# SmartGroups | Bible Study vs Called

The clearest difference is monetization model: SmartGroups | Bible Study at free against Called's free with in-app purchases. SmartGroups | Bible Study also leads on review sentiment (83% vs 75%). Called's advantage is ratings volume (370 vs 15) and rating (4.8 vs 4.6). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Called holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Called has 370 ratings behind it against 15, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 83% of SmartGroups | Bible Study's written reviews are positive against 75% of Called's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

SmartGroups | Bible Study ships an update every 10 days, Called every 6 days. The most recent releases landed on October 13, 2026 and October 7, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | SmartGroups | Bible Study | Called |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.6 (15 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/smartgroups-bible-study/id1501762346/reviews) | **[4.8 (370 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/called-grow-disciples/id6445821834/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 15 | **370** |
| Positive reviews | **83.3% of reviews** | 75.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 10 days | **Every 6 days** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 137 MB | 34 MB |
| Requires iOS | **16.1** | 17.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [LIFEPLUS TECHNOLOGY, INC.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1072246471) | [Called LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1673988515) |

## What reviewers say

### SmartGroups | Bible Study

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/smartgroups-bible-study/id1501762346)

Facilitate and manage small group Bible studies with an all-in-one platform. Features include group leadership tools, integrated worship capabilities, and a space for prayer. Designed to simplify the organization and execution of religious small groups.

**Highlights:** Group leadership tools, Integrated worship, Prayer facilitation, All-in-one organization, Simplified group management

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


### Called

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/called-grow-disciples/id6445821834)

This app helps build Christian communities and groups, fostering meaningful connections away from social media noise. It's designed for church-goers, ministry leaders, and faith-based organizations to organize events, manage groups, and engage in focused conversations.

**Highlights:** Discover Christian groups, Engage in meaningful conversations, Manage small groups, Organize church and ministry groups, Event creation and RSVP management, Customizable notifications

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 All-in-one communication hub
- 👍 Great for faith-based communities
- 👍 Simple and easy to use
- 👍 Keeps users connected
- 👍 Good for organizing groups

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 App not working after update
- 🐛 Cannot upgrade members
- 🐛 Cannot add members to chats
- 🐛 Slow opening
- 🐛 Notifications not showing correctly

**Reported bugs**

- Cannot upgrade members to leader status
- Cannot add members to existing group chats
- App opens slow
- Notifications don’t show correctly and clear
- Text does not adjust with phone text adjustments

**Requested features**

- Ability to reply to individual messages in a thread
- Search bar for emojis


## Frequently asked questions

### Is SmartGroups | Bible Study free?

SmartGroups | Bible Study is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Called free?

Called is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, SmartGroups | Bible Study or Called?

Called is rated higher. SmartGroups | Bible Study averages 4.6 out of 5 from 15 ratings, while Called averages 4.8 from 370 ratings.

### Do SmartGroups | Bible Study or Called have ads?

Neither SmartGroups | Bible Study nor Called shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, SmartGroups | Bible Study or Called?

SmartGroups | Bible Study ships an update every 10 days, and Called every 6 days. Most recently, SmartGroups | Bible Study was updated on October 13, 2026 and Called on October 7, 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.*