Reading a chapter on the bus, listening to the Psalms while you cook, following a one-year reading plan: the phone has become the easiest way to keep the Bible close at hand. There are official apps that do all of this at no cost, and others that charge for study features or for a more polished narration. Here is what each one offers, which have audio in Spanish and English, which work offline, and what costs money.
Prices and availability checked on Google Play and the App Store in the United States and South Africa in November 2026.
In a few words
- YouVersion: the most complete and entirely free, with audio in several Spanish and English versions.
- Bible.is: made for listening, with dramatized audio Bibles and downloads to listen to without internet.
- Olive Tree: for studying offline, with the Reina-Valera 1960 free and paid study materials.
- Laudate: for those who follow the daily Mass readings.
- Dwell: professional narration, but paid after the free trial.
Reading or listening: what changes from one app to another
Almost every Bible app shows the text for free. What differs from one to another is three things: which translations it has, whether it offers audio (and in which versions), and whether it works without internet. In Spanish, the most sought-after versions are the Reina-Valera 1960, the NVI and the NTV; in English, the KJV, the NIV, the ESV and the NLT. Before installing, it's worth checking whether the version you use at church or at home is in the app, and whether it has audio.
Another point: "free" doesn't always mean the same thing. Some apps are run by churches or nonprofit organizations and have no ads or purchases at all. Others are free to download but charge for commentaries, study books, or audio narration.
The apps
1. YouVersion: the most complete, and free
The YouVersion, which appears in the stores as "Bible App", is run by the American church Life.Church and has no ads or in-app purchases. According to the store itself, it gathers more than 2,500 Bible versions in over 2,100 languages, plus reading plans on a wide range of topics. On Google Play, it has a 4.9 rating and more than 100 million downloads.
Audio exists in selected versions. In Spanish, the list includes the Reina-Valera 1960, the NVI, the NTV, the LBLA, the NBLA and the DHH; in English, the KJV, the NIV, the NLT and the ESV, among others. An account is optional and serves to save highlights and plan progress across devices.
Attention: you can download the text of some versions to read offline, but audio requires a connection.
2. Bible.is: made for listening
The Bible.is is from the Faith Comes By Hearing, a nonprofit organization dedicated to recording the Bible in audio. The app has no ads or purchases. Many recordings are dramatized, with different voices for each character and sound effects, which helps those who like to listen while doing something else. According to the organization's website, the audio can be downloaded to listen to without internet.
In Spanish, there is the Reina-Valera 1960 in audio for the Old and New Testaments, the NTV dramatized in both testaments, and the NVI dramatized only in the New Testament. In English, there is audio of the KJV, from NIV, from ESV and the NLT, among others. On Google Play, it has a 4.6 rating and more than 5 million downloads.
Attention: not every version has the whole Bible in audio. Check, in the version you chose, whether both testaments are available.
3. Olive Tree: for studying offline
The Olive Tree is a study app: besides the text, it offers notes, commentaries, dictionaries, and tools for those who want to understand the original Greek and Hebrew. Everything you download works without internet. The app has no ads, and the Reina-Valera 1960, in Spanish, is available at no cost in the app's own store. On Google Play, it has a 4.7 rating and more than 1 million downloads.
Attention: much of the material is paid. The study package is a subscription, with 14 days free, and several translations and audio Bibles are sold separately. If you only want to read and listen, the first two apps on the list are enough.
4. Laudate: for those who follow the Mass
The Laudate is aimed at Catholics: it features the daily Mass readings, the Liturgy of the Hours, the Rosary, the Catechism, and prayers, with no ads and no purchases. In English, it has Bibles in the Catholic tradition to read offline, and the app also exists in Spanish. Instead of the whole Bible in audio, it offers audio of the daily readings, the Rosary, and the Stations of the Cross. On Google Play, it has a 4.7 rating and more than 1 million downloads.
Attention: although widely used, it is not an official Church app: it is made by an independent developer.
5. Dwell: if you want to pay for a polished narration
The Dwell is an audio Bible with professional narration: more than 20 voices, optional background music, and a mode for listening before bed. In English, it has the ESV, the NIV, the NLT and the KJV, among others; the service's website also lists the NVI and the Reina-Valera 1960 in Spanish. The audio can be downloaded to listen to without internet.
Attention: it is paid. After a 7-day trial, the individual subscription costs US$ 9.99 per month or US$ 59.99 per year in the United States. If you only want to listen, start with the YouVersion or the Bible.is, which are free.
Quick comparison
| App | Cost | Audio | Offline |
|---|---|---|---|
| YouVersion | Free, no ads | Yes, in selected versions (Spanish and English) | Text only, in some versions |
| Bible.is | Free, no ads | It's the focus, with dramatized versions | Yes, by downloading the audio |
| Olive Tree | Free to download; study and audio paid | Sold separately | Yes, everything downloaded |
| Laudate | Free, no ads | Daily readings and Rosary | Yes, the English Bibles |
| Dwell | Paid, with a 7-day trial | It's the product, with professional narration | Yes, by downloading the audio |
How to install safely
Download only from the official store and check the name of the publisher just below the title: Life.Church, Faith Comes By Hearing, Gospel Technologies, Aycka Soft or Dwell App. There are copies with similar names that fill the screen with ads or ask for a subscription right at launch.
On Android
- Open Google Play and search for the app's name.
- Check the developer's name and tap Install.
- On first opening, choose the language and the Bible version.
On iPhone
- Open the App Store and search for the app's name.
- Check the developer's name and tap Get.
- On first opening, choose the language and the Bible version.
How to listen without using up your data
On Bible.is and the Dwell, download the books or chapters you plan to listen to while on Wi-Fi: the audio stays saved on the phone. On the YouVersion, the audio only plays with internet, so prefer listening over Wi-Fi. One audio chapter can take up a few megabytes, and the whole Bible takes up much more: before downloading everything, check the free space on the device.
Frequently asked questions
Are these apps really free?
The YouVersion, the Bible.is and the Laudate are free, with no ads and no purchases. The Olive Tree is free to download, but charges for study materials, translations, and extra audio. The Dwell is paid after the trial.
Which one has the Reina-Valera 1960 in audio?
In what we checked, the YouVersion and the Bible.is have the Reina-Valera 1960 in audio, at no cost.
Can you listen without internet?
Yes, in Bible.is and the Dwellby downloading the audios beforehand. In YouVersionwhat is available without internet is the text of some versions, not the audio.
Do I need to create an account?
To read and listen in YouVersionno: the account is only used to sync highlights and plans between devices. In the others, it may be required for features such as sync or purchases.
Liked it? In the category Apps you'll find other app guides for everyday life, and in Curiosities there's more reading for your break.
