Comparison

Layman Bible vs Passage

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Layman Bible

Understand the Bible with simple, plain-language explanations for every verse. Access cultural context, historical timelines, and word studies. Customize your reading experience and track progress with this offline study tool.

Highlights
  • Plain-language verse explanations
  • Cultural and historical context layers
  • Cross-references and word studies
  • Personal notes and verse tagging
  • Offline access to all content
  • Customizable reading experience
  • Reading plans and progress tracking
Features
Read full description

The Bible is one of the most important books ever written — but let's be honest, it can be really hard to understand. Ancient customs, unfamiliar names, and 2,000+ years of cultural distance make it tough to know what's actually going on. Layman Bible fixes that. Every single verse across all 66 books comes with a plain-language explanation written like a friend is sitting next to you, helping you understand what you're reading. No seminary degree required. TAP ANY VERSE TO UNDERSTAND IT Just tap a verse and get a clear, simple explanation of what it means and why it matters. No more guessing or skipping over confusing passages. LAYERS OF CONTEXT Toggle on and off the layers you want: - Verse Explainers — what each verse means in plain English - Cultural Notes — customs and traditions that shaped the text - Cross-References — related passages elsewhere in the Bible - Then vs Now — how ancient practices connect to modern life - People Profiles — who's who, with bios and background - Word Studies — original Greek and Hebrew meanings - Places — locations with descriptions and modern equivalents - Timelines — key events in historical order READING PLANS — FREE Guided reading plans from 30 days to 5 years: Bible in a Year, Chronological, Gospels in 30 Days, Psalms & Proverbs, Prophets in 90 Days, Bible in 90 Days, and more. Run as many plans at once as you like — each one tracks its own progress, day count, and whether you're ahead or behind. Watch a short ad to unlock a plan free for 7 days. Skip a day or take a rest day anytime; the plan adjusts around you. LISTEN — FREE Have chapters read aloud while you follow along, with the current verse highlighted as it's spoken. - Keeps playing with your screen off or the app in the background - Automatically continues into the next chapter — or the next reading in your plan - Play, pause, and skip from your lock screen or Control Center - Adjustable speed Watch a short ad to unlock audio free for 7 days. BUILT FOR YOUR STUDY - Highlight verses in 5 colors - Bookmark and tag verses (Memorize, Pray, Question, Study) - Add personal notes to any verse - Search across the entire Bible - Export your study notes - Track reading streaks and progress - View stats with a 28-day activity heatmap BIG THEMES Explore the major themes that run through the entire Bible — like Salvation, Love, and more — with overviews tracing each theme from Old Testament to New. COMPLETELY OFFLINE All 31,000+ verse explanations are stored on your device. No internet required. No account needed. No tracking. CUSTOMIZE EVERYTHING - Adjust font size - Pick your theme (light, dark, or system) - Set which context layers show by default - Customize colors for each explainer type - Set daily reading reminders FREE — NO PURCHASE REQUIRED The full Bible text and all 31,000+ verse explanations are completely free. Reading plans and audio are free too — just watch a short ad to unlock them for 7 days at a time. Prefer no ads at all? An optional Pro subscription ($0.99/month or $9.99/year, auto-renewing) removes all ads — including rewarded ads — and gives you unlimited access to every reading plan and audio playback with nothing to watch. Uses the World English Bible (WEB), a modern public domain translation. Explanations are AI-generated and reviewed for accuracy. Not a replacement for pastoral guidance. Privacy Policy: https://drmcgill2126.github.io/michaelmcgillapps/privacy.html Terms of Use: https://drmcgill2126.github.io/michaelmcgillapps/terms.html

About

Passage

This app facilitates community-based Bible study with features for reading, note-taking, and sharing insights. It offers AI assistance for understanding scripture and allows users to connect with groups for discussions and shared learning.

Highlights
  • Multiple Bible translations
  • Reading progress tracking
  • Verse highlighting and bookmarking
  • Personal notes
  • Community discussions
  • AI-powered Bible assistant
  • Group creation and management
Features
Read full description

Passage is a Bible study app built for community — whether that's your church, a small group, or friends who want to grow in faith together. READ & STUDY • Read the Bible in multiple translations • Track your reading streak and daily progress • Mark chapters as read and follow your history on a monthly calendar • Highlight and bookmark verses • Add personal notes to any verse • Verse of the Day to start your morning SHARE & CONNECT • Share verses directly with friends or to social media • Join or create communities to study together • Post discussions, reply to others, and share what you're learning • Church leaders can create group chats for their congregation • Announcements from your church delivered straight to your home screen PERSONAL GROWTH • AI-powered Bible assistant to help you understand scripture • Quiz yourself on what you've read • Reading history calendar to see your consistency over time Passage is free to use. Passage Pro unlocks premium features including unlimited AI conversations and advanced study tools. Join a community of believers growing together in the Word. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

Layman Bible4 screens
Passage4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Passage at 100% against Layman Bible's 0%. Passage also leads on rating (5.0 vs 4.5) and ads (none vs shown). On price, ratings volume, in-app purchases and monetization model 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Layman Bible sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month and Passage sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $11.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Passage holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.5. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 6 and 4 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 0% of Layman Bible's written reviews are positive against 100% of Passage's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Layman Bible ships an update every 5 weeks, Passage daily. The most recent releases landed on October 12, 2026 and October 10, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
Layman Bible versus Passage: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterLayman BiblePassage
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.5 (6 ratings)5.0 (4 ratings) — better
Positive reviews0.0% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings6 — better4
Update frequencyEvery 5 weeksDaily — better
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFreemium
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS17.015.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size25 MB49 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperMichael McGill apps llcIVAN GALLEGOS

Customer experience

Layman Bible

All ratings6 ratings
Positive83.3%
Neutral0.0%
Negative16.7%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive0.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative100.0%

Passage

All ratings4 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews2 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

2 purchases

Layman Bible

Subscriptions2
  • Layman Bible Pro (Monthly)$0.991 Month
  • Layman Bible Pro (Annual)$9.991 Year
2 purchases

Passage

Subscriptions2
  • Passage Pro Monthly7 Days trial$11.991 Month
  • Passage Pro Annual7 Days trial$99.991 Year

Questions

Is Layman Bible free?
Layman Bible is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Passage free?
Passage is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Layman Bible or Passage?
Passage is rated higher. Layman Bible averages 4.5 out of 5 from 6 ratings, while Passage averages 5.0 from 4 ratings.
Do Layman Bible or Passage have ads?
Layman Bible shows ads; Passage does not.
Which is updated more often, Layman Bible or Passage?
Layman Bible ships an update every 5 weeks, and Passage daily. Most recently, Layman Bible was updated on October 12, 2026 and Passage on October 10, 2026.

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