# ESV Bible vs Scriptur

ESV Bible and Scriptur both sit at 4.7 stars, but that hides the real split: 100% of Scriptur's written reviews are positive against 71% of ESV Bible's. ESV Bible's advantage is ratings volume (9.9K vs 5) and chart position (#92 vs unranked). On price, rating, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. ESV Bible sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month and Scriptur sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.7 for ESV Bible against 4.8 for Scriptur. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: ESV Bible has 9.9K ratings behind it against 5, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 71% of ESV Bible's written reviews are positive against 100% of Scriptur's.

ESV Bible ships an update every 4 weeks, Scriptur monthly. The most recent releases landed on October 14, 2026 and October 2, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | ESV Bible | Scriptur |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.7 (9.9K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/esv-bible/id361797273/reviews) | **[4.8 (5 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/scriptur-bible-reader/id6763338960/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **9.9K** | 5 |
| Positive reviews | 70.8% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 4 weeks** | Monthly |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | **#92** | — |
| Size | 34 MB | 39 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | **15.1** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Crossway](https://appshunter.io/developer/361797276) | [CREASD LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1895271643) |

## What reviewers say

### ESV Bible

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

**Currently charting:** #92 Top Grossing · Reference, #103 Top Free · 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


### Scriptur

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/scriptur-bible-reader/id6763338960)

This app offers a clean, distraction-free way to read the Bible. It focuses solely on Scripture with a beautiful, minimal design, helping users engage with the Word without notifications or clutter.

**Highlights:** Beautiful Bible reading experience, Daily Bible verse inspiration, Clean, modern design, Fast and intuitive navigation, Distraction-free reading

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Full Bible Unlock | $2.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is ESV Bible free?

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

### Is Scriptur free?

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

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

Scriptur is rated higher. ESV Bible averages 4.7 out of 5 from 9.9K ratings, while Scriptur averages 4.8 from 5 ratings.

### Do ESV Bible or Scriptur have ads?

Neither ESV Bible nor Scriptur shows ads.

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

ESV Bible ships an update every 4 weeks, and Scriptur monthly. Most recently, ESV Bible was updated on October 14, 2026 and Scriptur on October 2, 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.*