# Orthodox Study Bible — user reviews

> 90 indexed App Store user reviews of Orthodox Study Bible by VDUB Software, LLC, rated 4.80/5 from 155 ratings.

- Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/orthodox-study-bible/id583706254/reviews
- App overview in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/orthodox-study-bible/id583706254.md
- Rating breakdown: 5★ 143 · 4★ 2 · 3★ 5 · 2★ 3 · 1★ 2

## What do users think of Orthodox Study Bible?

Overall sentiment: positive

**Pros**

- 📖 Complete Orthodox Study Bible with all deuterocanonical books
- 📚 Comprehensive study notes and Church Father commentaries
- 🎯 Well-organized navigation and easy verse lookup
- 📅 Daily reading plans (1-year and 2-year options)
- 🙏 Integrated morning and evening prayers
- 📝 Highlight and bookmark functionality
- 🌙 Dark mode support
- 💾 Offline access to all content
- 📱 Portable alternative to physical book
- ✨ Clean, modern, intuitive interface
- 📄 Topical articles and study resources
- 🔄 iCloud sync capability for highlights
- 💰 Good value compared to physical book and other ebook versions

**Cons**

- 🐛 App crashes and freezing issues
- 📱 Poor iPhone X/newer screen size optimization
- 🔆 Limited display customization (light/dark mode only)
- 📖 Missing book introductions available in physical edition
- 🎨 No icon illustrations from physical book
- ⚠️ Inconsistent app support and updates
- 🔗 Broken daily readings feature (reported in 2020)
- 💬 Limited note-taking capabilities
- 🎯 Highlighting limited to full verses only
- 🔄 iCloud sync crashes between devices
- 🚫 No Android version available

**Commonly reported bugs**

- App freezes frequently requiring reinstall
- Information icon crashes app on leap year dates
- Daily readings feature broken
- Facebook sharing not working
- iCloud sync crashes between devices
- Poor rendering on iPhone X and newer models
- Menu bar takes up excessive screen space on iPad
- Book of Proverbs displayed blank
- App not properly supported on newer iOS versions

**Most requested features**

- Audio/text-to-speech functionality
- Multiple highlight colors (especially softer yellow)
- Personal note-taking and margin notes
- Midday prayer addition (morning, midday, evening)
- Daily notifications for reading plans
- Saints of the day information
- Sepia display mode
- Multiple font options and sizes
- Book introductions like physical edition
- Clickable cross-references in footnotes
- Old calendar option for today's readings
- Toggle bookmark on/off functionality
- Better bookmark organization and tagging
- Android app version
- iPad-optimized version
- Landscape mode support
- Lenten Triodian and Holy Week Book content

## Newest reviews (16 of 90)

### 4/5 — Audible

*2025-02-23*

This orthodox bible app is almost perfect you need to install an audio function. I found another Orthodox Bible app and it has audio except the way they formatted it is annoying every time a new verse. It said it says for example, “ verse one in the beginning God created… verse two the Earth was invisible and unfinished…” that’s annoying. I couldn’t even listen to a whole minute of that. It should only do that per chapter anyways other than that, this is a pretty good app.

### 5/5 — A wonderful study Bible and a great app

*2024-03-31*

I have this downloaded on my iPad and my smart phone. It is high quality. No matter where I am either traveling or sitting on my sofa it is at my fingertips. I love to begin my day with the Morning Prayer and close my day with the Evening Prayer. It covers everything. This is a beautiful Bible and it is comforting no matter where I am the Bible is close to me.

### 5/5 — Thankyou

*2024-02-29*

I read the daily passages and often use the information icon on the top right to see what the Holy Fathers have to say about certain passages. 
Today is leap year and I noticed that the information icon for todays passage in 1 John 1 crashes the app. I hope you still read reviews and are able to fix this. God Bless you and your work.

**Developer response:** I eventually get around to reading reviews. 🙂

Could you try the latest update and see if 1 John 1 is still crashing the app for you? If it is, please email me directly, "support@vdub.software".

### 5/5 — Where your treasure is, your heart will be there too.

*2023-12-27*

The Orthodox Study Bible is a treasure. This mobile app is great too. It’s very easy to read a chapter and the footnotes. It has the morning and evening prayers, which help with prayer when away from home. It has the topical articles. And, I appreciate the daily readings feature. This app is helping me to repent, and for that I will be forever grateful.

### 5/5 — Amazing app

*2023-06-05, version 6.6.2*

This app is the best of it’s kind. I hope there will be an Android version!

### 5/5 — Book marking and highlighting in the footnotes

*2022-11-22, version 6.6.2*

It would be very helpful if we could highlight and bookmark the footnoted. Thanks for this awesome resource!

### 5/5 — Perfect!  Everything I was hoping for in a Bible app, and EASY to use!!!

*2022-11-14*

This app is how a Biblical study tool should be.  It’s packed with passages for every holy day, lots of useful articles, a daily reading that covers the entire Bible in one or two years, and most importantly this app is very easy to use.  You can cut & paste verses, and save highlights to iCloud.  And finding any verse in the Old or New Testament only takes a few seconds.  This app is indeed the perfect companion to The Orthodox Study Bible (hardcover copy.) I don’t write reviews often, but this OSB app was was well worth the $10 price, and makes the project I’m working on incredibly fast and easy to research.

### 5/5 — Great

*2022-08-13, version 6.6.2*

This is an amazing resource for all Christians but especially for Orthodoxy. It is comprehensive and easy to navigate.  A direct port of the hard and soft back editions.   

Also the language is one of my favorite English translations.  It’s beautiful without being clunky as the KJV can be.  Plus.  It has all the books it’s supposed to.  Thank you.  Great app

### 5/5 — So thankful!

*2022-06-19, version 6.6.2*

So thankful this was made into an app! I had been just trying to use the Kindle version. This is nice to have on hand.

### 5/5 — Awesome App! Highly Recommend!

*2022-03-26*

The Orthodox Study bible is a great resource for any and all Christians. I was recommended a physical copy from my priest which I got and love. However, the physical copy is very large in size and doesn’t really leave the house. The app does everything the book does and more, my favorite feature is giving the daily readings I made a goal to read the Bible everyday that really helps. The best part is your bible can come with you wherever you go, even without an internet connection. I would recommend this to any Christian who wants to invest more in their faith, and I can’t say enough good things about the book itself either. Have a blessed day.

### 5/5 — Android

*2021-12-27, version 6.6.2*

I would love to have this app on my Android. Please consider making one.

### 5/5 — Great App!!

*2021-11-03, version 6.6.2*

Wonderful app!! A huge update request would be an audio option to be made available.

### 5/5 — Going to miss this...

*2021-10-08, version 6.6.2*

I love this app. It has worked perfectly since I got it years ago. I just switched to an Android phone and am so disappointed that I can’t find the same app on the Google Play store.

### 5/5 — Well Pleased!

*2021-05-18*

I came across some passages online, talking about how the NKJV New Testament aligns better with the Septuagint. It’s a bit confusing at first, cross referencing. The Septuagint by Brenton is a tad bit easier to use as a cross referencing tool, in my opinion. But once you are able to get through the whole numbering system, this Orthodox study Bible is spot on. For example, cross referencing Hebrews 10:5 with Psalm 40:6. In the Brenton version of the Septuagint, it would be Psalm 39:6. Here in the Orthodox Bible, it’s Psalm 39:7. And I want to say that is because the title of the chapter is being accounted as verse 1? I’m still new and trying to understand that part. I don’t have the Brenton version of the Septuagint, yet.

### 3/5 — Interesting

*2021-02-03, version 6.6.2*

I have recently been interested in the Orthodox Church. This translation intrigues me and am glad to have a Bible with theApocryphal works in it. I have also become more repetitive and meditational in my prayer life. The liturgical prayers were a big feature that drew me to this app. As much as I am looking forward to reading this and praying the prayers, I guess I was expecting the prayers to be laid out in a bit more of a notification friendly way. I was hoping for a daily reminder for the different reading plans and prayers (i.e. morning and evening prayers). While my expectations may have been lofty and not exactly realistic based on the product description, I am nonetheless disappointed that my $10.00 did not receive what I thought it would in return. Regardless of my misgivings resulting in this mediocre review, I look forward to incorporating an Orthodox view of my biblical studies.

### 5/5 — An excellent app of the OSB

*2021-01-20, version 6.6.2*

I love this app! I’m a huge fan of the OSB hardcover edition, and it’s so nice to have a portable version with me at all times. The OSB includes the Old Testament, New Testament, and deuterocanonical writings. It also has numerous study articles that help with understanding the Orthodox position on matters of faith.

The app works great - it’s functional, has both light and dark modes, and has the ability to bookmark / highlight verses.

A few areas of suggestion for the developer: it would be nice if there were more ways to take notes or organize bookmarks. Right now the bookmarks/ highlighting aspect is fairly basic. It’s functional, but could be more robust and easier to tag / sort verses. Another area where the app could be improved would be overall readability (there’s a light and dark mode, but sepia would be appreciated). Different fonts and font sizes would greatly help with readability, generally. It would also be nice if there was a way to get the icons on here, but I’d prioritize the readability aspects first.

Either way, the app is great. Highly recommended.

## Most critical reviews (10 lowest-rated)

### 1/5 — Refund

*2021-11-08, version 6.6.2*

I can not refund the money I had spent on this App, I had tried in searching  ways to remove, uninstall and receive to refund my money that was due. Your platform has not the option to do this, apart from this in gving me a run around and grief. Please refund all monies owing.

Thanking you 
Kind Regards 
Sylvia

### 1/5 — App freezes a LOT!!

*2020-11-21, version 6.6.2*

This app freezes often and I always have to go back to App Store, search for it and download again. THEN I can go back to it and it works. This is getting very tiresome.
Never had an app before that has given me so much trouble.
I gave this two stars instead of one only because I do like its features.

### 1/5 — Needs more work

*2020-02-17*

It wasn’t what I expected it to be, I was hoping for more features. There are no options to add or write margin notes which can be extremely helpful if using an iPad with an Apple Pencil. Also you're forced to highlight one complete verse, instead of being able to choose what you prefer to highlight.
If I knew it was this limited I would've never purchased it and just used Coptic Reader which is free.
Can you please put in a feature to use different color highlights and to be able to add margin notes for the readers own records?

### 1/5 — Needs version update

*2020-01-23, version 6.4.2*

I’ve had this OSB app since it came out .. bought it expensive!! Unfortunately the developer stopped coming up with upgrades to properly display on newer iPhones !! Not sure if this app is still supported

### 1/5 — App crashes

*2015-10-19, version 5.1.1*

Crashes anytime I try to open any chapter

### 1/5 — iPad version please

*2015-02-11, version 5.0.1*

I really hate to give a bad review of the Bible, especially enjoyed for a long time.  However, can we please have a version for the iPad? You know it's a problem when I have my iPad in my lap but reach for my printed version because it is easier to use and easier to read.

### 2/5 — Dark mode only?

*2024-11-12, version 7.0.5*

Unusable to me due to only allowing dark mode on the screen. Shame.

### 2/5 — New update made reading it worse.

*2024-09-19*

The new update has made reading worse. Holding the iPad vertical, like a book, a third of the screen is now taken up by an obnoxiously large menu bar that can’t be minimized. I wish I never downloaded the update.

### 2/5 — New update of Orthodox Study Buble

*2019-07-22, version 6.4.2*

Thank you for this Orthodox Study Bible app! It is among the most useful Bible apps available.

I have just again been able to open this app after a short time of being unable to. 
This app is easier for me to see than my hardbound copy. Thanks!

### 2/5 — App appears abandoned

*2019-05-23, version 6.4.2*

This app hasn’t been updated in ages, and consequently does not support the newer iPhone X, XR, and XS screen sizes properly. This reduces the visible screen space quite a bit. Issue has persisted for nearly two years now.

## Most praised reviews (10 highest-rated)

### 5/5 — Love the app!

*2025-04-23, version 7.0.6*

Love love love!!! I have the physical and app version so I can have His Word wherever I go. Might I suggest a note taking feature?

### 5/5 — Amazing but one issue

*2025-02-21*

This app is amazing as a Orthodox convert I use it all the time and I love it, although I wish they would add back to the app the option for light or dark most and now just following the system setting. But besides that this app is absolutely amazing!

### 5/5 — the app is great

*2025-01-19*

the app is great, idk if this idea will be seen but i noticed the reading the Bible study plan in a year feature (where you can read 1-2 years chronologically or mixed. it would be really cool if that feature can be in notification form like there would be daily notifications for which Bible reading we should do based on the plan. Just a suggestion would be cool if this review would be seen and the thought can be considered as a way to improve user experience.

### 5/5 — Midday Prayers?

*2024-12-29, version 7.0.5*

I absolutely love this app, but I am curious if it is possible that the app can be updated to support a midday prayer as well? That way it encompasses morning, midday, and evening.

### 5/5 — Great App

*2024-11-21*

This app is a great tool when you do not have an OSB right in front of you. The only thing that could make this better is the ability to have an audio reading of both the scripture and the commentary.

### 5/5 — THE BEST APP EVER!!!!

*2024-11-04, version 7.0.4*

Guys, thank you so much from the bottom of my heart for making this app!! Seriously it is such a blessing to have such a beautiful well put together a Orthodox app that we can use to study the Bible! 
I love the fact that it has actually the full Orthodox Bible, including all of the old testament books, and the fact that it has all of the expansion articles on certain themes, and all of the study notes.
I also really love the highlights portion and how well it’s been approved overtime. 
I also really love on top of that the reading plans with both one year to year mixed and chronological. 
The daily readings are absolutely phenomenal and one of my favorite parts. Just amazing way to start the day. 
I also love the organization of each section of the Bible and have that part is organized. I love organization in general, and this is just music to my ears. I love, especially how all of Paul’s epistles our grouped together.
And the Torah, history, wisdom, major and minor prophets, all of that stuff. I really love the organization. 

If you guys are reading this, here’s a couple of things that would be really great to see in future updates 
1. Would be great to add the introduction at the beginning of every book the same way, the original Orthodox study Bible has. I personally really loved reading the overview and getting a better idea for what I’m about to start reading at the beginning of every book.
2. It would be nice if you can add different colors for the highlight and a yellow color that is a little bit softer. The current yellow color is a little bit harsh and it would be nice if there were more colors just so that you can identify different things when you highlight them.   
3. It would be nice to add toggle bookmark on and off instead of current process. (I appreciate all of the last few updates that you guys have done with the highlights. It’s become a lot better.)
4. This is a big one, but if you can eventually add a voice reader, that would be incredible. 
5. This is another big one, but would be really great if there were also the Saints of the day in addition to readings for the day both maybe old and new calendar. (I know it’s hard because it varies based on church in terms of which saints they celebrate but maybe a general one would be great). Or maybe if you guys can just make a separate app for that as well that would be amazing. 

I just really appreciate how clean simple and modern this app is. We definitely need more of that with more orthodox apps. 
And I’m recommending this app to everyone! The $10 bucks is totally worth it and you guys again just did a wonderful job. 
Seriously Glory to God! And thank you for all your incredible and dedicated hard work!

### 5/5 — My favorite Bible on iPad.

*2024-10-17, version 7.0.3*

The problems I had were resolved with the latest update. Thanks.

### 5/5 — Amazing App!

*2024-09-17*

I have been using this for about 3 years now and I must say it’s quite a great app. Yes it costs money but I believe it was worth every penny and they are still updating it.

### 5/5 — No old calendar for today’s readings?

*2024-09-15*

Need an option for Todays Readings under the old calendar

### 5/5 — Thank you for making this app.

*2024-07-24, version 6.6.2*

The only OSB app on Appstore. It has all the commentaries which are placed in an organised way and can be accessed easily unlike other online versions where you have to move to other pages to find the commentaries of a particular chapter you’re reading. 
Thanks for creating this app. It’s very helpful.

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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 2026-06-10.*