# Jesus Calling Devotional vs Through the Word

Jesus Calling Devotional and Through the Word both sit at 4.9 stars, but that hides the real split: 88% of Through the Word's written reviews are positive against 41% of Jesus Calling Devotional's. Through the Word also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 10) and update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 2 months). Jesus Calling Devotional's advantage is ratings volume (57K vs 5.1K). On price, rating, ads and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Jesus Calling Devotional sells 9 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. Through the Word asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.9 for Jesus Calling Devotional against 4.8 for Through the Word. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Jesus Calling Devotional has 57K ratings behind it against 5.1K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 41% of Jesus Calling Devotional's written reviews are positive against 88% of Through the Word's.

Jesus Calling Devotional ships an update every 2 months, Through the Word every 2 weeks. Both last shipped on November 11, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Jesus Calling Devotional | Through the Word |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.9 (57K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/jesus-calling-devotional/id444553118/reviews)** | [4.8 (5.1K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/through-the-word-bible-guide/id1324825712/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **57K** | 5.1K |
| Positive reviews | 41.3% of reviews | **88.1% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Every 2 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | **#29** | #83 |
| Size | 87 MB | 37 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.4 | **16.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [HarperCollins Christian Publishing, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/444535393) | [Through the Word Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/490465297) |

## What reviewers say

### Jesus Calling Devotional

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/jesus-calling-devotional/id444553118)

**Currently charting:** #29 Top Grossing · Book, #192 Top Free · Book (US App Store)

This app offers a yearlong devotional experience designed to foster a deeper relationship with Jesus. It provides daily reflections, Scripture readings, and audio features to bring peace and encouragement. The content is written from the perspective of Jesus speaking directly to the reader.

**Highlights:** Daily devotional content, Scripture readings, Audio features, Personal reflections, Guidance and encouragement, Meditation based on God's Word

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (9)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Jesus Calling Standard | $2.99 | per month |
| Premium (Monthly) | $4.99 | per month |
| Premium (Yearly) | $49.99 | per year |
| Dear Jesus | $9.99 | one-time |
| Jesus Always | $9.99 | one-time |
| Jesus Today | $9.99 | one-time |
| Jesus Listens | $9.99 | one-time |
| Jesus Calling Extended Edition Audiobook | $20.99 | one-time |
| Jesus Calling Original Audiobook | $21.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🙌 Inspiring and meaningful devotions
- 📚 Great companion for daily living and Bible studies
- 🕰️ Timely messages that speak to current circumstances
- 💗 Comforting and reassuring content
- 🙏 Helps start the day with God's presence

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔒 Restricted sharing functionality
- 🔀 Inconvenient navigation and layout changes
- 💰 Paid subscription required for full access
- 📱 Glitchy and buggy app performance
- 🔍 Difficult to read font and formatting

**Reported bugs**

- Inability to access purchased content
- Inconsistent behavior across app updates
- Freezing and crashing issues
- Incorrect date display and navigation
- Broken audio playback feature

**Requested features**

- Restore previous app layout and functionality
- Allow copying and pasting of devotional text
- Maintain access for existing paid users
- Improve accessibility for visually impaired users
- Provide audio narration option


### Through the Word

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/through-the-word-bible-guide/id1324825712)

**Currently charting:** #83 Top Free · Book (US App Store)

This app offers a guided audio journey through the Bible, providing daily plans and chapter-by-chapter audio guides. It aims to make understanding scripture accessible in about ten minutes a day, with options for group study.

**Highlights:** Daily Bible plans, Audio guides for every chapter, 10-minute daily commitment, Group study features, Offline listening, Thematic Bible journeys

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 💻 Easy to use and understand
- 🙌 Helpful in understanding the Bible
- 🎓 Excellent teaching and insights
- 🤗 Engaging and relatable presenters
- 🕰️ Bite-sized, manageable content

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔑 Frequent sign-in issues
- 🔀 Difficulty maintaining progress across updates
- 🔊 Audio quality and volume inconsistencies
- 🔍 Lack of search and navigation features

**Reported bugs**

- Corrupted audio recordings
- Unexpected app crashes and freezes

**Requested features**

- Ability to choose Bible translation
- Option to bookmark progress and resume
- Improved search and navigation
- Customizable audio/visual settings


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Jesus Calling Devotional free?

Jesus Calling Devotional is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Through the Word free?

Through the Word is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Jesus Calling Devotional or Through the Word?

Jesus Calling Devotional is rated higher. Jesus Calling Devotional averages 4.9 out of 5 from 57K ratings, while Through the Word averages 4.8 from 5.1K ratings.

### Do Jesus Calling Devotional or Through the Word have ads?

Neither Jesus Calling Devotional nor Through the Word shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Jesus Calling Devotional or Through the Word?

Jesus Calling Devotional ships an update every 2 months, and Through the Word every 2 weeks. Most recently, Jesus Calling Devotional was updated on November 11, 2026 and Through the Word on November 11, 2026.

### Which is more popular, Jesus Calling Devotional or Through the Word?

Jesus Calling Devotional currently peaks at #29 in the App Store charts, and Through the Word at #83. 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.*