# ServicePlanner vs Ministry Journal

The clearest difference is price: Ministry Journal at Free against ServicePlanner's $2.99. Ministry Journal also leads on update cadence (fortnightly vs every 2 months). ServicePlanner's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 3) and chart position (#91 vs unranked). On rating, review sentiment, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Ministry Journal is free to download; ServicePlanner costs $2.99 up front. Ministry Journal sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month. ServicePlanner asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.7 for ServicePlanner against 4.7 for Ministry Journal. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 188 and 39 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 91% of ServicePlanner's written reviews are positive against 86% of Ministry Journal's.

ServicePlanner ships an update every 2 months, Ministry Journal fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on November 11, 2026 and November 12, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | ServicePlanner | Ministry Journal |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $2.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | [4.7 (188 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/serviceplanner/id1268476525/reviews) | **[4.7 (39 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ministry-journal/id6477761831/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **188** | 39 |
| Positive reviews | **91.4% of reviews** | 85.7% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Fortnightly** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Subscription |
| Best chart rank | **#91** | — |
| Size | 46 MB | 17 MB |
| Requires iOS | **14.0** | 17.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [iMatt Solutions](https://appshunter.io/developer/508348984) | [Maurice Brown](https://appshunter.io/developer/1730380428) |

## What reviewers say

### ServicePlanner

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/serviceplanner/id1268476525)

**Currently charting:** #91 Top Paid · Productivity (US App Store)

This app helps Jehovah's Witnesses manage their ministry and field service activities. It features contact management, activity planning, and a timer for recording time spent. Users can sync data across devices and access a library of publications and videos.

**Highlights:** Dropbox Sync, Territory Helper Integration, Today Screen with Timer, Contact Management & History, Contact Filtering & Map View, Publication & Video Library, Monthly & Annual Activity Tracking

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Excellent app for foreign language field service
- 🚀 Syncs to NW Publisher
- 🚀 Clean interface makes recording easy
- 🚀 Address look up feature saves time
- 🚀 Useful features make it worth the cost

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional crashes or bugs
- 🐛 Difficulty linking with Territory Helper
- 🐛 Recording 'Not at Home' visits not possible
- 🐛 Syncing between devices can be inconsistent
- 🐛 Lacks customization options for some users

**Reported bugs**

- App crashing or not opening
- Syncing issues between devices
- Incorrect translation or localization

**Requested features**

- Ability to record 'Not at Home' visits
- Integration with Apple Watch
- Support for multiple types of hours (ministry, LDC, etc.)
- Customizable color coding for different visit types
- Ability to add photos to records


### Ministry Journal

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ministry-journal/id6477761831)

Organize your ministry activities with this field service assistant. Track call notes, field service hours, and schedule appointments. Set and monitor personal ministry goals with visual progress tracking.

**Highlights:** Track call notes and contact details, Schedule appointment reminders, Color-coded calendar events, Set and track ministry goals, View calls on a map, Monthly field service reports

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Family Sharing

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly | $0.99 | per month |
| Yearly | $9.99 | per year |
| Lifetime | $14.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is ServicePlanner free?

ServicePlanner costs $2.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Ministry Journal free?

Ministry Journal is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, ServicePlanner or Ministry Journal?

Ministry Journal is rated higher. ServicePlanner averages 4.7 out of 5 from 188 ratings, while Ministry Journal averages 4.7 from 39 ratings.

### Do ServicePlanner or Ministry Journal have ads?

Neither ServicePlanner nor Ministry Journal shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, ServicePlanner or Ministry Journal?

ServicePlanner ships an update every 2 months, and Ministry Journal fortnightly. Most recently, ServicePlanner was updated on November 11, 2026 and Ministry Journal on November 12, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*