# The Encounter vs Good Shepherd App

The Encounter and Good Shepherd App are too close to call on the numbers: across 6 compared parameters — price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases among them — neither pulls far enough ahead to decide it. What separates them is feature set and interface, not measurable difference.

Both are free to download. The Encounter sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month and Good Shepherd App sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 20, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | The Encounter | Good Shepherd App |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.5 (55 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-encounter/id1596789782/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **55** | — |
| Positive reviews | 58.8% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 weeks | Every 2 weeks |
| Monetization | Freemium | — |
| Size | 82 MB | 78 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.1** | 16.4 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Faithtree Resources](https://appshunter.io/developer/1596789784) | [Gregory Barrett](https://appshunter.io/developer/6789198744) |

## What reviewers say

### The Encounter

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-encounter/id1596789782)

This app provides daily Orthodox prayers, scripture readings, saint stories, and hymns to help users establish a consistent prayer rhythm. It offers guided prayers, a library for various occasions, and sacred music to foster a deeper connection with faith.

**Highlights:** Daily Morning, Noonday, and Evening Prayers, Guided prayers with text and audio, Daily Gospel and Epistle scripture readings, Prayer library for various occasions, Saint of the Day profiles, Orthodox chant and hymns, Book of Psalms

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Premium Content | $3.99 | per month |
| Premium Monthly Subscription | $3.99 | per month |
| Premium yearly subscription | $39.99 | per year |


### Good Shepherd App

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/good-shepherd-app/id6789198742)

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

**In-app purchases (5)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| premium monthly | $2.99 | per month |
| family monthly | $4.99 | per month |
| premium yearly | $19.99 | per year |
| family yearly | $39.99 | per year |
| premium lifetime | $79.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is The Encounter free?

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

### Is Good Shepherd App free?

Good Shepherd App is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Do The Encounter or Good Shepherd App have ads?

Neither The Encounter nor Good Shepherd App shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, The Encounter or Good Shepherd App?

The Encounter ships an update every 2 weeks, and Good Shepherd App every 2 weeks. Most recently, The Encounter was updated on October 20, 2026 and Good Shepherd App on October 24, 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.*