# Study Gateway vs Journey Bend

The clearest difference is rating: Journey Bend at 5.0 against Study Gateway's 4.2. Journey Bend also leads on monetization model (free vs subscription) and update cadence (every 2 months vs every 5 months). Study Gateway's advantage is ratings volume (951 vs 6). On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Journey Bend holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.2. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Study Gateway has 951 ratings behind it against 6, so its average is the more settled of the two.

Study Gateway ships an update every 5 months, Journey Bend every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 20, 2026 and October 13, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Study Gateway | Journey Bend |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.2 (951 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/study-gateway/id916234406/reviews) | **[5.0 (6 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/journey-bend/id1500806423/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **951** | 6 |
| Positive reviews | 75.9% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 5 months | **Every 2 months** |
| Monetization | Subscription | **Free** |
| Size | 68 MB | 52 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.6 | **15.1** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Apple TV | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple TV** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [HarperCollins Christian Publishing, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/444535393) | [JOURNEY CHURCH IN BEND](https://appshunter.io/developer/1500806422) |

## What reviewers say

### Study Gateway

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/study-gateway/id916234406)

Access a vast library of on-demand video Bible studies from renowned Christian teachers and authors. Explore topics like discipleship, healing, and Christian living through engaging video content. This service is available as part of a subscription.

**Highlights:** On-demand video Bible studies, World-renowned Bible teachers, Thousands of study videos, Discipleship and Christian living topics, Overcoming and healing content, Bible discussion resources

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🙏🏻 Blessed by the studies
- 👍 Helpful for personal and group study
- 📚 Extensive Bible study content
- 🤗 Enjoyable and engaging teaching
- ⚓️ Strengthens faith and relationship with God

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Buggy app with login and access issues
- 🤯 Difficult to navigate and find content
- 🔒 Lack of customer support and account management
- 💰 Frustrating subscription and cancellation process

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes frequently
- Unable to access purchased content
- Login and password issues
- Compatibility problems on various devices

**Requested features**

- Improve app stability and user experience
- Provide better customer service and account management
- Simplify subscription and cancellation process


### Journey Bend

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/journey-bend/id1500806423)

Access live and archived content from Journey Church, including online worship experiences. Stay connected with sermons and teachings from the church.

**Highlights:** Live streaming of worship experiences, Archived sermon content, Mobile app access, Content from Journey Church in Bend

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Study Gateway free?

Study Gateway is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Journey Bend free?

Journey Bend is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Study Gateway or Journey Bend?

Journey Bend is rated higher. Study Gateway averages 4.2 out of 5 from 951 ratings, while Journey Bend averages 5.0 from 6 ratings.

### Do Study Gateway or Journey Bend have ads?

Neither Study Gateway nor Journey Bend shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Study Gateway or Journey Bend?

Study Gateway ships an update every 5 months, and Journey Bend every 2 months. Most recently, Study Gateway was updated on October 20, 2026 and Journey Bend on October 13, 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.*