Comparison

Apocrypha vs Ancient Scriptures

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Apocrypha

Explore ancient biblical texts that were once part of the King James Version. This app offers offline access to these books, with features like audio narration, bookmarking, and customizable reading settings.

Highlights
  • Audio Bible (TTS)
  • Offline Access
  • Auto-Scrolling Mode
  • Bookmark & Notepad
  • Custom Highlights
  • Adjustable Fonts
Features
Read full description

Apocrypha / Deuterocanonical: Bible’s Lost Books: The Apocrypha is a collection of ancient biblical books that were included in the original 1611 King James Bible (KJV) but were later removed in 1885. These texts were originally positioned between the Old Testament and the New Testament, alongside maps and genealogies. Some of these books are also known as Deuterocanonical books, a term used by the Catholic Church and other Christian traditions. The 70 missing verses of 2 Esdras, which are not included in the King James Version Apocrypha, can be found in the Cambridge Annotated Study Apocrypha, edited by Howard C. Kee, and in the NRSV Holy Bible with Apocrypha, published by Oxford University Press. Features: ・ Audio Bible (TTS – Text-to-Speech): Listen to the Apocrypha, Deuterocanonical books, and the KJV Bible with professional narration. ・ Offline Access: Read and listen to the Bible and Apocrypha without an internet connection. ・ Auto-Scrolling Mode: Continuous reading without flipping pages manually. ・ Full-Screen Reading Mode for distraction-free Bible study. ・ Bookmark & Notepad: Save your favorite verses, add notes, and copy passages with a single tap. ・ Custom Highlights: Choose from 4 different colors. ・ Large & Bold Fonts: Easy-to-read text with adjustable font sizes, word spacing, and line height. ・ Powerful search engine that lets you quickly find verses across all books of the Bible. ・ Three Verse Layout Modes for personalized reading preferences. ・ Resume Reading: Easily pick up where you left off. ・ Portrait & Landscape Modes for flexible reading. ・ Additional Free Bible Apps Available: Download the King James Version (KJV 1611), World English Bible (WEB), and more. Books Included for Free: Apocrypha / Deuterocanonical Books: 1 Esdras 2 Esdras (with missing 70 verses) Tobit Judith Additions to Esther Wisdom of Solomon Sirach (Ecclesiasticus) Baruch Letter of Jeremiah Prayer of Azariah Susanna Bel and the Dragon Prayer of Manasseh 1 Maccabees 2 Maccabees Laodiceans Should the Apocrypha Be in the Bible? The Apocrypha has been a subject of debate for centuries. Some argue these books were never part of the inspired Word of God, citing verses such as Tobit 6:5-8, which mentions magic, as inconsistent with the rest of the Bible. Others believe the Apocrypha was wrongly removed, pointing out that these books were included in the Bible for nearly 2,000 years before being taken out just over a century ago. Some claim that they were excluded due to their absence from the original Hebrew manuscripts, while others argue that publishers removed them to reduce printing costs. Interestingly, fragments of the Dead Sea Scrolls, dating back to before 70 A.D., contain portions of Apocryphal books in Hebrew, including Sirach and Tobit, suggesting that these texts were valued in early Jewish communities. These Bible book apps are also available from the same developer: King James Version (KJV) & World English Bible (WEB) The King James Bible (KJV) remains one of the most widely recognized and influential Bible translations. Commissioned by King James I of England in 1604 and completed in 1611, it has shaped English-speaking Christianity for centuries. For those seeking a more modern translation, the World English Bible (WEB) provides a complete Holy Bible in contemporary English, maintaining accuracy and readability. Download Now – The Ultimate Free Apocrypha Bible App! Explore the Apocrypha, Deuterocanonical books. Whether for Bible study, historical research, or devotional reading, this app provides an authentic biblical experience with powerful features—all for free! Thank you for using Apocrypha / Deuterocanonical: Bible’s Lost Books.

About

Ancient Scriptures

Features
Read full description

Read Scripture offline with a library built for serious study—not a single translation locked behind a paywall. Ancient Scriptures brings together public-domain Bibles, Catholic and expanded texts, and original-language editions in one calm, distraction-free reader. No account required. No ads. No tracking. A deeper library • King James (with Apocrypha), Geneva, Douay-Rheims, ASV, World English Bible, and more • 30+ free translations, including literal, historical, modern, and study editions • Deuterocanon / Apocrypha: Tobit, Judith, Maccabees, Wisdom, Sirach, and related books • Expanded texts: Book of Enoch, Jubilees, Jasher, and related public-domain works • Hebrew (WLC), Latin Vulgate, and Brenton Septuagint for original-language reading Made for daily reading • Beautiful page-turn or scroll reading modes • Adjustable font size, line spacing, and sepia theme • Continue where you left off automatically • Reading plans: Bible in a year, Gospels in 40 days, Psalms, Proverbs, Torah, and more • Home Screen widget with a daily verse—tap to open that passage in the app Study tools • Highlight verses in multiple colors • Vault saves all your highlights in one place—tap any verse to jump back to it • Footnotes and cross-reference indicators • Side-by-side parallel translation compare • Hebrew Names Mode (optional sacred-name rendering) • Full-text search across your library • Optional iCloud sync for highlights, footnotes, and preferences Private & offline Everything works without an internet connection. Your reading, highlights, and search stay on your device. iCloud sync is optional and uses your Apple ID—nothing is sold to advertisers. Ancient Scriptures is free. Optional one-time tips support development but do not unlock features. All included translations are public domain or freely licensed. Modern copyrighted Bibles (NIV, ESV, NASB, etc.) are not bundled. License Agreement: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

Apocrypha4 screens
Ancient Scriptures4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Apocrypha at none against Ancient Scriptures's 3. Apocrypha also leads on update cadence (fortnightly vs every 5 weeks) and iOS requirement (15.0 vs 18.0). Ancient Scriptures's advantage is ads (none vs shown). On price and device support there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Ancient Scriptures sells 3 one-off in-app purchases. Apocrypha asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Apocrypha ships an update fortnightly, Ancient Scriptures every 5 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 3, 2026 and October 25, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
Apocrypha versus Ancient Scriptures: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterApocryphaAncient Scriptures
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.7 (643 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews72.5% of reviews—
Number of ratings643 — better—
Update frequencyFortnightly — betterEvery 5 weeks
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS15.0 — better18.0
Further details — not scored
Size58 MB292 MB
Age rating4++4
DeveloperHaven TranCameron Howard

Bugs and requests

Apocrypha

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • Chapters not loading
  • Bookmarks not working
  • Crashing issues
  • Compatibility problems on tablets

Requested features

4 requests
  • Offline reading mode
  • Table of contents
  • Improved search functionality
  • Bookmarking and note-taking features

Ancient Scriptures

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

None

Apocrypha

No in-app purchases

3 purchases

Ancient Scriptures

One-time3
  • Small Gift$0.99
  • Kind Gift$1.99
  • Generous Gift$2.99

Questions

Is Apocrypha free?
Apocrypha is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Ancient Scriptures free?
Ancient Scriptures is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Apocrypha or Ancient Scriptures have ads?
Apocrypha shows ads; Ancient Scriptures does not.
Which is updated more often, Apocrypha or Ancient Scriptures?
Apocrypha ships an update fortnightly, and Ancient Scriptures every 5 weeks. Most recently, Apocrypha was updated on November 3, 2026 and Ancient Scriptures on October 25, 2026.

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