# The Lutheran Study Bible vs Lutheran Catechism

The clearest difference is rating: Lutheran Catechism at 5.0 against The Lutheran Study Bible's 4.5. Lutheran Catechism also leads on monetization model (free vs free with in-app purchases) and iOS requirement (15.1 vs 17.0). The Lutheran Study Bible's advantage is ratings volume (78 vs 12). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. The Lutheran Study Bible sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month and Lutheran Catechism sells 2 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Lutheran Catechism holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: The Lutheran Study Bible has 78 ratings behind it against 12, so its average is the more settled of the two.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on November 9, 2026 and November 4, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | The Lutheran Study Bible | Lutheran Catechism |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.5 (78 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-lutheran-study-bible/id6470671710/reviews) | **[5.0 (12 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/lutheran-catechism/id6479435782/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **78** | 12 |
| Positive reviews | 75.8% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 308 MB | 35 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **15.1** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Concordia Publishing House](https://appshunter.io/developer/375144434) | [Pearl Crescent](https://appshunter.io/developer/349060606) |

## What reviewers say

### The Lutheran Study Bible

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-lutheran-study-bible/id6470671710)

Access a comprehensive study Bible with distinctively Lutheran notes from theologians and pastors. Explore the full ESV Bible text with in-depth commentary, articles, maps, and powerful search functionality.

**Highlights:** Complete ESV Bible text, Distinctively Lutheran study notes, Over 200 articles, maps, and introductions, Powerful search by verse, keyword, or topic, Inline cross-references and linked articles, Custom notes, highlights, and saved verses

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

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| TLSB Premium - Monthly | $2.99 | per month |
| TLSB Premium - Yearly | $9.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Phenomenal linking and traversal
- 👍 Very helpful search feature
- 👍 Accessible and understandable text
- 👍 Great potential for the denomination
- 👍 Easier navigation than ebook

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Note taking challenging
- 🐛 Cannot take notes when highlighting
- 🐛 App closes when clicking scripture
- 🐛 Inefficient highlighting with mouse/touchpad
- 🐛 Annoying copy-paste attribution

**Reported bugs**

- App closes when clicking scripture
- Study notes are glitchy
- Verse numbers misaligned in Psalm 96:12-13
- Reading plans unusable

**Requested features**

- Add offline capability
- Allow one-time purchase instead of subscription
- Offer Concordia Commentary Series as add-on
- Easier to read font selections
- Add audio Bible feature


### Lutheran Catechism

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/lutheran-catechism/id6479435782)

This app helps users learn and re-learn the essentials of the Lutheran faith. It features Dr. Martin Luther's Small Catechism with scripture passages and additional material from other Lutheran works. Memorization tools are included for key prayers and creeds.

**Highlights:** Luther's Small Catechism content, Related scripture passages, Additional exposition material, Memorization tools for prayers, Memorization tools for creeds

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

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Basic Thank You | $2.00 | one-time |
| Generous Thank You | $5.00 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is The Lutheran Study Bible free?

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

### Is Lutheran Catechism free?

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

### Which has better reviews, The Lutheran Study Bible or Lutheran Catechism?

Lutheran Catechism is rated higher. The Lutheran Study Bible averages 4.5 out of 5 from 78 ratings, while Lutheran Catechism averages 5.0 from 12 ratings.

### Do The Lutheran Study Bible or Lutheran Catechism have ads?

Neither The Lutheran Study Bible nor Lutheran Catechism shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, The Lutheran Study Bible or Lutheran Catechism?

The Lutheran Study Bible ships an update every 2 months, and Lutheran Catechism every 2 months. Most recently, The Lutheran Study Bible was updated on November 9, 2026 and Lutheran Catechism on November 4, 2026.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*