Comparison

MLJ Sermons vs MasterLectures

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

Head to head
About

MLJ Sermons

Access over 1,600 audio sermons from Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones to deepen your understanding of the Gospel. Stream or download messages, view Bible references, and explore sermon topics. This app provides a rich collection of classic Christian audio teaching.

Highlights
  • 1,600+ audio sermons
  • Stream or download sermons
  • Bible references included
  • Adjustable playback speed
  • Sermon topics and collections
  • Sort by Bible books
  • Share sermons
Features
Read full description

"This is the most important app you'll ever need." --App Store Review Access over 1,600 audio sermons to shine light on the Gospel! Stream or download each audio sermon. Quickly access bible references inside the app. Get spiritually fed by this free teaching resource. Enjoy the classic Christian audio. The MLJ Sermons app connects you to the preaching ministry of Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones. Lloyd-Jones was a Welsh Protestant minister, preacher, and medical doctor who was influential in the Reformed wing of the British evangelical movement in the 20th century. Dr. Lloyd-Jones preached over 1,600 sermons and the complete catalog of his messages is available for streaming & download through this app. App features include: -Audio controls -Play/pause audio sermons -Full-screen sermon player -Choose different playback speeds -Bible reference for each sermon -View Sermon Topics and Collections -Sort sermons by books of the Bible -Share each sermon -Learn more about the preacher Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones The MLJ Sermons app was created by Five Q.

About

MasterLectures

Access thousands of professionally filmed video lectures on the Bible and theology. Stream content on demand from trusted Christian scholars covering topics from biblical context to church history and ministry. Grow your faith and understanding with expert guidance.

Highlights
  • Thousands of video lectures
  • Bible and theology topics
  • Apologetics and Christian history
  • Ministry guidance
  • Original language studies
  • Expert Christian scholars
Features
Read full description

Get unlimited access to an expanding library of thousands of professionally-filmed video lectures on the Bible and theology. This app lets you stream thousands of videos on demand—any time, anywhere—and comes with your membership to MasterLectures by Zondervan Academic. All videos are presented by Christian scholars you trust. Explore videos on the Bible, theology, apologetics, Christian history, and so much more. • LEARN ABOUT THE BIBLE. Explore the historical and cultural context of the ancient texts, learn the interpretive issues, and discover practical application for today. Start with an introductory survey, or dig deep into an individual book. • EXPLORE THEOLOGY. From introductory videos on the nature of God, to in-depth discussions of the most challenging and mysterious topics in theology, you’ll get expert guidance from today’s leading theologians. Choose from survey-level videos on systemic, historical, evangelical, and contemporary theology, or explore specific topics in theology, like the doctrine of the Trinity the doctrine of creation, and the creeds and councils. • GROW IN YOUR FAITH. Learn how to articulate and clarify your own beliefs, and get equipped to defend your faith to others. Choose from videos from today’s leading apologists, or explore topics on Islam, science, ethics, philosophy, and more. • DISCOVER CHRISTIAN HISTORY. Gain a richer understanding of your Christian heritage. Choose from videos on every period of church history, including the key people, events, ideas, and controversies that have shaped Christian thought. • DO BETTER MINISTRY. Whether you serve as a pastor or as a volunteer, you’ll get expert guidance from seasoned ministry leaders who have faced the same challenges. Choose from videos on leadership, evangelism, small groups, missions, preaching, counseling, and more. • READ THE BIBLE IN THE ORIGINAL LANGUAGES. From introductory videos on the Greek and Hebrew alphabets, all the way up to graduate-level lectures on syntax and discourse analysis, we’ve got you covered. Choose from beginner-level videos on Greek and Hebrew, or go further by learning Aramaic, Syriac, or Ugaritic. To access all features and content you can subscribe to MasterLectures on a monthly or yearly basis with an auto-renewing subscription right inside the app.* Pricing can vary by region and will be confirmed before purchase in the app. In app subscriptions will automatically renew at the end of their cycle. * All payments will be paid through your iTunes Account and may be managed under Account Settings after the initial payment. Subscription payments will automatically renew unless deactivated at least 24-hours before the end of the current cycle. Your account will be charged for renewal at least 24-hours prior to the end of the current cycle. Any unused portion of your free trial will be forfeited upon payment. Cancellations are incurred by disabling auto-renewal. Terms of Service: https://masterlectures.zondervanacademic.com/tos Privacy Policy: https://masterlectures.zondervanacademic.com/privacy

Screenshots

MasterLectures4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: MLJ Sermons at none against MasterLectures's 2. MLJ Sermons also leads on update cadence (monthly vs every 3 months) and ratings volume (1.3K vs 88). MasterLectures's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and review sentiment (92% vs 82%). On price, rating, device support and iOS requirement 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. MasterLectures sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $19.99 per month. MLJ Sermons asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

MLJ Sermons holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: MLJ Sermons has 1.3K ratings behind it against 88, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 82% of MLJ Sermons's written reviews are positive against 92% of MasterLectures's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

MLJ Sermons ships an update monthly, MasterLectures every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on September 23, 2026 and September 13, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 4 level
MLJ Sermons versus MasterLectures: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterMLJ SermonsMasterLectures
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.9 (1.3K ratings) — better4.7 (88 ratings)
Positive reviews82.4% of reviews92.4% of reviews — better
Number of ratings1.3K — better88
Update frequencyMonthly — betterEvery 3 months
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationAd-supported — betterSubscription
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, Apple TV
Requires iOS15.1 — better16.6
Further details — not scored
Size37 MB66 MB
Age rating4+4+
Developer5Q Communications, IncHarperCollins Christian Publishing, Inc.

Customer experience

MLJ Sermons

All ratings1,275 ratings
Positive98.4%
Neutral0.9%
Negative0.7%
Written reviews148 reviews
Positive82.4%
Neutral6.8%
Negative10.8%

MasterLectures

All ratings88 ratings
Positive92.0%
Neutral2.3%
Negative5.7%
Written reviews66 reviews
Positive92.4%
Neutral3.0%
Negative4.5%

User reviews

MLJ Sermons

From 1.3K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🙏 Grateful for preserved sermons
  • 🔥 Powerful, transformative preaching
  • 🕰️ Timeless, relevant messages
  • 👍 Easy to navigate app

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Buggy playback issues (resets, freezes)
  • 🔍 Difficult to find/resume sermons
  • 🔋 High battery drain
  • 📚 Lack of sermon organization/categorization

MasterLectures

From 88 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 👍 High-quality content
  • 👍 Great teaching from scholars
  • 👍 Affordable alternative
  • 👍 Valuable for self-study
  • 👍 Good complement to books

Room to improve

  • 💰 Expensive for some
  • 💰 Prohibitive monthly pricing
  • 💰 Too expensive for the layman
  • 💰 Conservative biases (Zondervan/Grand Rapids)
  • 💰 Heavy Calvinist leanings in Paul-focused content

Bugs and requests

MLJ Sermons

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Sermons not playing/loading
  • Playback issues (resets, stops unexpectedly)
  • Navigation/UI glitches

Requested features

4 requests
  • Sermon progress tracking
  • Playback speed controls
  • Sermon notes/bookmarking
  • Improved sermon organization (by topic, scripture, etc.)

MasterLectures

Reported bugs

2 issues
  • Cannot find series started
  • App doesn't remember which videos completed

Requested features

6 requests
  • Add a study guide for videos
  • App should remember last watched video
  • Add a rewind button (e.g., 15 seconds)
  • Add a playback speed function
  • Ability to mark videos as watched
Show 1 more
  • Include class notes

In-app purchases

None

MLJ Sermons

No in-app purchases

2 purchases

MasterLectures

Subscriptions2
  • MasterLecture Subscription7 Days trial$19.991 Month
  • MasterLectures Subscription7 Days trial$179.991 Year

Questions

Is MLJ Sermons free?
MLJ Sermons is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is MasterLectures free?
MasterLectures is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, MLJ Sermons or MasterLectures?
MLJ Sermons is rated higher. MLJ Sermons averages 4.9 out of 5 from 1.3K ratings, while MasterLectures averages 4.7 from 88 ratings.
Do MLJ Sermons or MasterLectures have ads?
MLJ Sermons shows ads; MasterLectures does not.
Which is updated more often, MLJ Sermons or MasterLectures?
MLJ Sermons ships an update monthly, and MasterLectures every 3 months. Most recently, MLJ Sermons was updated on September 23, 2026 and MasterLectures on September 13, 2026.

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