
- #94 in Top Grossing · Reference (US App Store)

## What do users think of ESV Bible?

Overall sentiment: positive

**Pros**

- 🚀 Smooth functionality
- 👍 Elegant, minimal design
- 👍 Uncluttered reading experience
- 👍 Variety of narrators and audio options
- 👍 Useful study resources and commentary
- 👍 Convenient for on-the-go Bible reading

**Cons**

- 🐛 Glitchy highlighting and note-taking
- 🐛 Inconsistent reading plan tracking
- 🐛 Audio playback issues
- 🔒 Concerns about data collection
- 💰 Subscription model for full access

**Commonly reported bugs**

- Crashing and freezing issues
- Verses missing from the text
- Incorrect chapter/verse navigation
- Disappearing highlights and notes

**Most requested features**

- Ability to customize font size and style
- Offline audio download option
- Improved navigation between books and chapters
- Verse-level highlighting and note-taking
- Syncing of bookmarks and notes across devices
- Verse of the day widget or notification

## Recent user reviews (10 of 671)

All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/esv-bible/id361797273/reviews.md

### 5/5 — Great Bible App

*2026-08-13, version 5.1.15*

Love the UI, narration & music.

### 5/5 — Great app

*2026-08-12, version 5.1.15*

Such an incredible app. I use it all the time and would recommend it to anyone looking to have constant access to God’s Holy Word.

### 5/5 — Very good

*2026-07-30, version 5.1.15*

God is good

### 5/5 — Undistracted and deep

*2026-07-29, version 5.1.15*

This bible app has a great smooth and focused reading experience with no distractions, and I love being able to highlight and note things as well as the references to other scriptures and the library resources. I am so thankful for this app.

### 1/5 — No way to cancel subscription

*2026-07-28, version 5.1.15*

Will not allow me to cancel
The subscription

### 1/5 — Keeps losing its place…

*2026-07-23, version 5.1.15*

Every time you listen the audio moves on but the text doesn’t always follow. 
When you stop and restart the audio returns to where the text was originally and mot the updated location. 
It’s annoying and prevents reliable use of the app. 
As someone who uses this function for …several hours… every day… this problem is the central reason for using Logos and Audible instead.

### 3/5 — Pretty good app, but...

*2026-07-21, version 5.1.15*

I’ve had this app several years and like it for the most part. When I first got it, the phone could be turned horizontal and the print would be larger which is great for those with vision impairment, especially when airplayed on our large screen TV.
But after one of the updates it will only stay in vertical mode and it is much harder to see.

### 5/5 — ESV Bible

*2026-07-20, version 5.1.15*

This Bible is so inspiring to me and I has really helped me to learn more about Christ and all the miracles that he has done

### 1/5 — Won’t let me log in

*2026-07-20, version 5.1.15*

I’ve tried to log in with my email but it always says there’s an error with my email please try again

### 4/5 — Please bring Apple CarPlay

*2026-07-20, version 5.1.15*

Please bring Apple CarPlay

## Frequently asked questions about ESV Bible

### What does the ESV Bible app do?

The ESV Bible app allows users to read, listen to, and study the Bible. It offers features like a distraction-free reader, search capabilities, audio Bibles with background music, and various reading plans to help users engage with scripture.

### What are the key features of the ESV Bible app?

Key features include a streamlined reader's mode, powerful search tools, audio Bibles read by acclaimed artists, over 50 customizable reading plans, the free ESV Global Study Bible, and tools for taking notes, highlighting, and bookmarking scripture. Content can be synced with ESV.org.

### How much does the ESV Bible app cost?

The ESV Bible app is free to download and offers free access to the ESV Global Study Bible. Users can choose to subscribe to unlock a full library of premium study resources, commentaries, and thematic playlists.

### What devices is the ESV Bible app compatible with?

The app is designed for phones and tablets, indicating compatibility with both iOS and Android operating systems. Users can access their saved content and notes from any device by syncing with their free ESV.org account.

### What are common use cases for the ESV Bible app?

Common use cases include daily Bible reading, in-depth study of scripture, listening to the Bible on the go, meditating on God's Word with background music, and following structured reading plans to deepen one's faith.

## Version history (last 5 releases)

### 5.1.15 — 2025-09-11

Fixed display issues for devices running iOS 26.

### 5.1.14 — 2025-05-09

Fixed
• Videos in Plans could play with no audio.

### 5.1.13 — 2025-03-12

New:
• Added the ability to unlock premium features via access codes.

### 5.1.12 — 2025-01-23

Fixed:
• General design tweaks and updates.

### 5.1.11 — 2024-12-07

Fixed:
• Fixed an issue with the audio previous/next controls in Plans.
• General design tweaks and updates.

## Apps similar to ESV Bible

| App | Rating | Price | Category |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| [Bible App - Read & Study Daily](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bible-app-read-and-study-daily/id332615624) | 4.8 (320,645) | Free | Reference |
| [Logos Bible](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/logos-bible/id336400266) | 4.9 (171,984) | Free | Reference |
| [Bible](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bible/id282935706) | 4.9 (13,658,148) | Free | Reference |
| [NIV Bible App +](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/niv-bible-app-plus/id291270748) | 4.9 (155,413) | Free | Reference |
| [Bible - Daily Bible Verse KJV](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bible-daily-bible-verse-kjv/id1357464684) | 4.9 (493,872) | Free | Reference |
| [Faithlife Study Bible](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/faithlife-study-bible/id485998842) | 4.8 (15,456) | Free | Reference |

## More apps by Crossway

- [New City Catechism](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/new-city-catechism/id564035762)

All apps by Crossway: https://appshunter.io/developer/361797276

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*Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-08-29.*