# Bible Study Tools vs Bible Gateway

The clearest difference is rating: Bible Gateway at 3.7 against Bible Study Tools's 2.8. Bible Gateway also leads on ratings volume (10K vs 867) and chart position (#89 vs unranked). Bible Study Tools's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 9) and review sentiment (26% vs 18%). On price, update cadence, ads and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Bible Gateway sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $6.99 per month. Bible Study Tools asks for nothing beyond the download.

Bible Gateway holds the better App Store score, 3.7 against 2.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Bible Gateway has 10K ratings behind it against 867, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 26% of Bible Study Tools's written reviews are positive against 18% of Bible Gateway's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly monthly. The most recent releases landed on September 29, 2026 and October 3, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Bible Study Tools | Bible Gateway |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [2.8 (867 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bible-study-tools/id396906089/reviews) | **[3.7 (10K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bible-gateway/id506512797/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 867 | **10K** |
| Positive reviews | **26.4% of reviews** | 18.2% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | Monthly | Monthly |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | — | **#89** |
| Size | 68 MB | 100 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | 17.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Salem Communications](https://appshunter.io/developer/349087409) | [HarperCollins Christian Publishing, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/444535393) |

## What reviewers say

### Bible Study Tools

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bible-study-tools/id396906089)

Access a vast library of Bible translations, commentaries, and study tools. Personalize your reading experience with notes, highlights, and customizable themes. Engage with daily reading plans and explore verses by topic.

**Highlights:** Multiple Bible translations, Personalized notes and highlights, Daily Bible reading plans, Commentaries and concordances, Verses by topic, Customizable themes and font sizes

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Easy to use
- 👍 Variety of Bible versions
- 🚀 Helpful reading plans
- 👍 Great study tool
- 🚀 Excellent resource

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Crashes frequently
- 🔍 Difficult to navigate
- 💸 Too many ads
- 🔍 Buggy interface
- 🔍 Unreliable app

**Reported bugs**

- Reading plans not loading properly
- Verses not displaying correctly
- Constant crashing on launch
- Login issues and account problems
- Incompatibility with newer devices

**Requested features**

- Dark mode option
- Ability to save notes and highlights
- Improved reading plan tracking
- Smoother integration with website
- Paid ad-free version


### Bible Gateway

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bible-gateway/id506512797)

**Currently charting:** #89 Top Grossing · Reference, #117 Top Free · Reference (US App Store)

Access over 200 Bible translations and audio Bibles in multiple languages for free. Enhance your reading with features like highlighting, note-taking, and verse syncing. An optional upgrade offers an ad-free experience and access to extensive study tools.

**Highlights:** 200+ Bible translations, Audio Bibles, Search by keyword, verse, or topic, Highlighting and note-taking, Cross-device syncing, Reading plans, Verse of the Day

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (5)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Bible Gateway Plus Monthly | $6.99 | per month |
| Bible Gateway Plus Monthly | $6.99 | per month |
| Bible Gateway Plus Yearly | $58.99 | per year |
| Bible Gateway Plus Yearly | $69.99 | per year |
| Bible Gateway Plus Yearly | $69.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Excellent Bible study tool
- 🔍 Wide range of translations and languages
- 🎧 Useful audio Bible feature
- 📚 Comprehensive Bible resources
- 🗓️ Helpful reading plans and reminders

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes and glitches
- 📱 Compatibility issues with newer devices
- 💤 Audio playback issues and resets
- 🔍 Inconsistent search functionality
- 📝 Limited note-taking and highlighting options

**Reported bugs**

- Verses not displaying correctly
- Inability to navigate to specific chapters/verses
- Saved notes and highlights not persisting
- Audio playback issues and resets

**Requested features**

- Offline Bible downloads
- More translation options (e.g., NRSV, Good News)
- Improved note-taking and highlighting capabilities
- Customizable font and layout options
- Seamless syncing across devices


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Bible Study Tools free?

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

### Is Bible Gateway free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Bible Study Tools or Bible Gateway?

Bible Gateway is rated higher. Bible Study Tools averages 2.8 out of 5 from 867 ratings, while Bible Gateway averages 3.7 from 10K ratings.

### Do Bible Study Tools or Bible Gateway have ads?

Both Bible Study Tools and Bible Gateway show ads.

### Which is updated more often, Bible Study Tools or Bible Gateway?

Bible Study Tools ships an update monthly, and Bible Gateway monthly. Most recently, Bible Study Tools was updated on September 29, 2026 and Bible Gateway on October 3, 2026.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*