# Bible Study Tools vs The MacArthur Study Bible

The clearest difference is rating: The MacArthur Study Bible at 4.9 against Bible Study Tools's 2.8. The MacArthur Study Bible also leads on review sentiment (66% vs 26%) and ads (none vs shown). Bible Study Tools's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1). On price, update cadence, monetization model and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. The MacArthur Study Bible sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Bible Study Tools asks for nothing beyond the download.

The MacArthur Study Bible holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 2.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: The MacArthur Study Bible has 18K ratings behind it against 867, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 26% of Bible Study Tools's written reviews are positive against 66% of The MacArthur Study Bible's.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly monthly. The most recent releases landed on September 29, 2026 and October 1, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Bible Study Tools | The MacArthur Study Bible |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [2.8 (867 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bible-study-tools/id396906089/reviews) | **[4.9 (18K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-macarthur-study-bible/id992237916/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 867 | **18K** |
| Positive reviews | 26.4% of reviews | **65.6% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Monthly | Monthly |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | — | **#201** |
| Size | 68 MB | 112 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **15.1** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Salem Communications](https://appshunter.io/developer/349087409) | [Grace to You](https://appshunter.io/developer/992237915) |

## 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


### The MacArthur Study Bible

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-macarthur-study-bible/id992237916)

**Currently charting:** #201 Top Free · Reference (US App Store)

Access a vast library of biblical resources, including multiple scripture translations and over 3,000 sermons. Enhance your understanding with study notes, articles, and daily devotionals. Synchronize your personal data across devices for a seamless study experience.

**Highlights:** Multiple Bible translations (ESV, NAS, KJV), Extensive sermon archive, Highlighting and note-taking, Daily Bible reading plan, Study guides and articles, Cross-device data synchronization

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| John MacArthur’s Study Bible Notes | Free | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🙏 Excellent study resource
- 📚 Helpful commentary and notes
- 🔍 Useful cross-references
- 🎧 Convenient audio Bible
- 🕰️ Daily devotionals and sermons

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent freezing and crashes
- 🔀 Jumping to wrong chapters/verses
- 💤 Slow performance and unresponsiveness
- 🔍 Highlighting issues (can only highlight one verse at a time)
- 🔗 Broken links and navigation problems

**Reported bugs**

- Unable to create account
- Inability to access saved notes and highlights
- Incompatibility issues with newer iOS devices
- Devotionals not updating regularly

**Requested features**

- Support for more Bible translations (e.g. NIV, NLT)
- Improved highlighting and note-taking capabilities
- Seamless syncing across devices
- Customizable font and theme options
- Better integration with other Bible study tools


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Bible Study Tools free?

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

### Is The MacArthur Study Bible free?

The MacArthur Study Bible is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Bible Study Tools or The MacArthur Study Bible?

The MacArthur Study Bible is rated higher. Bible Study Tools averages 2.8 out of 5 from 867 ratings, while The MacArthur Study Bible averages 4.9 from 18K ratings.

### Do Bible Study Tools or The MacArthur Study Bible have ads?

Bible Study Tools shows ads; The MacArthur Study Bible does not.

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

Bible Study Tools ships an update monthly, and The MacArthur Study Bible monthly. Most recently, Bible Study Tools was updated on September 29, 2026 and The MacArthur Study Bible on October 1, 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.*