Haven vs Hallow
Haven vs Hallow: which Catholic prayer app fits your daily routine?
Hallow and Haven are both Catholic prayer apps, but they are built for different days. Here is how they compare, with the official source for every claim about Hallow.
The short answer
Hallow is a large library: thousands of audio-guided sessions, well-known voices, challenges and community. Haven is deliberately small: the Gospel of the day, one verse to carry through the day (on your home screen with a Premium widget), a short reflection, and an evening examen — a routine you can keep in a few minutes, mostly by reading. If you want to choose from a big catalogue, Hallow will give you more. If you want the same short rhythm every day, Haven may suit you better.
Claims about Hallow were last checked on September 24, 2026 against its official website and store listings. Features and prices change — please check the source links below. We make Haven, so we have tried hard to be fair; if something here is out of date, tell us at contact@try-haven.app.
Side by side
| Haven | Hallow | |
|---|---|---|
| Catholic or general Christian | Catholic, built on the General Roman Calendar | Describes itself as a Catholic and Christian prayer appsource · checked 2026-09-24 |
| Gospel / daily readings | Gospel of the day with a reflection (free). The other Mass readings are not included. | Daily Gospel among the free sessions; lectio divina on the daily readingssource 1 · source 2 · checked 2026-09-24 |
| Verse widget | Verse of the day from today’s Gospel; home-screen widgets on iPhone and Android, lock-screen widgets on iPhone (Premium) | Not listed on the official pages we checkedsource · checked 2026-09-24 |
| Audio | A short daily audio reflection, written with AI and read with text-to-speech (free preview, full audio in Premium). No audio Bible. | Audio-guided prayer throughout: over 10,000 sessions, sleep stories, music and homiliessource · checked 2026-09-24 |
| Examen | Five-movement evening examen with optional reminder (free) | Ignatian examen, listed among the free sessionssource · checked 2026-09-24 |
| Confession preparation | Guided examination of conscience, 61 questions; nothing you mark is saved (Premium) | A confession guide on Hallow’s blog; an in-app examination of conscience is not listed on the store page we checkedsource 1 · source 2 · checked 2026-09-24 |
| Community | None — Haven is a personal practice | Hallow Family for sharing intentions; seasonal challenges such as Pray40source · checked 2026-09-24 |
| Price | Free core app; optional Premium subscription (price shown in the store, varies by country) | Free to download with free sessions; subscription listed at $9.99/month or $69.99/year (US), starting with a free trialsource · checked 2026-09-24 |
| Platforms | iPhone and Android | iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch and more; also Android and websource 1 · source 2 · checked 2026-09-24 |
When to choose Hallow
- You like being guided by a voice, and want a wide choice of prayers, meditations and music.
- You want seasonal challenges and to pray alongside friends or family.
- You want sleep content and long-form audio series.
When to choose Haven
- You want the same short, quiet rhythm every day rather than a catalogue to choose from.
- You like reading the Gospel yourself, with a verse from it on your home or lock screen.
- You want an evening examen that saves nothing, and a private examination of conscience before confession.
See Haven’s practices for yourself: the Gospel of the day, the evening examen and the examination of conscience.
Questions people ask
- Is Haven a free alternative to Hallow?
- Partly. Haven’s Gospel of the day, verse, written reflection and evening examen are free; widgets, full audio and the examination of conscience are Premium. Hallow also has free sessions. The bigger difference is the format: Haven is a short daily routine, Hallow a large audio library.
- Can I use both?
- Yes. Some people use a large library like Hallow for longer prayer and keep Haven as the small daily anchor.
Other comparisons
- Haven vs AmenHaven vs Amen (Augustine Institute): a free Catholic audio library with Mass readings versus a short daily rhythm with the Gospel, a verse widget and an evening examen.
- Haven vs AscensionHaven vs the Ascension app: in-depth Catholic Bible and Catechism study with Fr. Mike Schmitz versus a short daily Gospel, verse widget and evening examen.
- Haven vs YouVersionHaven vs the YouVersion Bible App: a free, huge Bible app with Verse of the Day widgets versus a Catholic daily rhythm with the Gospel of the day and an evening examen.
- Haven vs LaudateHaven vs Laudate: a free, very broad Catholic reference app with readings, the Liturgy of the Hours and confession tools versus a short guided daily routine.
- Haven vs GlorifyHaven vs Glorify: a polished general Christian devotional app with worship music and community versus a Catholic daily routine with the Gospel of the day and an evening examen.
Try Haven’s daily rhythm
The Gospel of the day, a verse and a short reflection, and a free evening examen.