Head-to-head comparison
Gospel Library vs ScripturePlus
Ratings, pricing, platforms, real-world strengths, and a clear pick for each kind of user.
Latter-day Saints have two main study apps, and they're complementary more than competing. Gospel Library is the official app of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints: the standard works, General Conference, Come Follow Me manuals, and Church magazines in one free place. ScripturePlus, from the nonprofit Scripture Central, layers study helps (maps, commentary, videos, and timelines) on top of the same scriptures.
Most members end up using both: Gospel Library as the daily home for reading, talks, and curriculum, and ScripturePlus when they want to dig deeper into a passage. Here's how they line up, and which to reach for first.
The bottom line
These aren't really rivals. They're a pair. Gospel Library is the essential, official app every Latter-day Saint will want: it holds the scriptures, General Conference, and the weekly Come Follow Me curriculum, all free and synced to your account. ScripturePlus is the study companion you add when you want maps, commentary, and media that illuminate the text. Start with Gospel Library; add ScripturePlus when you want to go deeper.
The core difference: Official library vs. study companion. Gospel Library is the Church's own app and the canonical home for scripture, talks, and curriculum. ScripturePlus is an independent nonprofit's study layer, richer helps on the same verses. They're built to be used together, not chosen between.
Gospel Library vs ScripturePlus: at a glance
| Gospel Library | ScripturePlus | |
|---|---|---|
| Our rating | 4.4 / 5 | 4.9 / 5 |
| Starting price | Free | Free |
| Free tier | Yes | Yes |
| Platforms | iOS · Android · Windows · Web | iOS · Android |
| Developer | The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints | Scripture Central |
| Launched | 2008 | 2021 |
| Best for | Latter-day Saint members of any age studying weekly Come Follow Me at home or in class | Latter-day Saint readers following Come Follow Me who want more than the manual |
See them in action
ScripturePlus
How they compare, point by point
Content and scope
Gospel Library
Gospel Library holds the complete standard works, every General Conference talk, the Come Follow Me manuals, Church magazines, hymns, and more, the entire official library in one place.
ScripturePlus
ScripturePlus centers on the scriptures themselves, adding study aids (maps, charts, commentary, videos, and timelines) rather than the full catalog of official Church materials.
Study helps
Gospel Library
Gospel Library's strengths are highlighting, notes, tags, and study sets you can organize and sync, excellent for personal study and lesson prep, though the helps are mostly your own annotations.
ScripturePlus
ScripturePlus is built around added study content: scholarly notes, infographics, and short videos from Scripture Central that explain the historical and textual background of a passage.
Come Follow Me
Gospel Library
Gospel Library carries the official Come Follow Me manuals and is the home base for the Church's weekly course of study.
ScripturePlus
ScripturePlus complements Come Follow Me with deeper-dive resources on the week's reading, useful for teachers and anyone wanting more than the manual.
Who makes it, and cost
Gospel Library
Made by the Church itself, free, and tied to your Church account for sync across devices.
ScripturePlus
Made by Scripture Central, a nonprofit, and also free, funded by donations rather than by the Church.
Which should you choose?
Gospel Library
Choose Gospel Library if you want the one essential app: the official scriptures, General Conference, Come Follow Me, and magazines, free and synced to your account. For most members it's the daily home for everything.
ScripturePlus
Choose ScripturePlus when you want to go deeper on the text: maps, commentary, infographics, and videos that open up the historical and scriptural background. It's the study companion alongside Gospel Library, not a replacement for it.
There's no real either/or here: Gospel Library is the essential install, and ScripturePlus is the natural add-on when you want more study depth. Both are free.
Strengths at a glance
Gospel Library
- Completely free, completely ad-free - no premium tier, no upsells, no paywalled content anywhere in the app
- Comprehensive content library - KJV Bible, Book of Mormon, Doctrine and Covenants, Pearl of Great Price, plus every General Conference talk since 1971, all manuals, magazines, and hymns
- Come Follow Me integration is best-in-class - the weekly curriculum opens to the right lesson on the right week without you doing anything
- Excellent offline mode - you can download everything (scripture, every back issue of the Liahona, the whole Conference archive) for true on-a-plane access
ScripturePlus
- KnoWhys at the chapter level - short, footnoted research insights that turn 'I read the chapter' into 'I learned something I didn't know'
- Best-in-class Book of Mormon study media - maps, photography, artwork, video, and audio integrated verse-by-verse
- Free, with no ads and no upsell tier - the entire app is unlocked from install
- Come Follow Me integration - current week's reading surfaces with curated KnoWhys, videos, and commentary attached
Watch-outs
Gospel Library
- Original-language tools are minimal - no inline Greek or Hebrew lexicon, no morphology, no parallel translations beyond the JST excerpts
- KJV is the only English Bible translation - readers who want NIV, ESV, or NASB will need a second app
- Interface density can overwhelm new users - the sheer volume of content means menus go deep, and discovery is uneven
ScripturePlus
- Old Testament and New Testament coverage is thinner than Book of Mormon coverage - the app's center of gravity is unmistakably the Book of Mormon
- No sync with Gospel Library - highlights, notes, and bookmarks live separately from your official Church account
- Search is solid but not powerful - no Boolean operators, no original-language search, no cross-reference graph
Frequently asked questions
Is Gospel Library or ScripturePlus better?
They serve different roles. Gospel Library, the Church's official app, is the essential one: scriptures, General Conference, and Come Follow Me, all free. ScripturePlus, from the nonprofit Scripture Central, is the study companion that adds maps, commentary, and videos. Most members use both.
Is ScripturePlus official?
No. ScripturePlus is made by Scripture Central, an independent nonprofit, not by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Gospel Library is the Church's official app. ScripturePlus is a widely used study companion alongside it.
Do I need both apps?
Not strictly. Gospel Library alone covers daily reading, talks, and Come Follow Me. Add ScripturePlus when you want deeper study helps: maps, commentary, and videos on the passage. Both are free, so many members keep both.
Are Gospel Library and ScripturePlus free?
Yes, both are completely free. Gospel Library is provided by the Church; ScripturePlus is funded by donations to the nonprofit Scripture Central.
Is Gospel Library free?
Yes - Gospel Library has a free tier (Free).
Is ScripturePlus free?
Yes - ScripturePlus has a free tier (Free).
For Latter-day Saint members, Gospel Library is best-in-class - the entire standard works, the full Come Follow Me curriculum, every General Conference talk back to 1971, magazines, hymns, manuals, and audio, all free and beautifully integrated. ScripturePlus has quietly become the second app most serious Latter-day Saint students of scripture install - right after Gospel Library.