# The Upper Room vs Branches

The clearest difference is chart position: The Upper Room at #147 against Branches's unranked. On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. The Upper Room sells 12 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month and Branches sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $4.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 26, 2026 and October 20, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | The Upper Room | Branches |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (2.5K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-upper-room/id513950325/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **2.5K** | — |
| Positive reviews | 37.8% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Best chart rank | **#147** | — |
| Size | 61 MB | 54 MB |
| Requires iOS | **16.0** | 16.4 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Upper Room Ministries](https://appshunter.io/developer/476180518) | [Joshua Boepple](https://appshunter.io/developer/1784389270) |

## What reviewers say

### The Upper Room

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-upper-room/id513950325)

**Currently charting:** #147 Top Free · Magazines & Newspapers (US App Store)

This app provides daily Christian devotions and scripture readings to foster prayer and reflection. It offers two distinct devotional experiences, allowing users to connect with a global community of believers through shared meditations and lectionary-based studies.

**Highlights:** Daily meditations and prayers, Scripture readings, Audio recordings of devotions, Lectionary-based readings, Global community connection, Author insights and bonus content

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

**In-app purchases (12)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Upper Room Daily Devotional | $1.99 | per month |
| Upper Room Daily Devotional | $14.99 | per year |
| The Upper Room - July/August 2012 | $2.99 | one-time |
| The Upper Room - July/August 2013 | $2.99 | one-time |
| The Upper Room - September/October 2014 | $2.99 | one-time |
| The Upper Room: 20151130111351 | $2.99 | one-time |
| The Upper Room: 20151130111352 | $2.99 | one-time |
| The Upper Room: 20151130111353 | $2.99 | one-time |
| The Upper Room: 20151130111355 | $2.99 | one-time |
| The Upper Room: 20151130111356 | $2.99 | one-time |
| The Upper Room - March/April 2013 | $2.99 | one-time |
| The Upper Room: 20151130111354 | $2.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Daily inspiration and encouragement
- 👍 Convenient mobile access
- 👍 Joy of shared scripture and wisdom
- 👍 Inspiring real-life stories
- 👍 Great content for faith

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 App crashes frequently
- 🐛 Login issues after updates
- 🐛 Subscription problems
- 🐛 Unreliable access
- 🐛 Difficult to use interface

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes
- Login issues after updates
- Subscription not recognized
- App does not open
- Incorrect date display

**Requested features**

- Dark mode option
- Schedule notification for daily devotion
- Ability to like or agree with comments
- Select preferred Bible translation
- Ability to read in landscape view


### Branches

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/branches-prayer-app/id6799579618)

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Deep Roots | $4.99 | per month |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is The Upper Room free?

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

### Is Branches free?

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

### Do The Upper Room or Branches have ads?

Neither The Upper Room nor Branches shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, The Upper Room or Branches?

The Upper Room ships an update every 2 months, and Branches every 2 months. Most recently, The Upper Room was updated on October 26, 2026 and Branches 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.*