# The Church App vs Study Gateway

The clearest difference is monetization model: The Church App at free against Study Gateway's subscription. The Church App also leads on update cadence (every 2 months vs every 5 months). Study Gateway's advantage is review sentiment (76% vs 59%) and ratings volume (967 vs 96). On price, rating, 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.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.1 for The Church App against 4.2 for Study Gateway. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Study Gateway has 967 ratings behind it against 96, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 59% of The Church App's written reviews are positive against 76% of Study Gateway's.

The Church App ships an update every 2 months, Study Gateway every 5 months. Both last shipped on November 6, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | The Church App | Study Gateway |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.1 (96 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-church-app/id336032331/reviews) | **[4.2 (967 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/study-gateway/id916234406/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 96 | **967** |
| Positive reviews | 59.1% of reviews | **75.9% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 months** | Every 5 months |
| Monetization | **Free** | Subscription |
| Size | 56 MB | 68 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.1** | 16.6 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, Apple TV |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Subsplash Inc](https://appshunter.io/developer/336032334) | [HarperCollins Christian Publishing, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/444535393) |

## What reviewers say

### The Church App

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-church-app/id336032331)

Stay connected with your church community. Access sermons, resources, and updates directly on your mobile device. Engage with content, manage events, and support ministry.

**Highlights:** Offline sermon downloads, Cross-device note-taking, Bible reading plans, Event registration, Secure in-app giving, Shareable content

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

**In-app purchases:** none


### Study Gateway

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/study-gateway/id916234406)

Access a vast library of on-demand video Bible studies from renowned Christian teachers and authors. Explore topics like discipleship, healing, and Christian living through engaging video content. This service is available as part of a subscription.

**Highlights:** On-demand video Bible studies, World-renowned Bible teachers, Thousands of study videos, Discipleship and Christian living topics, Overcoming and healing content, Bible discussion resources

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🙏🏻 Blessed by the studies
- 👍 Helpful for personal and group study
- 📚 Extensive Bible study content
- 🤗 Enjoyable and engaging teaching
- ⚓️ Strengthens faith and relationship with God

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Buggy app with login and access issues
- 🤯 Difficult to navigate and find content
- 🔒 Lack of customer support and account management
- 💰 Frustrating subscription and cancellation process

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes frequently
- Unable to access purchased content
- Login and password issues
- Compatibility problems on various devices

**Requested features**

- Improve app stability and user experience
- Provide better customer service and account management
- Simplify subscription and cancellation process


## Frequently asked questions

### Is The Church App free?

The Church App is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Study Gateway free?

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

### Which has better reviews, The Church App or Study Gateway?

Study Gateway is rated higher. The Church App averages 4.1 out of 5 from 96 ratings, while Study Gateway averages 4.2 from 967 ratings.

### Do The Church App or Study Gateway have ads?

Neither The Church App nor Study Gateway shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, The Church App or Study Gateway?

The Church App ships an update every 2 months, and Study Gateway every 5 months. Most recently, The Church App was updated on November 6, 2026 and Study Gateway on November 6, 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.*