# The MacArthur Study Bible — user reviews > 499 indexed App Store user reviews of The MacArthur Study Bible by Grace to You, rated 4.90/5 from 17,640 ratings. - Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-macarthur-study-bible/id992237916/reviews - App overview in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-macarthur-study-bible/id992237916.md - Rating breakdown: 5★ 16,125 · 4★ 948 · 3★ 233 · 2★ 128 · 1★ 206 ## What do users think of The MacArthur Study Bible? Overall sentiment: neutral **Pros** - 🙏 Excellent study resource - 📚 Helpful commentary and notes - 🔍 Useful cross-references - 🎧 Convenient audio Bible - 🕰️ Daily devotionals and sermons **Cons** - 🐛 Frequent freezing and crashes - 🔀 Jumping to wrong chapters/verses - 💤 Slow performance and unresponsiveness - 🔍 Highlighting issues (can only highlight one verse at a time) - 🔗 Broken links and navigation problems **Commonly reported bugs** - Unable to create account - Inability to access saved notes and highlights - Incompatibility issues with newer iOS devices - Devotionals not updating regularly **Most requested features** - Support for more Bible translations (e.g. NIV, NLT) - Improved highlighting and note-taking capabilities - Seamless syncing across devices - Customizable font and theme options - Better integration with other Bible study tools ## Newest reviews (18 of 499) ### 3/5 — Disappointed with the upgrade *2026-09-05, version 3.0.1* I have been using this app for years, But thinking now about leaving it. Although some of the changes are nice, I hate this new version. -Can’t find a setting to see if I can adjust. -The option to listen to it is harder to activate, is hidden -It does not tracks the reading as you use the audio mode. -Audio can’t start in the middle of a chapter. -The app does not pick up where you left off so I constantly have to reread from the beginning of the book. Or search manually -It’s not continuous like the previous one. You have to get out of one book to get to the other. Will be checking other apps. MacArthur Study Bible App, version 3.0.1 (Build 50) iOS Version: 26.5.2 ### 2/5 — Please bring back ability to see notes on same page as text. *2026-08-27, version 3.0.1* I use the app daily. While I greatly appreciate the app and the addition of maps, etc., I really miss being able to view the (John’s) notes and text at the same time. On my device, the text takes up only half the page on the left hand side. It seems there is room to add the notes. Also, the notes are very abbreviated from the previous version. For example, there is no longer an outline of the book in the notes that I see. I was used to reading the outline when studying various book. Please bring back these features! From a tech perspective, often when I scroll up or down I get a blank page, necessitating reloading the app. Thank you. ### 3/5 — Was Excellent All-Around Study Bible *2026-08-20, version 3.0.1* Why did you change and and an extra step to have to click through every want to read the Bible? Terrible update in my opinion. 5 stars until today. It's cumbersome to use, now. So disappointed. This is my go to Bible and now the UI is disrupted for my use case If you use this to prepare Bible studies do not do the August 2026 update!!! Verse numbers and formatting do not remain if you copy and paste. This was the only Bible from which I pasted scripture into the Bible study lessons I teach. Now I have to find some other app. If in study model , the formatting of the text remained it wouldn't be as bad but everything shows up as a paragraph with no verse numbers. I cannot express how much I regret doing the update! I wish I could get the old version back. Still the best Bible study Bible replete with John's notes but now impossible to use for teaching ### 3/5 — New Update *2026-08-17, version 3.0.1* When I got saved almost 4 years ago, this was my favorite app to use. I almost read the entire bible in 4 months and got so used to the app and the way it worked. I’m sad it’s been so updated but I know it needed it, there were a lot of bugs before but if I’m being honest I am just very sad it changed so so much :( ### 4/5 — Justified text only *2026-08-16, version 3.0.1* I would request that there be a way to have left aligned text, and not force justified text formatting. ### 4/5 — New Update Looks Great *2026-08-12, version 3.0.0* The app feels easier to navigate now with the new update. I can jump to passages faster now as well! ### 4/5 — New Update *2026-08-06, version 3.0.0* This app is amazing and I love MacArthur’s notes! However, the new update is great, besides the fact that you can no longer swipe verse to verse. I have to click on the verse, swipe up and read, swipe back down, and then go and click the next verse when I used to be able to swipe verse to verse and see the notes underneath. I believe that part of the update is an inconvenience. I’d love if you could fix this! ### 5/5 — 3.0 version is amazing! *2026-08-05, version 3.0.0* The recent update is soooo great! Wow. Kudos to the team that did this. It’s made navigation and referencing, as well as notes and highlighting seamless. ❤️ ### 5/5 — Great redesign! *2026-08-04, version 3.0.0* I absolutely love the new redesign and the inclusion of the LSB! Thanks so much! ### 5/5 — 3.0 update *2026-08-04, version 3.0.0* Love the layout on the update. Old version had issues with some text running over text. Update looks crisp! Thanks! ### 3/5 — 3.0 downgrade :_( *2026-08-04, version 3.0.0* The study bible has been a staple for me for years. Worked great on iPhone so I don’t know what the “serious issues“ the update’s notes are referring to. I’m glad at the app is getting updates but they really should have taken the previous version’s usability seriously. Maybe the UX designer was not a serious user of it. Accessing John’s notes (the main draw for this app) was THE feature, an easy double click. Then the notes screen would have the VERSE you are interested in at the top with the notes for that verse BELOW all nicely formatted. You were able to easily swipe to the next verse IF you wanted to see the next verse + notes. And it was powerful to jump from your current context to another note and back. It was cognitively clear you were studying the notes in that mode as opposed to reading the bible. The new version just lumps all notes together in the same font as the bible. Who thought people want to read a long bible’s worth of notes without the context of the verse text? Here’s a tip from an old developer, fix your bugs instead of doing a poor quality rewrite. This is a junior mistake in the software field — through out the old without truly understanding what you’re losing. When redesigning work with real users of the app to find out what and why it’s great. This version makes me sad and once upgraded we can’t role back. One more thing, think about branding. When you've had an icon for a long time and you suddenly change it to something entirely new, that can make it hard for users. Consider transitional changes like what is often done with major logo branding. Funny thing, I was just showing the app at a bible study yesterday to someone. He went to look for it and could not find it, even after showing the icon to look for. I then looked in the App Store and couldn't find it. I looked again later, and saw its branding had changed. I thought it odd my Pro 17 had not auto updated. Then this morning saw that the new version had just been released yesterday and my auto update had not run yet. What are the odds? God is sovereign and there are no coincidences! ### 5/5 — Finally updated to be useful *2026-08-04, version 3.0.0* The update finally turned this into my favorite bible app. I loved JMac’s notes but the old interface was difficult to use reliably. The new update has changed EVERYTHING! Thank you so much for this valued resource for the kingdom. And now I can use the LSB!!! ### 5/5 — I Can See! *2026-08-03, version 3.0.0* I have used this app since the first release. Unfortunately my eyesight has gotten worse and worse, so even the largest text size was hard to read with my glasses. John’s notes were pretty much impossible - I resorted to taking screenshots and zooming in. SOLVED!!! The new release lets me have a text size that is comfortable, INCLUDING John’s notes!!! Thank you God!!! Thank you GTY and developers!! ### 4/5 — Content is great but has scrolling bug *2026-08-02, version 2.0.18* The content is excellent especially with the notes by John MacArthur. But has an intermittent scrolling bug while reading the bible. While scrolling any part of the bible, it will sometimes freeze for a moment then jump to Rev 22 at the very end. Any support would be greatly appreciated as this is my favourite bible app ### 5/5 — Awesome and Excellent app *2026-08-01, version 2.0.18* Beautiful, educational app ### 5/5 — Great and easy to use *2026-07-29, version 2.0.18* It has been super easy in church to look at versus quick once you figure out that I have to do is tap the top of the screen to pull up the list. It is the easiest Bible app to use I have tried. ### 5/5 — Great app, but …. *2026-07-28, version 2.0.18* I love this app. I can quickly move between different books and the linked references are a huge bonus. The highlighting needs to be improved. It defaults to the whole verse and won’t allow you to select part of a verse. ### 5/5 — 1611’s KJV Bible *2026-07-27, version 2.0.18* An online Grace to You, study Bible is certainly a good way to go about reading 1611’s KJV Bible scripture. I realize that this Bible is as close as I will get in reading those old biblical scrolls in Hebrew & Greek. That’s why I read the Old Latin/English Bible. I am truly grateful of how God has provided the many ways through the world’s technology to read & study His Word. Well, those are o…precious💥Final Thoughts❗️God Bless❗️Take care❗️ ## Most critical reviews (10 lowest-rated) ### 1/5 — Old version was better *2026-08-09, version 3.0.0* Agree with some other comments that this new version is not better. I choose a certain place to have the audio read and instead of starting where I have chosen, it starts at the beginning of that chapter. The page also doesn’t scroll automatically to follow along with the reading anymore. ### 1/5 — Bring back old version *2026-08-07, version 3.0.0* The app is hard to follow, narrator would not start in the verse you have selected, and as the narrator speaks it no longer moves the page to follow reading. I can’t stand it, I want the old version. ### 1/5 — DO NOT PURCHASE IN APP! Lost access to in app purchase *2026-07-01, version 2.0.17* purchased in 2020. Log in issues, no support, no way to reset password. The password reset emails never come. ### 1/5 — No support *2026-06-30, version 2.0.16* I purchased the notes. Got signed out and tried to sign back but it wouldn’t let me. Then I tried to reset password with the “forgot password” and have not received any emails to change it. And there is no way to contact support for help. So paid for nothing? ### 1/5 — 🙈 *2026-06-14, version 2.0.15* Kept logging me out. So finally after so much pain I deleted the app and reinstalled. Now I’m locked out. Lost my paid subscription. Asked for help, no response? Can’t login. Tried to get a new Password, said it would email me. Nothing. Wow, I don’t know what has happened to the apps these past years, but man, hope you guys can fix this. I used it everyday! 😞 ### 1/5 — Crashes *2026-06-12, version 2.0.15* Why is this app constantly crashing? Or resets my reading progress? Or sends me to Genesis 1? Or freezes? ### 1/5 — Hard to navigate *2026-06-02, version 2.0.14* Keeps charging for the in app purchase study notes and I can’t cancel it. ### 1/5 — Broken *2026-05-16, version 2.0.13* After waiting 5 years for the update they have not fixed the biggest bug. When you click to read the commentary it is very hard to press the arrow to go back to the Bible text ### 1/5 — Force close *2026-04-03, version 2.0.10* Upon opening the app, there is a dialog that reads “Loading Bible” at the top, where the Old and New Testament selections are located. This dialog remains for about 3-5 seconds and then the app quits. iOS 26.3.1(a) on tablet. iPhone does not have the same issue. ### 1/5 — Extremely Slow *2026-03-30, version 2.0.10* This used to be my favorite bible app. It has now become unusable with the last so-called upgrade. Deleting and reinstalling has no effect. Now after multiple years of having this app, it keeps kicking me out after 3 seconds. It accepts my sign in and then I have to reinstall the app time after time. Enough of this nonsense! ## Most praised reviews (10 highest-rated) ### 5/5 — Perfect!! *2026-09-04, version 3.0.1* I’ve been using this Bible application for a long time, and I love John MacArthurs material, and since they’ve updated this and improved it, it has become my favorite application ### 5/5 — Excellent update *2026-08-25, version 3.0.1* This new version is such an 180 to what it once was. It’s such a vast improvement! Well done devs! ### 5/5 — They fixed it! *2026-08-24, version 3.0.1* I’ve had this app for 5 years; this new edition fixes some very pesky bugs and really enhanced the format (and the LSB is included too!). ### 5/5 — Excellent app *2026-08-15, version 3.0.1* Very resourceful ready to use study Bible. With the new app update, will you bring back the option to hear the word being read to you? I enjoyed that part while driving. ### 5/5 — So much better now! *2026-08-11, version 3.0.0* Thanks to the team who worked on this. The app was frustrating to use with it logging you out every time but now it works perfectly. The updates are so helpful too! Being able to see notes that capture the section and immediate verse is such a good idea. ### 5/5 — Yes!!! Officially my favorite app *2026-08-09, version 3.0.0* Thank you for the app overhaul. My wife leaned over during the church service and whispered, “they updated the app.” I’m so excited! Definitely 5 stars. ### 5/5 — Love the new update *2026-08-09, version 3.0.0* This app has always been a great Bible study resource. The new v3 update fixes the bugs I’ve endured for many years and makes navigation and reading easier. I love the new in-line Daily Bible layout with the links that take you to each passage. Thank you for this update! ### 5/5 — Great! *2026-08-06, version 3.0.0* The new update is phenomenal and was much needed. This is a valuable resource on the go. ### 5/5 — Update is amazing *2026-08-05, version 3.0.0* The update is so much better, even though the old study bible was great. Paying for the notes is at such an accessible price! ### 5/5 — Amazing after update!! Just a Liquid Glass question though…. *2026-08-05, version 3.0.0* I just got the new update as of 8/4/2026 and it is so amazing! Everything was redefined and modernized!!! Love it. Keep up the good work!! (Also, for iPhone users, maybe accept the Liquid Glass UI, as it would make the app flow perfectly with the iPhone & users) ♥️ --- *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 2026-09-12.*