Logos vs. Olive Tree: The Best Bible Software for Beginners
Bible study software is a great option for beginners to study the Bible. They often provide essential resources and features that you need to experience the Bible in a deeper way, in a way you encounter God. But all the options can be overwhelming for a beginner. So, let’s take a look at two popular choices.
Overall, the best Bible software for beginners is the Olive Tree Bible App. That said, the best option for beginners will depend on factors like, personal preference, study needs, cost, and more. Olive Tree is best suited for complete beginners or new Christians. But Logos is also a great option.
So, let’s compare the two to see which is best suited for you, based on what factors matter most to you.
| Aspect | Logos Bible Software | Olive Tree Bible App |
|---|---|---|
| Overview | Comprehensive digital platform with advanced tools and features, often sold in packages | Digital platform providing essential tools, operates on a subscription model |
| Cost and Value | Operates on a subscription basis, but libraries can be purchased to offer long-term ownership | Operates on a subscription basis, offers affordability through subscriptions, lacks long-term ownership |
| Learning Curve | Has a learning curve but provides training resources like QuickStart Guides and YouTube channel | Virtually no learning curve, provides training guides, and YouTube tutorials |
| Customization and Flexibility | Highly customizable for study plans, layouts, and appearance | Less customizable, but user-friendly layout, particularly suited for beginners |
| Mobile Compatibility | Highly compatible with mobile devices, some features limited on mobile | Designed as a mobile-first platform, offers the same functionality as the desktop version, seamless syncing between devices |
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The Basics of Bible Study Software
In general, Bible study software is a digital platform that contains resources and features designed to help users study the Bible. These resources include commentaries, dictionaries, and multiple translations of the Bible. Bible study software makes it convenient to carry and use these resources to study God’s Word.
Logos
Logos Bible software is a comprehensive digital platform that offers users an advanced library of biblical and theological tools, powerful study features, and search capabilities, designed to help users study the Bible and do research.
Logos Bible software is sold in subscriptions that include a feature set (tools and datasets that make Bible study easier) and a library of resources to use. Libraries can be purchased if you want to own some of the resources from the subscription. For the purposes of this comparison with the Olive Tree App, we’ll look at the Logos Premium Subscription. It includes the following,
- 14 Bible and Study Bibles
- 106 Bible Commentaries
- 19 Dictionaries and Encyclopedias
- 5 Devotionals and Spiritual Growth
- Factbook Feature
- Smart Search
- Workflows
The one feature that I want to highlight, one that makes Logos unique is the Factbook feature. The Factbook allows users to search a person, passage, topic, etc. and get quick information on it from their available resources.
It’s kind of like having a personal librarian who will search all your resources and present you with the ones you need. It’s often the first place I go when wanting a big picture look at a topic, verse, passage, book of the Bible, or even character from the Bible. It offers lots of helpful information.
Olive Tree App
The Olive Tree Bible App is another digital platform that has available resources and features designed to make Bible study easier. It offers the essential and basic tools you need for Bible study that helps you get from experiencing the Bible to encountering God.
The Olive Tree App comes as a subscription. You choose your preferred translation and get resources designed to work well with that translation. Typically, you’ll have access to nine powerful and popular resources. For example, the NIV Bible study Pack, which I am using for this comparison contains,
- NIV Study Bible
- NIV Quest Bible
- Olive Tree Cross References
- NIV Cultural Background Study Bible
- Zondervan Bible Commentary
- NIV Biblical Theology Study Bible
- Zondervan Illustrated Bible Dictionary
- Zondervan Atlas of the Bible
- Olive Tree Bible Maps
These resources are great and the way the are presented in Olive Tree is just as beautiful. There two open panes in the software. One side has the Bible, the other lists your resources and articles from those resources that go with what you are studying (similar to the Factbook above). There is also an easy to navigate tab that makes taking notes a breeze.
So, now that we have a basic look at the features and resources within each software let’s look at the price tag.
Cost and Value
Logos
As previously stated, Logos is often in Subscriptions. There three subscription plans.. If you want to know what they are, then feel free to check out this article. There I do an in-depth comparison of those three Logos packages to determine the best one for beginners.
Here is a quick look at those packages, their number of resources, and how much they cost.
| Feature | Premium Subscription | Pro Subscription | Max Subscription |
|---|---|---|---|
| Number of Resources and Features | Access to 250+ Books | Access to 500+ Books | Access to 600+ Books |
| Cost | $ 9.99/mo ($99/yr) | $14.99/mo ($149.99/yr) | $19.99/mo ($199.99/yr) |
As you can see, you get a lot of resources for the price you pay. Each subscription comes with a ton of great features and tools that make digital bible study easier. The Pro Subscription is geared toward pastors, while the Max subscription is focused on research and Bible scholars. So, for most the Premium subscription is more than sufficient.
It is the features that make Logos so powerful. There is a ton of interlinking and hyperlinks between your resources. It is like a spider web with all your resources connected. So, when you search in your Factbook, you get exactly what you need.
In general, you are getting more than your money’s worth. If sold individually, all of these resources and features would be worth much more than the cost. For example, the free edition contains $784 dollars worth of resources, if they were sold separately. So, often times it’s worth getting a package.
That said, there are quite a few resources in the different packages that you may not need or want. That is definitely something to consider. That said, you can always get a lower package and purchase the resources you’ll use individually through the Logos store, typically at a cheaper price than a bookstore.
Another thing to note, if you want to own the resources you, then you will need to purchase a library from Logos. Like Logos, The Olive Tree App is a subscription model service. Let’s take a look at it now.
Olive Tree App
The Olive Tree App is a free app, with basic resources like Bible translations and that’s it. Though, it comes with many different translations. If you want Bible study resources you have one of two options to getting them.
First, you could purchase a subscription. They offer a Bible Study Pack subscription that comes with basic resources for $5.99/mo or $59.99/yr. They have Bible Study Packs for the following translations: NIV, ESV, NLT, and NKJV. They also offer a basic starter pack for $2.99/mo.
Honestly, this makes getting Bible study resources very affordable for most beginners. Plus, you get resources you’ll actually use. So, that is a plus. If you were to buy the resources individually from the NIV Bible Study Pack it would cost you nearly $300 dollars.
That said, while it is cheaper up front to get a subscription with Olive Tree, you don’t own your resources in the long term. Also, any resource you buy through the Olive Tree store will be about the same as in a bookstore or on Amazon.
Learning Curve
Logos
Logos is well designed and set up. It’s beautiful to look at and is a very powerful resource. That said, it does have a bit of a learning curve to it. Thankfully, they offer a QuickStart Guide in their resources to help you learn the basics of their software. Otherwise…good luck.
In addition to the QuickStart Guide in the resources. Logos has a very well put together YouTube channel with easy to understand and follow along videos. They also offer an active community forum that you can use for help and guidance.
Personally, I bought a package of Logos and didn’t use it for months. I was completely overwhelmed with the software and number of resources. (Plus, I kinda forgot I had it). But that feeling of overwhelm really made me struggle with wanting to learn the software. But I spent good money, and needed to learn it.
Then I found those QuickStart Guides I mentioned. They were phenomenal in guiding me through the basics of the software, choosing my preferred resources, and learning how to use the most popular features. It really, really helped.
Olive Tree App
The Olive Tree BIble App is so much easier to learn than Logos. It has virtually no learning curve. It’s nicely laid out and easy to navigate. But guess what? They even offer some great training and support.
They will provide you with training guides so that you not only know how to use the software, but also how to use the resources of your Bible study tool kit. Like Logos, they have a great how to section on their YouTube channel.
Customization and Flexibility
Logos
Logos Bible software is highly customizable for study plans. You can create different layouts with your resources. For example, you can have your Bible on the left, then on the right have a commentary and a dictionary with the commentary above the dictionary.
Logos also offers some preset layouts for different activities, like devotionals, Bible journaling, Bible study, etc.
You can also customize the look and feel of the software as well with options to change the font, font size, theme, etc.
Olive Tree App
The Olive Tree App does not offer customizability when it comes to layouts. You will typically have your BIble on the left and whatever other resource you have open on the right. That said, they offer similar basic setting changes like font, font size, etc.
Overall, Olive tree is not as customizable as Logos, but it’s also not as expensive. So, if customizability is an important factor for you then consider going with Logos. That said, the way Olive Tree is laid out is very convenient and well suited for beginners.
Mobile Compatibility
Logos
Logos is highly compatible with mobile devices. There is a Logos app for Android and IOS systems. That said, there is some features of Logos are limited to the desktop only. In general, there are more features available for the IOS app than the android app, with the most being on the desktop.
Syncing between the desktop and the mobile apps is done automatically, and personally, I’ve never had a problem with the Logos App on Android. All my notes sync and my resources are there. However, there are some features that are missing from the mobile app that is available on the desktop.
Users generally rate the Logos app well, giving it a 4.8 out of 5 stars on Google Play, and 4.8 on the App Store as well.
Olive Tree App
Mobile compatibility is where Olive Tree shine the brightest. The Olive Tree App was designed to be primarily a mobile app. So, everything you can do on the desktop version you can do on the mobile app. It literally works exactly the same way. No features are missing and the only difference is a smaller screen.
Syncing between the mobile app and desktop apps works really well as well. So, you can type your notes during your morning Bible study time, and read them while waiting in line to pick up the kids from school.
Olive Tree is a mobile first platform. That’s why the desktop app is so simple to navigate and use.
Making the Decision
Ultimately, choosing a Bible study software is going to come down to your personal preferences and needs. Thankfully, Logos offers a free edition you can check out and explore and Olive Tree offers a 24-day free trial. So, give both a try and see which one you like better.
But if you are still struggling in deciding which one is best for you, then here are some questions for you to consider,
- What are my primary goals for digital Bible study?
- Consider whether you are focused on personal devotions, in-depth theological study, sermon preparation, or a combination of these.
- How user-friendly do I need the interface to be?
- Assess your comfort level with technology and your preference for a user-friendly interface.
- What is my budget for digital Bible study tools?
- Determine the budget constraints and evaluate the pricing plans of both Logos and Olive Tree.
- Am I looking for a platform with a comprehensive library of resources?
- Consider the types of resources (commentaries, dictionaries, etc.) you want access to and compare the libraries offered by Logos and Olive Tree.
- Do I prefer a platform with a steep learning curve or one that is more beginner-friendly?
- Evaluate your willingness to invest time in learning a complex system versus a simpler, more intuitive one.
- How important is mobile compatibility for my study habits?
- Consider whether you plan to study primarily on a desktop/laptop or if you need a robust mobile app for on-the-go study.
- Do I want a tool that offers a high degree of customization and flexibility?
- Assess your desire for personalized study plans, layouts, and the ability to integrate third-party tools.
- What level of customer support and community engagement am I seeking?
- Consider your preference for active community forums, customer support availability, and the importance of user testimonials.
- Is it crucial for me to have seamless synchronization between devices?
- Determine whether having your study progress synchronized across different devices is a key factor for your convenience.
- How important are additional features like note-taking, highlighting, and cross-referencing?
- Evaluate the significance of features beyond basic reading, such as annotating, highlighting, and cross-referencing.
- What kind of learning resources and tutorials do I need as a beginner?
- Assess your learning style and the availability of training resources, tutorials, and user guides for both Logos and Olive Tree.
- Do I have a preference for a specific translation or set of translations?
- Consider whether either platform offers your preferred Bible translations or if you’re open to exploring new ones.
- How critical is long-term scalability in my decision-making process?
- Think about your future needs and whether the chosen platform will scale with your evolving study habits and requirements.
Key Takeaways
- Overall, the Olive Tree Bible App is considered the best Bible software for beginners.
- Both Logos and Olive Tree use subscription models. However, Logos is a comprehensive digital platform offering more features, while Olive Tree provides essential tools.
- Logos has a learning curve but offers extensive customization, while Olive Tree has virtually no learning curve and is less customizable but user-friendly.
- Logos is highly compatible with mobile devices, with some limitations, while Olive Tree is designed as a mobile-first platform with seamless syncing.
So, now you have the facts, the final choice is yours. No matter which software you choose, starting a Bible study habit and wanting to experience the Bible in a way that you encounter God is a great goal. One that I strive for everyday. So, well done. Trust God in the journey and you’ll reach your destination.
