# NIV Live: A Bible Experience — user reviews > 50 indexed App Store user reviews of NIV Live by Inspired Properties, LLC, rated 2.00/5 from 252 ratings. - Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/niv-live-a-bible-experience/id684837093/reviews - App overview in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/niv-live-a-bible-experience/id684837093.md - Rating breakdown: 5★ 39 · 4★ 13 · 3★ 15 · 2★ 28 · 1★ 157 ## Newest reviews (15 of 50) ### 2/5 — Once was great, but now isn’t. *2021-03-27, version 7.0.09* Great dramatization, but I quit listening because the program starts jumping more and more the longer it runs. This happens even when I download first. This seems like an easy fix. It has been a problem for years. Please fix it or sell the app to someone who cares enough to fix it. Thanks. ### 2/5 — Buggy & Needs More Reading Plans *2020-09-06, version 7.0.09* Skips chapters at times when reading. Also cuts off the last few words of a chapter as it goes to the next. Marking read does not work when reading. You have to do that from the main plan page. When Hagar and Ishmael are in the desert and he is crying they have baby crying sounds. Ishmael was 14! Needs some serious work. ### 2/5 — Good dramatization/Horrible app *2020-04-07, version 7.0.09* The dramatization of this Bible is great! This App...not so much!! In fact, it’s horrible! Another option for a dramatic audio Bible is the Word of Promise audio Bible. It comes in two versions- KJV and NKJV. The voice of Jesus is done by the actor who played Jesus in The Passion of the Christ movie. It’s not free, but you can listen to the book of John for free before purchasing. The Word I’d Promise is equal to, and in many ways better than NIV Live and the app is 1,000 times better!! ### 2/5 — Problems with last verses *2020-02-13, version 7.0.09* I absolutely love this rendition of the Bible, but the only problem I have had is that the last verse (or words of the verse) of each chapter usually gets cut off as it skips to the next chapter. There is not a setting that I can see which would increase the delay between the automatic jump to the next verse/chapter. When I listen to it via Bluetooth in my car, it is really annoying since I’m not following along reading. I also notice that you have to manually click the mark as read button rather than the app being smart enough to automatically sensing when a chapter is read. I also hate that you cannot hide the player controls at the bottom of the screen. Those need to be incorporated into either a banner at the top or bottom of the page, but not interfering or overlaying the actual text. Or, better yet, include a button to hide them altogether! As a side note, I can’t seem to find the entire line up of the voice actors. I would love to know who all is in it! All I can find is the advertisement which shows “Cuba Gooding Jr, Patricia Heaton and more”. Give credit to everyone who contributed to this awesome work! Two stars until these problems can be resolved... otherwise, a 5! ### 1/5 — What a disappointing MESS!!!! *2019-08-06, version 7.0.09* This new update is such a disappointing mess!!! It is NOT user friendly. I feel so stupid as when I want to change something I end up having to go back to the beginning and it appears to just go on and on when I’ve set up a yearly Bible reading plan. Can’t even put in which plan/reading I want or see which it is. This was my husbands and my favorite plan. If when we were looking for a Bible app to accomplish our reading plan a few years back, and PAID $20 each, we wouldn’t have purchased this new updated format. Now I’m forced to look for a new one that is more user friendly. I’m sooooo disappointed which you could fix this so we could continue with this Bible app. Plus we were telling everyone about how wonderful this bible reading was. Not anymore. It’s a “used to” conversation. Please fix it or give us our $40 back. WHY?...change something that was working. I know updates are needed and can be good but when you tamper with user friendly it doesn’t make it fun and productive. PLEASE!!!! fix it. ### 1/5 — New app is unusable *2019-06-20, version 7.0.09* The new format of the app is unusable with a screen reader/voice over for the blind. It is also no longer user friendly for sighted individuals. It’s almost like they want you to make a new purchase to more easily use the app. We utilized the playlists constantly for a memorization took and those are no longer an option. In 2015 we purchased the entire program (download and CD’s) for our daughter- who happens to be blind. I have contacted the company numerous times as we never received the CD’s. It wasn’t a huge deal since we still had the app. didn’t begin hounding them until March when they revamped the app causing it to be inaccessible with a screen reader for my daughter. Since that time I have contacted them ten plus times. Initially I received kind responses - and I sent them all the information they asked for (proof of purchase, prior emails showing that I have been in contact this ENTIRE TIME - 4 years!) but I never received the product. They are no longer responding to my inquiries or requests. ### 2/5 — Used to be good *2019-05-06, version 7.0.09* It's frustrating that the app has lost functionality. There is no longer a sleep option, so if I listen before bed, it goes all night. Also, there's no way to select a verse and have the audio jump there. Pressing a verse now pulls up options like highlighting or bookmarking. If you pause the audio, you can't hit pause to resume at the same place. Instead, you have to press where you start the audio and it begins from the start of the chapter. Was there any regression testing when it was redesigned to verify each previous functionality worked. Seems not. Please fix! ### 1/5 — Novedhc777 *2019-04-25, version 7.0.09* I don’t know why the interface on the NIV Live was change it is totally a mess you cannot go back to verse if you want to listen to it a second time if you tap a verse the audio does not go with the verse. At the end of each chapter the audio does not finish the verse, two or three words are missing, I could control the NIV Live directly from the control on my car steering wheel, I can't do that now. I listen to the Bible reading alot when I drive. ### 1/5 — Why did you change!!!! *2019-04-21, version 7.0.09* Why did you change your app. It is extremely aggravating and frustrating to use now. 1. What happened to the reading plan list? I really miss the chronological Bible. 2. It used to pick up where you left off and now you have to mark chapters read. If you are listening to it will you are doing something else it is not convenient at all to have to go back and mark off chapters. 3. The reading bar is over the text now. 4. You can’t easily start in the middle of a chapter, it always starts with verse 1. 5 I do not understand how to use the reading plans now. That was just 5 of the complaints I have. Please make the app more like it was! This app was a great one before and now I can’t stand it. Using this app doesn’t bring the Christian out in me, I end up getting frustrated and annoyed. ### 2/5 — Give me the old version back *2019-04-19, version 7.0.09* Sorry guys, (developers) but you definitely missed the mark on this version. The last time I had this many issues with an app, was when apps were first invented and basically still in beta. Since, the update of this “improved” version, my app hasn’t worked properly once! Not ONCE. It went from not allowing me to play the parts I wanted, to (now) playing only static/white noise. There’s been more issues than I care to sit here and list. But the point is, I’m super disappointed and frustrated with this version of the app. I paid for an app that NEVER works properly. ### 2/5 — Please listen to your reviewers and revert! *2019-04-13, version 7.0.09* This is the most horrible update ever. I have been using this app for seven years. It’s been wonderful until now. Every time I think ild try adjusting to it, I get annoyed and quit it! The audio is what makes NIV live so amazing however, it’s been overshadowed by this horrible excuse of an update. I miss being able to click on the exact verse or chapter I want and the audio follows simultaneously. Focusing on highlighting text is just unnecessary, that’s what other bible apps are for. I wanted to recommend this app to friends, but I can’t do that anymore. ### 1/5 — I loved the old version. This new one is more difficult. *2019-04-10, version 7.0.09* I loved the old version, fast ,responsive , great audio with dramatization really made it come alive. This new version is slower, more cumbersome, harder to navigate, and many many more bugs. Please restore the past app. Still an amazing audio presentation that actually allows you to visualize even more that’s going in the background. Also loved knowing who was speaking by knowing the voice. Thank you for brining this to life. Please make it less complicated again. ### 1/5 — Updated version horrible *2019-04-10, version 7.0.09* App used to work far better before update. Look for alternative if this is new purchase or wait till they fix all the problems. Banner covers text, freezes and controls do not work after you listen awhile. Skips chapters at times or stops and will not continue to next chapter. Cannot find anything to adjust these issues. They should go back to the version before this update. To frustrating to use as is. Will check back from time to time to see if they fix but will keep my eyes open to finding a replacement as I did like using the app before update. ### 2/5 — Do not do the update!!!! *2019-04-01, version 7.0.09* This was an amazing app until this “new and improved” update. Don’t do it!! The developers need to fix all the issues with this new update. Very frustrating to use, freezes constantly and when listening to the audio it skips around from different books and chapters. It also won’t finish playing the last 5-10 words in the chapter, it jumps right to the next chapter. I use to use this app everyday for the past 2 years and now I’m looking for something else to use. ### 1/5 — So disappointed *2019-03-20, version 7.0.09* I bought this package (CD and app) years ago. The background sounds often overpowered the Word itself but it was nevertheless my go to app. I had years of notes, highlights and had memorized the placement of the books. I would use the sleep option every night, setting it to 120 mins. I was learning scripture and loved it! However, they just “updated” the app without warning. The new app is so disappointing. All my notes are gone, the app constantly glitches, it has no sleep options, and is difficult to navigate. I have reached out to customer service numerous times with no response. I hardly ever write reviews but I’m really so very disappointed in the changes they’ve made. I would not recommend purchase of this app. ## Most critical reviews (10 lowest-rated) ### 1/5 — Give us back the older version! *2022-11-25, version 7.0.09* I can’t believe how terrible this newer version is. Why would the last word of the chapter get cut off? Why can’t you stop in the middle of the chapter and easily get back to it? Why is the bar so high up that it blocks the texts? Also, when they first updated, I had to reload the audio files, but I had to do it one book at a time instead of just clicking one to load the whole Old Testament or the New Testament. It took a lot time for me to do that for mine and my kids’ phones. I used to LOVE this app. It really helped me to read/listen to God’s Word, but this new version is so frustrating. Please change it! ### 1/5 — I love the narration but.... *2021-03-13, version 7.0.09* I love how the readings, music and even the background arrangements really bring the Bible to life but this is the worst app ever! The fact that this is probably one of the only apps that I paid for an upgrade is even more frustrating. The app constantly freezes, skips the last few words of the chapter and sometimes even skips an entire chapter! But they did do a great job with the actual reading of the scriptures. Not mundane at all as with other Bible apps. ### 1/5 — VERY DISAPPOINTED AND FEEL ROBBED *2021-01-15, version 7.0.09* I originally purchased this product when it was Bible Experience. Loved it so much I purchased three copies of the CD set and accompanying bible for relatives as gifts. When new owners came about I could no longer use the product on my phone and was told I had to repurchase it. So I did because I wanted the ability to use it whenever I wanted. Now It does not play the books all the way through. It skips sections. I have downloaded it often and still have problems with not being able to pause, rewind, etc. It clocks the whole time I am listening and then it just stops. I liked the idea of listening to it on my mobile devices because I could go to a certain area of the bible easily than on the CDs. I also gave my CD set away since I had it on my mobile devices. I know the devil does not want us listening to or reading the bible but it seems you are helping him instead of those who seem to have had faith in your product. I really like this dramatized style of the bible. All I want is to listen to what I purchased. The sad part is I cannot show proof I purchased it. PLEASE FIX OR REPLACE! This has gone on way too long. Thank you. ### 1/5 — Horrible update *2020-08-15, version 7.0.09* Cannot believe something that was so good could become so bad. I used this everyday. Was very easy to use. Now it’s actually painful to use. I’m going to delete this app from my iPad because I no longer use it and it’s just taking up space. There are so many apps that are better. I think our money should be refunded when we are no longer getting what we paid for. ### 1/5 — BEST BOOK EVER WRITTEN BUT TERRIBLE AP - DO NOT PURCHASE! *2020-06-25, version 7.0.09* The ap gets frozen. I paid for 5 device access and it won’t login right on the ap or on the computer. It only let me listen to genesis and exodus and then tells me I have to pay. (I ALREADY PAID!) I’m trying to reach support right now but can’t get ahold of anyone. It’s a HORRIBLE ap. It needs A LOT of work before they charge another penny to anyone. I mean it, do NOT buy it. Just get the NIV live in cd version if you want to listen to this. So disappointed. ### 1/5 — Purchase again?? *2020-01-18, version 7.0.09* I purchased this app once but now I am required to purchase again. I’m upset about that. I really liked it. I bought the CD version years ago and they were better than this app. The original readers were superb. This app changed to some other readers. That was a mistake in my opinion. I bought this app and discovered the change. I didn’t listen to it for some time. Now that I want to listen to it again I find out I’m required to pay for it again. Have I been robbed or something? I’m very disappointed. 😟 ### 1/5 — No longer works *2019-11-12, version 7.0.09* I had not used this app for awhile. It no longer works except for Genesis and Matthew. I already purchased this app and it indicates you need to purchase again which I decided to but leads to a dead end. So I spent $20 for this app a few years ago and now it is only good for 2 books of the Bible. Too bad because I really enjoyed it when it actually worked and was even willing to purchase again. ### 1/5 — Unusable *2019-09-24, version 7.0.09* I paid money for this....and I want my money back. This app is a great idea but poorly executed. I like to listen to it as I’m getting ready in the morning; it works for a while (maybe a chapter or two), but then starts randomly skipping around the Bible. Then the spinny wheel of death comes on the screen and you can’t click anything. After a reboot, it works again for a couple of chapters, then starts the whole cycle over. I’m sure a lot of work went into producing the audio for this, but the app ruins the experience and makes it unusable. ### 1/5 — I wanted my money back *2019-09-07, version 7.0.09* You know what is the saddest about the horrible change of this app? There is no customer service. I have emailed several times and never got a response. After all these horrible reviews you’d think that this company would send out some sort of statement. I woke up one day and everything was gone. All my playlists, plans, everything was changed. You can’t click on a verse and listen from there, it goes right back to the beginning of the chapter. There are so many things wrong, I can’t even list them all. And this was an expensive purchase. This company should be ashamed of themselves for how they have treated their customers. ### 1/5 — Class action lawsuit *2019-09-04, version 7.0.09* Like most who purchased this app it worked wonderfully prior to the new installation. Currently it is non functional in addition to five years of notes and bookmarks being removed. Also the company is non responsive to all inquiries and has not issued a statement leaving themselves open to a class action lawsuit unless this issue is addressed. If anyone is interested in addressing this problem legally please let us the buyer know immediately. Maybe then the company will address our problems or offer a refund. ## Most praised reviews (10 highest-rated) ### 5/5 — This is the Best Audio Bible out there *2021-03-24, version 7.0.09* This the best Audio Bible out there, as far as I know of. I’ve purchased at least a dozen different audio Bibles and THIS BY FAR IS THE BEST!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The only problem is when it was updated about 2 years ago something happened and the app has never been the same. Like others have said the app will play a few chapters and later skip around. It takes a little getting used to with the sound effects but if you can get passed these two areas you’ll be TOTALLY BLESSED!!!!!!! ### 5/5 — Fresh *2019-11-23, version 7.0.09* Was listening to a testimony about how sometimes you just need a fresh new way to read the Word. Most buy New Bibles different versions I have many and have wore them out. I thought my son in law bought me these in CD form many years ago. I actually laughed at the dramatic sounds & background back then. To my surprise I saw this app & started listening and it was delightful change to hear Gods Word like a movie almost. I heard things I missed before and was delighted listening & going through their reading plan. Switch it up every once in awhile try something different. ### 5/5 — Unparalleled audio, terrible layout *2019-02-27, version 7.0.04* This is the utmost incredible audio Bible that I have ever listen to. Are usually stay away from them because they do not sound authentic or passionate. It includes over 60 voice actors for all of the different characters and relevant sound effects and dramatic music. It truly feels like I am listening to a movie. I LOVE THIS AUDIO BIBLE. The only comparable audio bible is the “Breathe” Audio Bible for the New Living Translation but I like NIV LIVE better. The only complaint is that they recently updated the interface and design of the app and it completely ruined the relatively easy to use design. Really difficult to use now and it is glitchy. Not sure if it has something to do with switching from downloaded content to streaming content (which had been downloaded prior to the app update). ### 5/5 — Works well like the features *2017-12-31, version 5.0.08* Lots of features to organize and track progress. My top 3 likes: 1 Theatrical reading keeps me engaged. 2. Playlist that you can select from like bible in a year, 30 day challenge etc. 3. Download playlist or chapters to take with you on the go. ### 5/5 — Great dramatized audio bible! *2017-12-29, version 5.0.08* I just loaded onto my iPad and I am so very impressed with the way this app functions, the quality of the audio is great and the actual presentation of the audio is absolutely stunning. I cannot recommend this app more highly. I listened to John 9 and it brought tears to my eyes. I’m going to tell everyone that I know about this great way to experience the Impeccable Word Of God! Check it for yourself; I bet you’ll agree. ### 4/5 — 🙌🏻 Amazing Audio; TERRIBLE App! 👎🏻 *2022-07-25, version 7.0.09* I use this for the amazing audio bible, but the app is really bad!! 😂 You have to pay attention, and hit “pause” before a chapter ends, and then manually start the next chapter, otherwise, it’ll finish a chapter and then will skip ahead to maybe 2 chapters ahead or just skip to the next book! In order to get back to where you were, you have to close the app and reopen it, but at least it will finish a chapter before doing this. UPDATES March 2021. So sad to see this app still hasn’t been updated and has the same problems. July 2022. Still no improvements. I don’t understand why the developers don’t take this seriously…. It’s a beautiful audio Bible, but it’s wasted on so many, because most will not put up with the app’s issues. The designers are doing the customers, and God’s Word, a huge disservice. Just what Satan wants! 😔💔 ### 4/5 — More dramatic audio magic, please. *2021-09-10, version 7.0.09* Who can’t use a little, or a lot, more drama unfolding before them. I orered the NIV Live simply for the rich NIV translation I’m accustomed to, but yearning for a “fully” fully dramatized NIV Bible. If there was a cow mooing over the hill, or a dog barking next door, I wanna hear about it. ### 4/5 — The app is great *2020-11-28, version 7.0.09* I love it so much. The only reason it’s not 5 stars because there is a error that I cannot solve. If I listed more that 3-4 chapters and watching at the scree at the same time, the text starts to load and I cannot pause/play the audio, the screen is untouchable. Only the buttons below are touchable. Guys can we fix this problem? iPhone XR ### 4/5 — Needs improvement *2019-03-04, version 7.0.04* The app is almost working well. At least on Joshua, the last word of the chapter is cut off before it switches to the next chapter. Please add a 1 second delay between chapter switching. I purchased the set with all CDs and a digital download. It was worth every penny. My 6 year old loves it and his biblical literacy has skyrocketed now that we have started listening to these. ### 3/5 — I like the older version better *2019-03-02, version 7.0.04* Some of the problems I am experiencing with the newer version are the following.I don’t see a sleep timer. This version freezes up in the middle of a given chapter while I am listening . At other times while listening the app skips chapters. The notes I saved in the older version are gone. I do like the new sharing of verses features. I really love the dramatization of NIV text . --- *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 2026-06-10.*