# Shine vs Ulysses

The clearest difference is price: Shine at Free against Ulysses's $4.99. Shine also leads on update cadence (every 9 days vs every 2 months) and ratings volume (381 vs 1). Ulysses's advantage is rating (5.0 vs 4.7) and device support (5 vs 1). On ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Shine is free to download; Ulysses costs $4.99 up front. Shine sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month and Ulysses sells 3 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Ulysses holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Shine has 381 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

Shine ships an update every 9 days, Ulysses every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 25, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Shine | Ulysses |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **Free** | $4.99 |
| Rating | [4.7 (381 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shine-bible-alarm/id1475249130/reviews) | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ulysses/id6789352921/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **381** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | 61.5% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 9 days** | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | **Free with in-app purchases** | Paid |
| Size | 291 MB | 5 MB |
| Requires iOS | 26.0 | **17.0** |
| Devices | iPhone | **iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, Vision Pro** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Yariv Adam](https://appshunter.io/developer/1200715913) | [Hessam Zahedi](https://appshunter.io/developer/6785146214) |

## What reviewers say

### Shine

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shine-bible-alarm/id1475249130)

Wake up to inspiring Bible verses narrated with beautiful background music. Customize your daily devotion with different Bible versions, narrators, and themed verse packs. Share uplifting messages with loved ones and start your day with spiritual guidance.

**Highlights:** Professionally narrated Bible verses, Choice of KJV or NIV versions, Male or female narrator options, Themed verse packs (Calm, Happy, etc.), Dark Mode, Share verses with friends and family

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly Support Subscription | $3.99 | per month |
| Discount subscription | $9.99 | per year |
| Recommended subscription | $19.99 | per year |
| Generous support subscription | $29.99 | per year |
| Awesome Support Subscription | $39.99 | per year |
| Inspired Pack | $0.99 | one-time |
| Motivated Pack | $0.99 | one-time |
| Happy Pack | $0.99 | one-time |
| Faithful Pack | $0.99 | one-time |
| All Packs | $3.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- ✨ Wakes up with scripture
- 🙏 Encouraging start to the day
- 💖 Blessing to start the day
- 🌟 Well-designed and nice to use
- 💡 Great idea for Christians

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔊 Blaring loud volume
- 🔋 High battery usage
- 😴 Alarm sometimes doesn't go off
- 🔇 Alarm doesn't ring on vibrate
- 😠 Alarm can be too loud/quiet

**Reported bugs**

- Alarm sometimes doesn't go off
- Alarm keeps going off even when not supposed to
- Does not work when using snooze button
- Alarm doesn't ring when phone is on vibrate
- App won't make an alarm

**Requested features**

- Volume slowly increases (gradual wake-up)
- Alternate languages (English to Spanish)
- Set recurring alarms in advance
- Multiple alarms at once
- Volume adjustment while alarm is sounding


### Ulysses

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ulysses/id6789352921)

This journal app helps you build self-control by reflecting on daily temptations and the strategies used to overcome them. It offers guided breathing exercises and insights into what works for you, without any pressure of streaks.

**Highlights:** Nightly self-control journaling, Guided breathing exercises, Insight into effective strategies, No streak tracking, Cultural ropes exploration, Apple Watch integration, iCloud sync

**Features:** Apple Watch app

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Tip — A coil of rope | $2.99 | one-time |
| Tip — A new sail | $6.99 | one-time |
| A ship for the fleet | $14.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Shine free?

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

### Is Ulysses free?

Ulysses costs $4.99, and also offers in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Shine or Ulysses?

Ulysses is rated higher. Shine averages 4.7 out of 5 from 381 ratings, while Ulysses averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.

### Do Shine or Ulysses have ads?

Neither Shine nor Ulysses shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Shine or Ulysses?

Shine ships an update every 9 days, and Ulysses every 2 months. Most recently, Shine was updated on October 24, 2026 and Ulysses on October 25, 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.*