# ESV Bible vs BibleProject

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: BibleProject at none against ESV Bible's 2. BibleProject also leads on review sentiment (92% vs 71%) and rating (4.9 vs 4.7). ESV Bible's advantage is ratings volume (11K vs 2.8K). On price, update cadence, ads and chart position there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. ESV Bible sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month. BibleProject asks for nothing beyond the download.

BibleProject holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.7. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 11K and 2.8K respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 71% of ESV Bible's written reviews are positive against 92% of BibleProject's.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 4 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 26, 2026 and October 25, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | ESV Bible | BibleProject |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.7 (11K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/esv-bible/id361797273/reviews) | **[4.9 (2.8K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bibleproject/id1523687027/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **11K** | 2.8K |
| Positive reviews | 70.9% of reviews | **91.7% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 4 weeks | Every 4 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Best chart rank | #100 | **#72** |
| Size | 34 MB | 79 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | **15.5** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Crossway](https://appshunter.io/developer/361797276) | [BibleProject](https://appshunter.io/developer/1320858813) |

## What reviewers say

### ESV Bible

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/esv-bible/id361797273)

**Currently charting:** #100 Top Free · Reference, #110 Top Grossing · Reference (US App Store)

Engage with scripture through reading, listening, and in-depth study. This app offers customizable reading plans, audio Bibles with background music, and tools for reflection and annotation. Unlock premium study resources for a deeper understanding of God's Word.

**Highlights:** Distraction-free reader's mode, Search by reference, keyword, or phrase, Audio Bibles with instrumental music, Over 50 Bible reading plans, Free ESV Global Study Bible access, Notes, highlighting, and bookmarking, Sync content with ESV.org

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

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| ESV Bible App Subscription | $3.99 | per month |
| ESV Bible App Subscription | $39.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Smooth functionality
- 👍 Elegant, minimal design
- 👍 Uncluttered reading experience
- 👍 Variety of narrators and audio options
- 👍 Useful study resources and commentary

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Glitchy highlighting and note-taking
- 🐛 Inconsistent reading plan tracking
- 🐛 Audio playback issues
- 🔒 Concerns about data collection
- 💰 Subscription model for full access

**Reported bugs**

- Crashing and freezing issues
- Verses missing from the text
- Incorrect chapter/verse navigation
- Disappearing highlights and notes

**Requested features**

- Ability to customize font size and style
- Offline audio download option
- Improved navigation between books and chapters
- Verse-level highlighting and note-taking
- Syncing of bookmarks and notes across devices


### BibleProject

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bibleproject/id1523687027)

**Currently charting:** #72 Top Free · Reference (US App Store)

Access free Bible videos, podcasts, blogs, and classes designed to make the biblical story accessible. Learn to read scripture, explore themes, and deepen your understanding of Jesus through engaging educational resources.

**Highlights:** Free Bible videos, Podcasts on biblical theology, Educational Bible classes, Continue learning feature, Explore scripture at your own pace, Short visual explanations of Bible books

**Features:** Apple Wallet, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Engaging and intuitive design
- 👍 Helpful for understanding the Bible
- 💡 Visually appealing and creative
- 🚀 Vast library of resources
- 👍 Organized and easy to navigate

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional bugs and crashes
- 🔋 Downloading issues with content
- 🔒 Lack of certain Bible translations
- 👎 Navigation can be confusing at times

**Reported bugs**

- Podcast playback issues
- Notifications not working as expected
- Inconsistent behavior when switching between app and external links

**Requested features**

- Add more Bible translations (e.g., KJV, ESV, NRSV)
- Implement a sleep timer for podcasts
- Introduce note-taking and bookmarking features
- Add support for CarPlay and Apple TV
- Improve offline access and download capabilities


## Frequently asked questions

### Is ESV Bible free?

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

### Is BibleProject free?

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

### Which has better reviews, ESV Bible or BibleProject?

BibleProject is rated higher. ESV Bible averages 4.7 out of 5 from 11K ratings, while BibleProject averages 4.9 from 2.8K ratings.

### Do ESV Bible or BibleProject have ads?

Neither ESV Bible nor BibleProject shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, ESV Bible or BibleProject?

ESV Bible ships an update every 4 weeks, and BibleProject every 4 weeks. Most recently, ESV Bible was updated on October 26, 2026 and BibleProject on October 25, 2026.

### Which is more popular, ESV Bible or BibleProject?

ESV Bible currently peaks at #100 in the App Store charts, and BibleProject at #72. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

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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.*