Haven vs YouVersion
Haven vs YouVersion: a Catholic daily rhythm or a full Bible app?
YouVersion is the world’s most widely used Bible app, and it is free. Haven is a small Catholic daily routine. Here is a fair comparison, with sources for every claim about YouVersion.
The short answer
YouVersion is a complete, free Bible platform: thousands of translations, reading plans, a Verse of the Day with free widgets, and social features. It is general Christian, with Catholic translations available. Haven is narrower and Catholic: the Gospel of the day from the Church’s calendar, an evening examen and a guided examination of conscience. If you mostly want a free Bible and a verse widget, YouVersion does that well — and its widget is free, while Haven’s is Premium.
Claims about YouVersion 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 We make Haven, so we have tried hard to be fair; if something here is out of date, tell us at contact@try-haven.app.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 | YouVersion | |
|---|---|---|
| Catholic or general Christian | Catholic, built on the General Roman Calendar | General Christian; Catholic translations such as the NABRE and NRSV-CI are availablesource · checked 2026-09-24 |
| Gospel / daily readings | Gospel of the day with a reflection (free). The other Mass readings are not included. | Mass readings: not listed on the official pages we checkedsource · 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) | Verse of the Day widgets on the home screen, freesource · checked 2026-09-24 |
| Bible translations | One translation per app language — in English, the public-domain World English Bible | Thousands of Bible versions in over 2,000 languagessource · 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 Biblessource · checked 2026-09-24 |
| Examen | Five-movement evening examen with optional reminder (free) | Not listed on the official pages we checkedsource · checked 2026-09-24 |
| Confession preparation | Guided examination of conscience, 61 questions; nothing you mark is saved (Premium) | Not listed on the official pages we checkedsource · checked 2026-09-24 |
| Price | Free core app; optional Premium subscription (price shown in the store, varies by country) | Freesource 1 · source 2 · checked 2026-09-24 |
| Platforms | iPhone and Android | iPhone and iPad, Android, and the web at bible.comsource 1 · source 2 · checked 2026-09-24 |
When to choose YouVersion
- You want a free, complete Bible app with many translations and reading plans.
- You want a free Verse of the Day widget.
- You read the Bible with friends or a church group and want social features.
When to choose Haven
- You want the Gospel the Church reads at Mass today, not a general verse of the day.
- You want Catholic practices in the same place: an evening examen and preparation for confession.
- You want a quiet, focused routine rather than a large platform.
See Haven’s practices for yourself: the Gospel of the day, the evening examen and the examination of conscience.
Questions people ask
- Does YouVersion have Catholic Bibles?
- Yes. YouVersion lists Catholic translations including the NABRE and the NRSV Catholic Edition. It is a general Christian app, though, rather than one organised around the Catholic liturgical calendar.
- Which verse widget is free?
- YouVersion’s Verse of the Day widgets are free. Haven’s widgets — home screen on iPhone and Android, lock screen on iPhone — are part of Premium.
Other comparisons
- Haven vs HallowAn honest comparison of Haven and Hallow: a large library of guided audio prayer versus a short daily rhythm with the Gospel, a widget and an evening examen.
- 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 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.