Comparison

ESV Bible vs Gospel Daily

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

ESV Bible

Easily read, study, and engage with scripture on your mobile device. Features audio Bibles, customizable reading plans, and in-depth study resources. Sync your notes and highlights across devices.

Highlights
  • Distraction-free reader mode
  • Search by reference, keyword, or phrase
  • Listen to audio Bibles with background music
  • Over 50 Bible reading plans
  • Access to study Bibles and commentaries
  • Personal notes and highlighting
  • Cross-device syncing
Features
Read full description

The ESV Bible app allows you to easily read, study, and engage with God’s Word wherever you go, making it the best possible Bible reading experience for your phone or tablet. Listen to Scripture with audio Bibles and meditate on God’s Word with instrumental background music. Customize your experience with a wide variety of reading plans and thematic playlist options, helping you make daily Bible reading a habit every day. READ THE BIBLE WHEREVER YOU GO • Toggle display options to a streamlined, distraction-free reader's mode • Search tools allow you to quickly search the Bible by reference, keyword, or phrase • Quick access to cross-references LISTEN AND MEDITATE • Listen to the Bible read aloud by acclaimed Christian artists, pastors, and Bible teachers • Voices include Kristyn Getty, Ray Ortlund, Jackie Hill Perry, Michael Reeves, and more • Instrumental background music to help you meditate as you listen • A diverse selection of musical styles, artists, and genres • Individual volume controls allow you to adjust the music and Bible audio separately MAKE A HABIT OF BIBLE READING • Choose from over 50 Bible reading plans • One-year, devotional, and topical plans offer a wide variety of options to fit your lifestyle and reading goals DIVE DEEPER INTO GOD’S WORD • Access the ESV Global Study Bible for free • Subscribe to unlock a full library of study resources, including the ESV Study Bible, ESV Archaeology Study Bible, Preaching the Word commentary series, ESV Expository Commentary series, and more ENGAGE WITH SCRIPTURE • Record your personal reflections using the easy-to-use notes feature • Highlight and bookmark favorite portions of Scripture • All content saved via a free account is synced with ESV.org—giving you access to personal notes, bookmarks, and highlights from any device • Adjust dozens of layout and text settings including font size, red letter, background color, and more UNLOCK PREMIUM FEATURES • Access to the full range of study Bibles, commentaries, and playlists available online and in the app • Over 50 playlists compile thematic verses to guide you through a particular mood, topic, or season Deepen your time in God’s Word with customizable study and audio features available with the ESV Bible app. Download for free today! EULA: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

About

Gospel Daily

Deepen your faith with guided quiet times, journaling prompts, and scripture study tools. Build a daily spiritual growth habit with curated reading plans and reflections designed for peace and renewal.

Highlights
  • Guided quiet times
  • Journaling prompts
  • Scripture reading plans
  • Historical context
  • Daily reflections
  • Habit building
Features
Read full description

What Can I Do with Gospel Daily? Download the app for free. The following features require a paid subscription: Reflect Gospel Daily helps you engage with God’s Word through guided quiet times, journaling prompts, and devotionals designed to deepen your faith. Read Along Follow along with Scripture as it scrolls on your screen, making it easy to meditate on God’s Word in a structured, distraction-free way. Read & Study Customize your Bible study experience with curated reading plans, historical context, and tools to help you apply Scripture to your daily life. Rest & Renew Wind down with reflections and prayers that encourage peace and rest in God’s presence. Build a Habit Spiritual growth happens through daily discipline. Gospel Daily helps you stay consistent to keep you connected to the Word. Start your journey today and make time with God a daily habit. Subscription Options: Monthly subscription: $4.99 Annual subscription: $49.99 Subscription Terms: Payment will be charged to your iTunes account at confirmation of purchase. Subscription automatically renews unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. Account will be charged for renewal within 24 hours prior to the end of the current period. Subscriptions may be managed by the user and auto-renewal may be turned off by going to the user's iTunes Account Settings after purchase. No cancellation of the current subscription is allowed during active subscription period. EULA agreement: https://app.termly.io/policy-viewer/policy.html?policyUUID=bd11a745-76bc-4a55-9b98-262c5ec82400

Screenshots

ESV Bible4 screens
Gospel Daily4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Gospel Daily at 100% against ESV Bible's 71%. Gospel Daily also leads on update cadence (every 4 days vs monthly) and rating (5.0 vs 4.7). ESV Bible's advantage is ratings volume (11K vs 7) and chart position (#103 vs unranked). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. ESV Bible sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month and Gospel Daily sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Gospel Daily holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: ESV Bible has 11K ratings behind it against 7, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 71% of ESV Bible's written reviews are positive against 100% of Gospel Daily's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

ESV Bible ships an update monthly, Gospel Daily every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on November 7, 2026 and November 4, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 6 level
ESV Bible versus Gospel Daily: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterESV BibleGospel Daily
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.7 (11K ratings)5.0 (7 ratings) — better
Positive reviews70.9% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings11K — better7
Update frequencyMonthlyEvery 4 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFreemiumFreemium
Best chart rank#103 — better—
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS16.0 — better17.2
Further details — not scored
Size34 MB9 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperCrosswayLifeJournal, LLC

Customer experience

ESV Bible

All ratings10,593 ratings
Positive92.1%
Neutral2.9%
Negative5.0%
Written reviews694 reviews
Positive70.9%
Neutral11.2%
Negative17.9%

Gospel Daily

All ratings5 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews2 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Bugs and requests

ESV Bible

Reported bugs

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

Requested features

6 requests
  • 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
Show 1 more
  • Verse of the day widget or notification

Gospel Daily

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

2 purchases

ESV Bible

Subscriptions2
  • ESV Bible App Subscription7 Days trial$3.991 Month
  • ESV Bible App Subscription7 Days trial$39.991 Year
2 purchases

Gospel Daily

Subscriptions2
  • Monthly$4.991 Month
  • Yearly$49.991 Year

Questions

Is ESV Bible free?
ESV Bible is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Gospel Daily free?
Gospel Daily is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, ESV Bible or Gospel Daily?
Gospel Daily is rated higher. ESV Bible averages 4.7 out of 5 from 11K ratings, while Gospel Daily averages 5.0 from 7 ratings.
Do ESV Bible or Gospel Daily have ads?
Neither ESV Bible nor Gospel Daily shows ads.
Which is updated more often, ESV Bible or Gospel Daily?
ESV Bible ships an update monthly, and Gospel Daily every 4 days. Most recently, ESV Bible was updated on November 7, 2026 and Gospel Daily on November 4, 2026.

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