The YouVersion website and Bible app exists to help people keep up a consistent reading regimen of the Bible.  YouVersion seeks to provide an experience for readers that will make it easy for them to start and maintain Bible reading every day.

YouVersion was founded in 2008 as a ministry of Life.Church in Edmund, Oklahoma.  To date, the Bible app has been downloaded to over 300 million devices around the world, without the use of advertising.  YouVersion has generous donors which make it possible to offer 1,588 Bible versions in 1,134 languages.  This makes it one of the leading Bible apps available today.

Bob and I use the YouVersion app as much as we drink water – and Bob drinks lots of water.  Using “Bob’s 5 Bark Bible App Review System” we evaluate the YouVersion Bible application as to its ease of use.

1. Access

One definition of generosity is that it is giving above and beyond what is expected.  That could be said of YouVersion.  Providing free access to so many versions of the Bible in over a thousand languages makes this a go-to for many readers who want to discover the Bible.

Bob gives a deep “bark” for the easy access of the YouVersion Bible app.

2. Navigation

YouVersion maintains a staff of about 20 full-time persons and hundreds of volunteers.  The attention to maintaining easy navigation, the ability to move around the app with ease and understanding, and the clear menu selection demonstrate there are competent people at work.  This is an app that you could download on Granny’s device and she’d be able to find Psalm 23 in the King James Version without a problem.

Its also possible to sync YouVersion between all your different devices so that you can begin reading on your phone and pick it up at the same place on your computer.

Bob gives a strong “bark” to the YouVersion app for it’s easy navigation.

3. Reading

Read the YouVersion app in any which direction you desire on your mobile device.  The app also carries several options for letter fonts and font sizes, as well as different color backgrounds.  No matter what the reading needs are, the YouVersion app can be personalized for you.  You can even utilize audio versions of the Bible and listen rather than read.

Bob happily gives a “bark” for the easy reading of the YouVersion app.

4. Information

YouVersion has videos and reading plans for you to use, free of charge.  There are other Bible apps with a lot more resources of commentaries, devotionals, and study guides.  But YouVersion has chosen to stick with straight-up reading of the Bible.  Opportunities for highlighting the text, adding your notes, and focusing on reading plans is more to their focus and can be easily done.  Since they hone-in on doing one thing well (reading the Bible) they can offer more when it comes to versions and languages.

Bob gives a “bark” to the YouVersion ease of information.

5. Connection

There are a couple of features to the YouVersion app which make it easy and convenient to share.  First, there are off-line versions of the Bible available, which means you don’t have to have a WiFi connection to use the app.  All you need to do is download your favorite version.  For a guy like me who spends a lot of time offering spiritual care in hospitals with spotty connections, the YouVersion is a wonderful tool to pull out and use in reading the Bible to patients and families.

Second, a nice strength of the app is the ability to connect and share with others what you’re reading (and your notes, too, if you want).  Much like how other social media platforms operate, you can reach out to friends and gain new friends reading the Bible together.  You can read the same plan, or simply update each other on what you’re all reading.   You’re more likely to stick with reading the Bible if you have some accountability with others in doing so.

Bob gives a good “bark” for the easy connection feature of YouVersion.

Bob likes the way your app smells, YouVersion.  Good job.  It’s not always easy pleasing a bloodhound’s nose.

 

Based on “Bob’s 5 Bark Bible App Review” of YouVersion, we give it:

5 Barks out of 5