# BibleShelf vs Bible First

The clearest difference is monetization model: Bible First at free against BibleShelf's free with in-app purchases. BibleShelf's advantage is iOS requirement (15.1 vs 17.0). On price, rating, ratings volume and update cadence there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. BibleShelf sells 6 one-off in-app purchases and Bible First sells 3 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for BibleShelf against 5.0 for Bible First. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 2 and 1 respectively.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly daily. Both last shipped on October 31, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | BibleShelf | Bible First |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [5.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bibleshelf/id6762390155/reviews) | [5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bible-first/id6773060988/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **2** | 1 |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Daily | Daily |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 25 MB | 13 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.1** | 17.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Hae Min Kim](https://appshunter.io/developer/1894013308) | [MICHAEL LEVI HOPPER](https://appshunter.io/developer/1896117754) |

## What reviewers say

### BibleShelf

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bibleshelf/id6762390155)

This app guides you through reading the Bible one book at a time, eliminating the pressure of daily plans. It offers visual progress tracking and allows you to read at your own pace without deadlines. Set daily reminders to help you stay on track with your reading journey.

**Highlights:** Track reading progress per book, Visual progress bars, Read at your own pace, No deadlines, Daily reading reminders

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

**In-app purchases (6)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Small Tip | $0.99 | one-time |
| Medium Tip | $4.99 | one-time |
| Large Tip | $9.99 | one-time |
| Generous Tip | $19.99 | one-time |
| Patron Tip | $49.99 | one-time |
| Benefactor Tip | $99.99 | one-time |


### Bible First

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bible-first/id6773060988)

A beautifully designed app for studying scripture. It offers guided studies, verse highlighting, private notes, and a prayer journal. Explore biblical topics and passages offline with multiple translation options.

**Highlights:** 283 guided studies, Multiple scripture translations, Highlighting and private notes, Built-in prayer journal, Offline search functionality, Reading statistics and streaks, Cross-device syncing via iCloud

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

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| A Small Thank You | $1.99 | one-time |
| A Generous Thank You | $4.99 | one-time |
| A Great Encouragement | $9.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is BibleShelf free?

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

### Is Bible First free?

Bible First is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, BibleShelf or Bible First?

BibleShelf and Bible First are both rated 5.0 out of 5 on the App Store, from 2 and 1 ratings respectively.

### Do BibleShelf or Bible First have ads?

Neither BibleShelf nor Bible First shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, BibleShelf or Bible First?

BibleShelf ships an update daily, and Bible First daily. Most recently, BibleShelf was updated on October 31, 2026 and Bible First on October 31, 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.*