Comparison

St. Paul Center vs Catholic Catechism, Compendium

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

Head to head
About

St. Paul Center

Explore Catholic scripture and theology with in-depth Bible studies, video courses, and weekly discussions on Mass readings. Access over 100 hours of teaching from leading Catholic scholars. Designed for Catholics seeking deeper biblical understanding and formation.

Highlights
  • Bible studies and video courses
  • Weekly Mass reading discussions
  • Catholic theological formation
  • Graduate-level scripture courses
  • Content from leading scholars
Features
Read full description

Faithful Catholic Bible Study On-the-Go Study Scripture anytime, anywhere. The St. Paul Center app empowers you to take your daily Bible study routine with you wherever you go. Containing hundreds of hours of the best Catholic Bible study content on the internet, this app features podcasts, courses, and Catholic Bible studies taught by Scott Hahn, John Bergsma, Jeffrey Morrow, and other faithful Catholic scholars you know and trust. Bible Study Features Whether you’re looking for in-depth reflections on the Sunday Mass readings or you want to do a deep-dive into a particular biblical theme or book, the St. Paul Center’s app has the resources you’re looking for. The Word of the Lord Sit down with John Bergsma, Scott Hahn, and other scholars for an intimate and in-depth conversation in which we unpack the historical, cultural, and theological background of the Sunday Mass readings, preparing ourselves to receive the Lord in Word and Sacrament. Letters from Home A daily podcast from the St. Paul Center. Join Scott Hahn, John Bergsma, Shane Owens, Joan Watson, and Clem Harrold as they reflect on the Scripture readings from the day’s Mass, unpacking their theological and spiritual significance and exploring how we can apply them to our lives today. Journey Through Scripture Study alongside Scott Hahn and Matthew Leonard as they unpack the Bible’s overarching plan, how the early Church Fathers interpreted the Scripture, the biblical roots of the Sacraments, Marian devotion, the Mass and the Eucharist, and so much more. Courses Join Scott Hahn, Mike Aquilina, John Bergsma, Larry Feingold and the St. Paul Center’s faithful theologians as they offer in-depth presentations on special topics in Scripture, theology, spirituality, the biblical roots of Church teaching, and more. Podcasts Enjoy in-depth discussions on all things Scripture and Catholicism. In The Road to Emmaus, Scott Hahn and guests tackle special topics from a biblical perspective. In Stunned by Scripture, John Bergsma and guests explore special topics in biblical studies along with the biblical roots of our Faith. And in Beloved and Blessed, Kimberly Hahn offers a uniquely biblical and feminine perspective on Scripture study from the heart of the Church. Membership Every app download includes free access to the St. Paul Center’s ongoing podcasts and video series — The Road to Emmaus, Stunned by Scripture, Beloved & Blessed, and Letters from Home — along with the complete selection of free resources in our digital library. An All Access membership unlocks the full digital library: every course, every Journey Through Scripture Bible study, and every episode of The Word of the Lord. You can start your membership right in the app: • All Access Monthly — free for the first month, then $24.99 per month • All Access Annual — $199.00 per year, billed annually Each plan provides unlimited access to all member content for the length of the subscription period. Prices are in U.S. dollars and may vary by region. Your first month of a monthly membership is free. Unless you cancel at least 24 hours before the free month ends, it converts automatically to a paid monthly subscription at $24.99. The free month is available to new subscribers only, once per Apple Account. Payment will be charged to your Apple Account at confirmation of purchase, or at the end of the free month for monthly memberships that begin with a trial. Your subscription renews automatically at the same price unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. Your account will be charged for renewal within 24 hours prior to the end of the current period. You can manage your subscription or turn off auto-renewal in your Apple Account settings after purchase. Terms & Conditions: https://stpaulcenter.com/terms-conditions Privacy Policy: https://stpaulcenter.com/privacy-policy Already a member? Just sign in with your existing St. Paul Center account.

About

Catholic Catechism, Compendium

Access the complete official text of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, along with the Compendium and Bible. Features daily questions, advanced search, and customizable reading plans for in-depth study and personal reflection.

Highlights
  • Full official Catechism text
  • Daily question notifications
  • Comprehensive search functionality
  • Customizable reading plans
  • Compendium of the Catechism
  • Adjustable text size and dark theme
Features
Read full description

Every paragraph of the official text of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, in English, to read, search, learn and keep. Reading works without an internet connection. A QUESTION A DAY Each day brings a question many people ask, with the answer in the Catechism itself. You can receive it as a notification, at a time you choose, and keep the day's question on your Home Screen, in a widget. SEARCH A word, a topic, a question or a paragraph number. It searches the full text, the papal catecheses and the Bible. Paragraphs also appear in iPhone search. READING PLANS For a moment in life, such as: I am going to be a godparent, we are getting married in the Church, I have lost someone; or to go through the Catechism at your own pace: an article a day, or over a year. Plus the catecheses from the Wednesday audiences of Leo XIV, Francis, Benedict XVI and John Paul II. THE COMPENDIUM ALONGSIDE In every reading, the questions and answers of the Compendium of the Catechism that touch on what you are reading. INDEXES General, liturgical and biblical. Scripture citations open the passage without leaving the app, and so do the footnotes. FOR UNHURRIED READING Adjustable text size, dark theme, read aloud, bookmarks by category and notes (written by you). PRIVACY No accounts, no sign-up, no advertising. Privacy! What you save stays on your phone. Three things need the internet: the reading of the day's Mass, the Compendium questions and the videos. None of them identifies you. The text is the official English edition, from vatican.va. The app is made by the catecismo.pt team, for educational use.

Screenshots

St. Paul Center4 screens
Catholic Catechism, Compendium4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Catholic Catechism, Compendium at none against St. Paul Center's 2. Catholic Catechism, Compendium also leads on update cadence (every 2 days vs every 2 weeks). St. Paul Center's advantage is ratings volume (50 vs 1) and chart position (#185 vs unranked). On price, rating, ads 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. St. Paul Center sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $24.99 per month. Catholic Catechism, Compendium asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.9 for St. Paul Center against 5.0 for Catholic Catechism, Compendium. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: St. Paul Center has 50 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

St. Paul Center ships an update every 2 weeks, Catholic Catechism, Compendium every 2 days. The most recent releases landed on November 5, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 7 level
St. Paul Center versus Catholic Catechism, Compendium: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSt. Paul CenterCatholic Catechism, Compendium
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.9 (50 ratings)5.0 (1 ratings) — better
Positive reviews95.5% of reviews—
Number of ratings50 — better1
Update frequencyEvery 2 weeksEvery 2 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFreeFree
Best chart rank#185 — better—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS15.1 — better16.4
Further details — not scored
Size68 MB132 MB
Age rating4++4
DeveloperSt. Paul Center for Biblical Theologypaulo fontes

Customer experience

St. Paul Center

All ratings45 ratings
Positive97.8%
Neutral2.2%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews22 reviews
Positive95.5%
Neutral4.5%
Negative0.0%

Catholic Catechism, Compendium

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

2 purchases

St. Paul Center

Subscriptions2
  • All-Access Membership Monthly1 Month trial$24.991 Month
  • All-Access Membership Annual$199.001 Year
None

Catholic Catechism, Compendium

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is St. Paul Center free?
St. Paul Center is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Catholic Catechism, Compendium free?
Catholic Catechism, Compendium is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, St. Paul Center or Catholic Catechism, Compendium?
Catholic Catechism, Compendium is rated higher. St. Paul Center averages 4.9 out of 5 from 50 ratings, while Catholic Catechism, Compendium averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.
Do St. Paul Center or Catholic Catechism, Compendium have ads?
Neither St. Paul Center nor Catholic Catechism, Compendium shows ads.
Which is updated more often, St. Paul Center or Catholic Catechism, Compendium?
St. Paul Center ships an update every 2 weeks, and Catholic Catechism, Compendium every 2 days. Most recently, St. Paul Center was updated on November 5, 2026 and Catholic Catechism, Compendium on October 31, 2026.

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