# Thistlebend Discipleship vs Study Gateway

The clearest difference is rating: Thistlebend Discipleship at 5.0 against Study Gateway's 4.2. Thistlebend Discipleship also leads on monetization model (free vs subscription) and review sentiment (100% vs 75%). Study Gateway's advantage is ratings volume (900 vs 3). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Thistlebend Discipleship holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.2. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Study Gateway has 900 ratings behind it against 3, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 100% of Thistlebend Discipleship's written reviews are positive against 75% of Study Gateway's.

Thistlebend Discipleship ships an update every 4 months, Study Gateway every 5 months. The most recent releases landed on July 6, 2026 and September 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Thistlebend Discipleship | Study Gateway |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[5.0 (3 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/thistlebend-discipleship/id648486994/reviews)** | [4.2 (900 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/study-gateway/id916234406/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 3 | **900** |
| Positive reviews | **100.0% of reviews** | 75.4% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 4 months** | Every 5 months |
| Monetization | **Free** | Subscription |
| Size | 54 MB | 68 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.1** | 16.6 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, Apple TV |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Thistlebend Ministries Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1375072535) | [HarperCollins Christian Publishing, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/444535393) |

## What reviewers say

### Thistlebend Discipleship

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/thistlebend-discipleship/id648486994)

Access media and written resources designed to call, equip, and encourage women in their faith journey. This app provides biblical study materials and training for personal growth and ministry leadership.

**Highlights:** Media and written resources, Faith calling and equipping, Encouragement for women, Biblical study and shepherding, S.A.L.T. accountability model, Resources for individuals and groups

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### Study Gateway

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/study-gateway/id916234406)

Access a vast library of on-demand video Bible studies from renowned Christian teachers and authors. Explore topics like discipleship, healing, and Christian living through engaging video content. This service is available as part of a subscription.

**Highlights:** On-demand video Bible studies, World-renowned Bible teachers, Thousands of study videos, Discipleship and Christian living topics, Overcoming and healing content, Bible discussion resources

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🙏🏻 Blessed by the studies
- 👍 Helpful for personal and group study
- 📚 Extensive Bible study content
- 🤗 Enjoyable and engaging teaching
- ⚓️ Strengthens faith and relationship with God

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Buggy app with login and access issues
- 🤯 Difficult to navigate and find content
- 🔒 Lack of customer support and account management
- 💰 Frustrating subscription and cancellation process

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes frequently
- Unable to access purchased content
- Login and password issues
- Compatibility problems on various devices

**Requested features**

- Improve app stability and user experience
- Provide better customer service and account management
- Simplify subscription and cancellation process


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Thistlebend Discipleship free?

Thistlebend Discipleship is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Study Gateway free?

Study Gateway is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Thistlebend Discipleship or Study Gateway?

Thistlebend Discipleship is rated higher. Thistlebend Discipleship averages 5.0 out of 5 from 3 ratings, while Study Gateway averages 4.2 from 900 ratings.

### Do Thistlebend Discipleship or Study Gateway have ads?

Neither Thistlebend Discipleship nor Study Gateway shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Thistlebend Discipleship or Study Gateway?

Thistlebend Discipleship ships an update every 4 months, and Study Gateway every 5 months. Most recently, Thistlebend Discipleship was updated on July 6, 2026 and Study Gateway on September 24, 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.*