Carpenter Bible Commentary vs Lantern Bible
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Carpenter Bible Commentary
This app provides easy-to-understand Bible commentary, pairing each scripture chapter with trusted insights. It offers two reading modes, full Bible browsing, and powerful search capabilities. Premium features for personalization are available with a one-time purchase.
- Chapter-by-chapter scripture commentary
- Modern English paraphrase option
- Full Bible browsing (66 books)
- Scripture and commentary search
- Daily reading suggestions
- Premium bookmarks and highlights
- Premium personal prayer journal
Read full descriptionHide full description
Carpenter is a Bible commentary app built for the everyday reader. It pairs every chapter of Scripture with Matthew Henry's trusted commentary so you can study any passage and actually understand what you're reading. The full commentary is included free, with no ads, no account required, and no internet connection needed after download. TWO READING MODES Switch between Matthew Henry's original 18th-century text and a modern English paraphrase. Read in whichever voice speaks to you. BROWSE THE FULL BIBLE All 66 books, every chapter, both Old and New Testament. Tap into any chapter and start reading. SEARCH SCRIPTURE AND COMMENTARY Look up any verse reference or keyword. Search results span both the biblical text and English commentary, so you can find what you need whether you remember the exact wording or the general idea. DAILY READING Open the app each day to a fresh passage with its commentary, ready to read. A simple way to build a consistent habit without a rigid plan. BOOKMARKS AND HIGHLIGHTS (Premium) Save chapters you want to revisit. Long-press any verse to highlight individual words or phrases in color. Your bookmarks and highlights stay with you across sessions. PERSONAL PRAYERS (Premium) Write prayers in your own words and weave in Scripture verses and commentary excerpts directly from the text. Share them with others or keep them private. DESIGNED FOR READING Carpenter uses warm serif typography, comfortable spacing, and light or dark themes to keep the focus on the text. Adjust font size to your preference. Premium features (prayers, bookmarks, and highlights) are available with a single one-time purchase. No subscriptions.
Lantern Bible
This app offers in-depth Bible study with multiple translations, inline commentary, and personalized reading plans. It includes tools for highlighting, bookmarking, and taking notes, all accessible offline.
- Four Bible translations included
- Inline commentary and study notes
- Structured reading plans with streak tracking
- Highlighting, bookmarking, and personal notes
- Full offline functionality
- Simultaneous full-text search across translations
Read full descriptionHide full description
Lantern Bible is a Bible app for readers who want to go deeper — built around commentary, reading plans, and the tools that turn reading into study. FOUR TRANSLATIONS — ALL BUNDLED IN - BSB — Berean Standard Bible (modern, accurate) - KJV — King James Version (1769) - NET — New English Translation (full study-note edition) - MSB — Majority Standard Bible (Textus Receptus base) All four are included at install. No separate downloads. COMMENTARY & STUDY NOTES Inline commentary and study notes accompany the text so you can read and understand Scripture in context. Notes sit right alongside the passage you're reading. READING PLANS - M'Cheyne One-Year Plan: read through the whole Bible in a year across coordinated Old and New Testament passages each day - 5x5x5 Plan: five minutes a day, five days a week through the New Testament - Streak tracking keeps your momentum going across sessions. PERSONAL TOOLS - Highlights: mark verses in multiple colors and return to them later - Bookmarks: save any passage for quick access - Personal notes: write your own reflections directly alongside the text OFFLINE READING Everything works without a network connection once installed. Read on a plane, in a remote area, or anywhere without signal — full text and all tools available offline. SEARCH Full-text search across all four translations simultaneously. Find any word, phrase, or passage across the entire Bible instantly. WHY LANTERN Commentary, study notes, four translations, reading plans, offline access, and personal tools in one focused, distraction-free app. The BSB and MSB are modern and accurate finding both alongside the full-note NET edition and the KJV in a single app is rare. PERFECT FOR - Daily Bible readers who want commentary alongside the text - Readers following a structured one-year or New Testament plan - Students preparing for small group, Sunday school, or personal devotion - Anyone who wants to highlight, bookmark, and note their way through Scripture Download Lantern Bible and read Scripture the way it was meant to be studied. Support: support@lanternbible.app Privacy: https://lanternbible.app/privacy
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Lantern Bible at none against Carpenter Bible Commentary's 1. Carpenter Bible Commentary's advantage is update cadence (weekly vs every 6 weeks) and device support (3 vs 1). On price, rating and ads there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS
Both are free to download. Carpenter Bible Commentary sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Lantern Bible asks for nothing beyond the download.
On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for Carpenter Bible Commentary against 5.0 for Lantern Bible. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 6 and 2 respectively.
Carpenter Bible Commentary ships an update weekly, Lantern Bible every 6 weeks. Both last shipped on October 31, 2026.
| Parameter | Carpenter Bible Commentary | Lantern Bible |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 5.0 (6 ratings) | 5.0 (2 ratings) |
| Number of ratings | 6 — better | 2 |
| Update frequency | Weekly — better | Every 6 weeks |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better | iPhone |
| Requires iOS | 15.1 — better | 18.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 217 MB | 117 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | James Tansley | Tywon MUCKLER |
Customer experience
Carpenter Bible Commentary
Lantern Bible
In-app purchases
Carpenter Bible Commentary
- Carpenter Premium$9.99
Lantern Bible
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Carpenter Bible Commentary free?
Is Lantern Bible free?
Which has better reviews, Carpenter Bible Commentary or Lantern Bible?
Do Carpenter Bible Commentary or Lantern Bible have ads?
Which is updated more often, Carpenter Bible Commentary or Lantern Bible?
Other comparisons













