# The Upper Room vs Bartlett UMC

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Bartlett UMC at 100% against The Upper Room's 38%. Bartlett UMC also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 12) and rating (5.0 vs 4.7). The Upper Room's advantage is update cadence (every 2 months vs every 23 months) and ratings volume (2.5K vs 2). On price, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. The Upper Room sells 12 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. Bartlett UMC asks for nothing beyond the download.

Bartlett UMC holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: The Upper Room has 2.5K ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 38% of The Upper Room's written reviews are positive against 100% of Bartlett UMC's.

The Upper Room ships an update every 2 months, Bartlett UMC every 23 months. The most recent releases landed on October 26, 2026 and October 23, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | The Upper Room | Bartlett UMC |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.7 (2.5K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-upper-room/id513950325/reviews) | **[5.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bartlett-umc/id707070370/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **2.5K** | 2 |
| Positive reviews | 37.8% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 months** | Every 23 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Best chart rank | **#188** | — |
| Size | 61 MB | 4 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | **13.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Upper Room Ministries](https://appshunter.io/developer/476180518) | [Aaron Alexander](https://appshunter.io/developer/707070373) |

## What reviewers say

### The Upper Room

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

**Currently charting:** #188 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


### Bartlett UMC

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bartlett-umc/id707070370)

Stay connected with your church community. Access the latest newsletters, social media updates, sermons, and youth news all in one place. Share your feedback and suggestions to help improve the experience.

**Highlights:** BUMC Newsletter access, Church social media feed, Latest sermons and media, Youth newsletter updates, User feedback integration

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is The Upper Room free?

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

### Is Bartlett UMC free?

Bartlett UMC is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, The Upper Room or Bartlett UMC?

Bartlett UMC is rated higher. The Upper Room averages 4.7 out of 5 from 2.5K ratings, while Bartlett UMC averages 5.0 from 2 ratings.

### Do The Upper Room or Bartlett UMC have ads?

Neither The Upper Room nor Bartlett UMC shows ads.

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

The Upper Room ships an update every 2 months, and Bartlett UMC every 23 months. Most recently, The Upper Room was updated on October 26, 2026 and Bartlett UMC on October 23, 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.*