# Pray Always † vs The Encounter

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Pray Always † at 82% against The Encounter's 59%. Pray Always † also leads on rating (4.7 vs 4.5) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.1). On price, ratings volume, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Pray Always † sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and The Encounter sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Pray Always † holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.5. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 81 and 55 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 82% of Pray Always †'s written reviews are positive against 59% of The Encounter's.

Pray Always † ships an update monthly, The Encounter every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 23, 2026 and October 20, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Pray Always † | The Encounter |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (81 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pray-always/id467806204/reviews)** | [4.5 (55 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-encounter/id1596789782/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **81** | 55 |
| Positive reviews | **81.8% of reviews** | 58.8% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Monthly | **Every 2 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Freemium |
| Size | 10 MB | 82 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 15.1 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Negnet Solutions](https://appshunter.io/developer/467806207) | [Faithtree Resources](https://appshunter.io/developer/1596789784) |

## What reviewers say

### Pray Always †

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pray-always/id467806204)

This app provides an Orthodox Christian prayer book to help users maintain their daily prayer life, even with busy schedules. It aims to make prayer accessible for everyone, facilitating a consistent spiritual practice.

**Highlights:** Orthodox Christian prayer book, Daily prayer guidance, Accessible for busy schedules, Facilitates consistent prayer life, Spiritual practice tool

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Full Version | $2.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to use and navigate
- 🙏 Essential for daily prayer
- 🌟 Great selection of prayers
- 📖 Includes full Psalter
- ✨ Helpful for inquirers and new converts

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💸 Unexpected subscription charges
- ❓ Confusing upgrade pricing
- 🖼️ Images not loading
- 🤔 Awkward translations
- 📱 App freezing/unresponsive

**Reported bugs**

- Inserted images will not load
- App is frozen and won't scroll
- App freezes up after update
- App is frozen
- Cannot use the app at all, it is frozen

**Requested features**

- Add prayers for before and after meals
- Ability to select text
- Include Paschal hours
- Hymns from Triodion and Pentecostarion
- Section on Confession


### The Encounter

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-encounter/id1596789782)

This app provides daily Orthodox prayers, scripture readings, saint stories, and hymns to help users establish a consistent prayer rhythm. It offers guided prayers, a library for various occasions, and sacred music to foster a deeper connection with faith.

**Highlights:** Daily Morning, Noonday, and Evening Prayers, Guided prayers with text and audio, Daily Gospel and Epistle scripture readings, Prayer library for various occasions, Saint of the Day profiles, Orthodox chant and hymns, Book of Psalms

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Premium Content | $3.99 | per month |
| Premium Monthly Subscription | $3.99 | per month |
| Premium yearly subscription | $39.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Pray Always † free?

Pray Always † is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is The Encounter free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Pray Always † or The Encounter?

Pray Always † is rated higher. Pray Always † averages 4.7 out of 5 from 81 ratings, while The Encounter averages 4.5 from 55 ratings.

### Do Pray Always † or The Encounter have ads?

Neither Pray Always † nor The Encounter shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Pray Always † or The Encounter?

Pray Always † ships an update monthly, and The Encounter every 2 weeks. Most recently, Pray Always † was updated on October 23, 2026 and The Encounter on October 20, 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.*