# ESV Bible* vs JSM

The clearest difference is price: ESV Bible* at Free against JSM's $39.99. ESV Bible* also leads on rating (4.7 vs 3.1) and ratings volume (952 vs 14). JSM's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 4) and ads (none vs shown). On update cadence and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

ESV Bible* is free to download; JSM costs $39.99 up front. ESV Bible* sells 4 one-off in-app purchases. JSM asks for nothing beyond the download.

ESV Bible* holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 3.1. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: ESV Bible* has 952 ratings behind it against 14, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 50% of ESV Bible*'s written reviews are positive against 31% of JSM's.

ESV Bible* ships an update every 4 months, JSM every 5 months. The most recent releases landed on October 23, 2026 and November 1, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | ESV Bible* | JSM |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **Free** | $39.99 |
| Rating | **[4.7 (952 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/esv-bible/id988485030/reviews)** | [3.1 (14 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/jsm/id1031348310/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **952** | 14 |
| Positive reviews | **50.0% of reviews** | 30.8% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Every 4 months** | Every 5 months |
| Monetization | **Free with in-app purchases** | Paid |
| Size | 288 MB | 309 MB |
| Requires iOS | 14.0 | **13.0** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch** | iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [RAVINDHIRAN SUMITHRA](https://appshunter.io/developer/1571016391) | [Jimmy Swaggart Ministries](https://appshunter.io/developer/839561928) |

## What reviewers say

### ESV Bible*

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/esv-bible/id988485030)

This app provides the English Standard Version of the Bible, a modern translation focused on word-for-word accuracy to the original texts. It's designed for faithful study, teaching, and reading, preserving the original meaning and style of scripture.

**Highlights:** Faithful translation of original texts, Word-for-word accuracy, Modern English accessibility, Ideal for Bible study, Preserves original meaning and style

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Apple Watch app, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Three Months | $7.99 | one-time |
| ESV Ads Free Version | $12.99 | one-time |
| One Year | $24.99 | one-time |
| Two Years | $34.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to use
- 🚀 Offline availability
- 💡 Highlight and share verses
- 👍 Clear and concise layout
- 👍 Convenient for studying

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Grammatical errors
- 🐛 Formatting issues (words running together)
- 🔍 Difficulty navigating to specific books
- 💰 Distracting ads
- 🐛 Bugs and crashes

**Reported bugs**

- Books disappearing with only page numbers visible
- Inability to access certain books due to ad placement
- Incorrect book ordering (New Testament starting at 2 Corinthians)

**Requested features**

- Add note-taking functionality
- Improve navigation between chapters and verses
- Fix audio discrepancies with scripture


### JSM

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/jsm/id1031348310)

Access an interactive and audio version of "The Expositor’s Study Bible" with in-depth commentary. Explore "The Evangelist Magazine" and gain a deeper understanding of scripture through detailed notes from Evangelist Jimmy Swaggart.

**Highlights:** Interactive study Bible, Audio Bible version, Expository notes, Searchable text, Highlighting and bookmarking, Commentary toggle

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is ESV Bible* free?

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

### Is JSM free?

JSM costs $39.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, ESV Bible* or JSM?

ESV Bible* is rated higher. ESV Bible* averages 4.7 out of 5 from 952 ratings, while JSM averages 3.1 from 14 ratings.

### Do ESV Bible* or JSM have ads?

ESV Bible* shows ads; JSM does not.

### Which is updated more often, ESV Bible* or JSM?

ESV Bible* ships an update every 4 months, and JSM every 5 months. Most recently, ESV Bible* was updated on October 23, 2026 and JSM on November 1, 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.*