Comparison

Bible Commentary Study vs Focus Bible

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

Head to head
About

Bible Commentary Study

Access four classic public-domain Bible commentaries offline, verse-by-verse. Deepen your personal study, sermon preparation, or small group leadership with trusted scholarly insights, all without an internet connection. Features adjustable font sizes and a clean reading experience.

Highlights
  • Verse-by-verse commentary
  • Offline access
  • 4 classic commentaries
  • Adjustable font size
  • Distraction-free reading
  • No account required
Features
Read full description

Study the Bible with classic public-domain commentaries — completely free and offline. Bible Commentary Study brings you verse-by-verse exposition from Matthew Henry, John Gill, Adam Clarke, and Keil & Delitzsch. Study Scripture with trusted reference works from your iPhone, even without an internet connection. FEATURES: • 4 trusted classic commentaries • Verse-by-verse study with rich scholarly insight • Works offline after download — no account required • Quickly find Bible books across included commentaries • Adjustable font size for comfortable reading • Clean, distraction-free reading experience All included commentary texts are in the public domain, making this a free resource for personal Bible study. Whether you are preparing a sermon, leading a small group, or deepening daily devotional time, Bible Commentary Study puts classic biblical scholarship in your pocket. Privacy Policy: https://bible-app.rockiestar.com/privacy Terms of Use: https://bible-app.rockiestar.com/terms

About

Focus Bible

This app provides in-depth Bible study tools, offering scholarly commentary, historical context, and original language insights. It presents a clear summary of theological viewpoints, highlighting agreements and differences among trusted scholars and pastors. A significant portion of its features are available for free to all registered users.

Highlights
  • Scholarly commentary on every verse
  • Historical and cultural context
  • Original Hebrew and Greek previews
  • Video clips from pastors and teachers
  • Personal notes syncing across devices
  • Powerful topic and theme search
Features
Read full description

WHAT MAKES FOCUS BIBLE DIFFERENT? Other apps give you surface-level devotional content or overwhelm you with raw info to piece together yourself. Focus Bible does the work for you. We show you what matters, in plain language, without assuming you already know everything. No ads. No merch store. Just the Bible, with the depth it deserves. Focus Bible gives you real Bible study tools. The kind that used to cost hundreds of dollars or require a seminary library. We give most of it away for free. --- BUILT ON TRUSTED SCHOLARSHIP, NOT OPINIONS Focus Bible doesn't invent its own take on the Bible. Everything we show you is grounded in theologians who have been read, trusted, and loved for generations. We draw on 200+ scholars and theologians, from the Reformation to today. Nearly 500 years and multiple Christian traditions, including some of the most beloved names in church history: John Calvin, Matthew Henry, Charles Spurgeon, John Wesley, John Gill, Adam Clarke, Albert Barnes, Keil and Delitzsch, Jamieson Fausset and Brown, A.T. Robertson, and more. We pair them with pastors preaching these same verses today. For every verse, we show you where they agree and where they differ. Then we connect it to history, to the original Hebrew and Greek, and to the world you live in today. You're not getting our opinions. You're standing on the shoulders of the scholars the church has trusted for centuries. --- WHAT YOU GET FOR FREE Not a free trial or a limited preview. This is what Focus Bible gives every registered user: • The full Bible in multiple translations. • What trusted scholars say about every verse. A clear summary of where these classic and modern voices agree, and where they see things differently. • The historical and cultural context behind each passage. • Related passages that connect across Scripture. • A preview of the original Hebrew and Greek behind every verse. • Short clips from pastors and teachers exploring the same passages you are reading. • Personal notes that sync across your devices. • Foundational reading plans. • Two reading modes: verse-by-verse study or continuous reading. • Powerful search that understands topics, themes, and ideas. We built Focus Bible because everyone deserves deep Bible study, not just those who can afford it. --- FOR THOSE WHO WANT EVEN MORE Some people want to go further: full original-language word studies, complete commentary texts, study questions for every verse, and analysis across Christian traditions. For them, we offer optional subscriptions: Study Membership ($79.99/year or $7.99/month) Full commentary texts from classic and modern sources. Complete original language word studies with multiple lexicons. Perspectives across traditions: Reformed, Catholic, Orthodox, and more. Our full encyclopedia of 4,400+ biblical people, places, and things. Custom reading plans that adapt to your daily feedback. But the free experience is not missing anything essential. --- WHO THIS IS FOR • If you are new to the Bible and want to understand what you are reading. • If you have read the Bible for years and want fresh perspective on familiar verses. • If you lead a small group and need to prepare each week. • If you are a pastor looking for efficient sermon research. • If you are studying theology and need scholarly sources. Focus Bible meets you where you are. --- Questions? support@focusbible.com We read every message. Subscriptions auto-renew at the listed price each billing period unless canceled at least 24 hours before the current period ends. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.focusbible.com/terms Privacy Policy: https://www.focusbible.com/privacy-policy

Screenshots

Bible Commentary Study4 screens
Focus Bible4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Focus Bible at 5.0 against Bible Commentary Study's 4.3. Focus Bible also leads on iOS requirement (15.0 vs 17.6). Bible Commentary Study's advantage is ratings volume (9 vs 2). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases 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. Bible Commentary Study sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per 7 days and Focus Bible sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $7.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Focus Bible holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.3. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 9 and 2 respectively.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Bible Commentary Study ships an update monthly, Focus Bible fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on October 31, 2026 and November 5, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
Bible Commentary Study versus Focus Bible: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterBible Commentary StudyFocus Bible
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.3 (9 ratings)5.0 (2 ratings) — better
Positive reviews—100.0% of reviews
Number of ratings9 — better2
Update frequencyMonthlyFortnightly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFreemiumFreemium
DevicesiPhoneiPhone, iPod — better
Requires iOS17.615.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size156 MB40 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperRockieStar Inc.Hidden Planet

Customer experience

Bible Commentary Study

All ratings8 ratings
Positive87.5%
Neutral12.5%
Negative0.0%

Focus Bible

All ratings2 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

2 purchases

Bible Commentary Study

Subscriptions2
  • Bible Study Premium$9.997 Days
  • Bible Study Premium$39.991 Year
3 purchases

Focus Bible

Subscriptions2
  • Scholar3 Days trial$7.991 Month
  • Scholar3 Days trial$79.991 Year
One-time1
  • Founding Member$99.99

Questions

Is Bible Commentary Study free?
Bible Commentary Study is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Focus Bible free?
Focus Bible is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Bible Commentary Study or Focus Bible?
Focus Bible is rated higher. Bible Commentary Study averages 4.3 out of 5 from 9 ratings, while Focus Bible averages 5.0 from 2 ratings.
Do Bible Commentary Study or Focus Bible have ads?
Neither Bible Commentary Study nor Focus Bible shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Bible Commentary Study or Focus Bible?
Bible Commentary Study ships an update monthly, and Focus Bible fortnightly. Most recently, Bible Commentary Study was updated on October 31, 2026 and Focus Bible on November 5, 2026.

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