- Starting price
- Free app · companion products from $5.95
- Free tier
- Yes
- Platforms
- iPhone · iPad · Android
- Developer
- Samuel Deuth / Deuth Enterprise / Subsplash
- Launched
- 2019
- Updated
- Aug 3, 2026
The verdict
Following Jesus is a useful free handoff when a person has just begun Christian faith and needs a clear place to start. Samuel Deuth’s seven foundations—prayer and worship, Scripture, water baptism, the Holy Spirit, church, sharing faith and purpose—are supported with devotionals, Bible access, a one-year plan, worship and video. The app stands alone, while a print book, ebook and $450 course extend the ecosystem. The operational weakness is platform drift: iOS remains on version 6.2.3 from May 2023, while Android reached 6.21.3 in May 2026 with modern login, groups and attendance. Apple lists only unlinked usage and diagnostics, but Google says Subsplash may collect and share personal information, messages and many other categories. Churches should review current Android community settings and privacy rather than treating the quiet iOS label as the whole product.
Try Following Jesus ↗Opens followingjesusbook.com
Following Jesus is a free discipleship and devotional app built around pastor Samuel Deuth’s book Following Jesus: 7 Essentials to Following Jesus. Its intended moment is specific: someone has decided to follow Jesus, and a church or friend needs to offer more than congratulations without overwhelming that person. The app supplies an immediate set of foundational resources while the book and course can provide a more structured path.
The seven essentials address prayer and worship, the Bible, water baptism, the Holy Spirit, church community, sharing faith and living for God’s purpose. The app adds devotional material, video teaching, worship media, a Bible and a one-year reading plan connected with YouVersion. As a Subsplash-based app, its current Android release can also expose platform functions such as accounts, groups, messages, event attendance and phone-number login when enabled.
The surrounding store is not one simple price. The app is free. At research time the physical Following Jesus book was shown on sale for $5.95 from a $9.95 regular price, the ebook was $9.99 and the online course was $450. A free Discipleship & Assimilation Pathway download and church bulk resources sit elsewhere in the catalog. Prices can change, especially sale pricing.
This researched review uses the current Following Jesus and Samuel Deuth sites, exact Apple and Google listings, Subsplash policy, release history, platform disclosures, public ratings and faith.tools. We did not create an account, complete the seven essentials, read the whole book, take the course, join a group, test YouVersion linking, order bulk copies, inspect every media item, request deletion, or conduct theological, accessibility, privacy, security or source-code testing.
✓ The good
- Immediate free handoff - a new believer can begin without a purchase, subscription or church software account fee
- Clear foundational scope - seven named essentials give churches and learners a shared map instead of a miscellaneous media feed
- Multiple learning modes - devotionals, Bible reading, a one-year plan, worship and video support different rhythms and attention levels
- Church-friendly ecosystem - print, ebook, course, bulk resources and a free assimilation download can extend the app into a local pathway
- Meaningful Android reach - 5K+ downloads and roughly 20 reviews provide modest evidence beyond the tiny iOS sample
- Active Android platform - the May 2026 Subsplash release adds current account and group infrastructure
✗ Watch out
- iOS appears neglected - the exact Apple app has not moved beyond version 6.2.3 from May 2023
- Platform privacy diverges - Apple lists only unlinked activity and diagnostics while Google lists broad collection and sharing including messages
- Book companion can fragment the experience - users must distinguish what is free in the app from what requires print, ebook or course purchase
- Course price is high relative to the app - $450 requires a syllabus, duration, access and refund review that the free app does not answer
- Foundational content reflects one ministry framework - churches should review baptism, Holy Spirit, church and discipleship teaching before assigning it
- Small rating samples - 13 iOS ratings and about 20 Google reviews are positive but not broad validation
Best for
- New believers who want a free first map of Christian practices and belonging
- Churches seeking an immediate app handoff alongside personal follow-up, baptism preparation and connection
- Existing Christians revisiting prayer, Scripture, community, witness and purpose in an accessible format
- Groups already using Samuel Deuth’s book and wanting media and Bible-reading support in the same ecosystem
Avoid if
- You need a fully current iOS app with platform parity and transparent release support
- You require minimal data collection and will use Subsplash groups, messages, login or event functions on Android
- Your church’s teaching on baptism, the Holy Spirit, church membership or evangelism differs materially from the curriculum
- You need a formally accredited course, published accessibility audit or independently evaluated discipleship outcomes
What Following Jesus is
Following Jesus is a ministry content app running on the Subsplash platform. Its defining content comes from Samuel Deuth’s seven-essential framework, while the app shell supplies media playback, Bible and plan access, notifications and optional community infrastructure. The current Android listing describes modern groups, attendance and phone login in addition to the core content.
It is a companion, not a substitute for the local church or the book. A learner can begin for free and use devotionals or media without purchasing the whole catalog, but water baptism, community, service and pastoral questions require real people. Churches can use the app as one stage in a pathway rather than equating download, account creation or video views with discipleship.
Why a seven-step handoff can help at the fragile start of faith
A new believer often receives either too little—“read your Bible”—or a library too large to navigate. Following Jesus narrows the first horizon to seven recognizable areas and puts supporting media on the device already in hand. A church can say what to open first, then connect each topic with an actual next step: pray together, choose a Bible plan, discuss baptism or meet a group leader.
The framework must remain a map, not a maturity score. People arrive with different church histories, literacy, trauma, disabilities and questions. Do not rush baptism or disclosure to keep a seven-week schedule, and do not treat the Holy Spirit or purpose sections as a test of emotional experience. Pair the app with listening, Scripture in context and permission to move more slowly.
Devotionals, Bible access and a one-year plan support a repeatable rhythm
The app brings devotional content, a Bible and a one-year reading route into the same starting place. Its YouVersion connection can give users a familiar plan and translation environment rather than requiring the ministry to license a full Bible library itself. Notifications can remind users to return.
One year is not the right pace for everyone. Choose a shorter Gospel plan when breadth creates pressure, teach how chapters fit their books and keep a print or accessible Bible available. A streak is not understanding. Ask one observation and one honest question from each reading rather than measuring faith by daily app activity.
Video and worship media explain the seven essentials beyond a chapter outline
Samuel Deuth’s teaching videos and worship media give auditory and visual learners another route into the material. Churches can assign a specific item before a conversation, and media search or topic organization in the Subsplash shell can reduce hunting through unrelated content.
Review every assigned item for doctrine, captions, runtime and assumed background. Worship listening should lead toward prayer and gathered community rather than become mood control. Video is useful for explanation but cannot observe whether a learner feels coerced, confused or unsafe; a human follow-up should always invite disagreement and questions.
Subsplash groups and messages expand community—and expand the data boundary
The current Android platform release supports groups, group-event attendance, phone-number login, messages and other community functions when configured. That can help a church move someone from anonymous content into a real gathering and keep communication in one familiar app.
Google says the app may share personal information, messages and four additional categories and may collect personal information, messages and six more. Establish moderator access, reporting, retention, offboarding and adult-minor rules before enabling community. Do not put counseling, abuse reports, immigration status or confidential pastoral care in ordinary group chat.
Pricing
Following Jesus app
$0
The iPhone and Android companion is free with no listed in-app purchase. Devotional, Bible, plan, worship and teaching access is not presented as a trial.
Following Jesus print book
$5.95 sale · normally $9.95
Current direct-store pricing at research time. Shipping, country availability and future sale changes are additional considerations.
Following Jesus ebook
$9.99
A digital edition sold separately from the free app. Confirm file format, delivery, sharing and church-use permissions before bulk plans.
Following Jesus online course
$450 one-time listing
A separate course led by Samuel Deuth. Obtain current lesson count, access duration, group license, refund terms and included resources before purchase.
Discipleship & Assimilation Pathway
$0 download
A free church-planning resource, currently marked down from a nominal price. Email or checkout requirements may apply.
The app itself is free and is the first product to evaluate. A church does not need to buy the $450 course or a box of books to let someone access its current devotional and media resources.
The physical book’s direct price was $5.95 on sale from $9.95 at research time. The ebook was $9.99, making the digital edition temporarily more expensive than the discounted print copy before shipping. Bulk church pricing may produce a different comparison; ask for quantities, translation availability and use permissions.
The $450 online course is a separate commitment. Public storefront price alone does not establish length, coaching, cohort access, church duplication or refund terms. Review the current checkout page and syllabus, then compare the same learning goal with the book plus a local facilitator.
Free downloads can still collect contact details through an ecommerce checkout. Use a ministry role address when appropriate, read marketing consent and store the files somewhere the next staff member can access rather than tying a church process to one volunteer’s account.
The largest cost is implementation. A church must assign follow-up, answer questions, organize baptism and groups, train disciplers and notice who disappears. A free app lowers content friction; it does not fund those relationships.
Where Following Jesus falls behind
iOS maintenance. Bring Apple from the May 2023 build to current Subsplash features and publish a support commitment or end-of-life notice.
Cross-platform privacy clarity. Explain why Android collects and shares many categories while iOS reports only unlinked usage and diagnostics.
Product boundaries. Publish a matrix showing exactly what the free app, print book, ebook, course and church downloads each contain.
Course transparency. Show syllabus, duration, instructor interaction, access term, group license, cancellation and refund policy beside $450.
Accessibility evidence. Document captions, transcripts, screen readers, text scaling, Bible translation accessibility and accommodations.
Leader implementation. Provide safeguarding, mentor training, doctrinal notes, outcome measures, privacy-minimizing setup and an exportable church pathway.
Following Jesus vs. Safar vs. New City Catechism
Following Jesus is the easiest self-serve handoff: free media, Bible support and seven foundations on a familiar ministry app. Safar is more explicitly relational, pairing two people across thirty steps with prayer and practice. Choose Following Jesus for immediate breadth and church media; choose Safar when a trained companion and longer sequence are available.
New City Catechism organizes 52 questions and answers across doctrine, with concise explanations and family use. It is stronger for systematic belief and memorized language. Following Jesus is stronger for practical first actions—baptism, church connection, Bible rhythm, worship and witness. A church can use catechism for depth after the initial pathway without forcing both systems into one schedule.
YouVersion supplies far more Bible translations and reading plans but is not one local ministry’s new-believer process. GodTools helps with evangelism conversations rather than months of follow-up. Following Jesus earns its place when a church selects a few core items and surrounds them with people; it becomes just another content app when handed over without a name or next meeting.
The bottom line
Following Jesus understands the handoff problem. Seven essentials are enough structure to prevent a new believer from being abandoned to a giant library, and the free app adds the Bible, a reading plan, devotionals, worship and video without a paywall. The print and course ecosystem lets churches go deeper, but those purchases are optional and should be evaluated separately. The technical picture is uneven: Android is an active 2026 Subsplash app with accounts, groups, messages and broad data disclosures; iOS still shows a 2023 build and a much quieter privacy label. That gap needs explanation. Use the app as a selected path, not a spiritual dashboard. Review doctrine, disable community features you cannot govern, keep sensitive care outside chat and ensure every person receives a real contact, church connection and permission to ask questions at a human pace.
Alternatives to Following Jesus
Safar DiscipleshipThirty free one-to-one steps built around a consistent companion, prayer, Scripture and practice.
New City CatechismA free 52-question doctrinal framework with family modes and stronger systematic coverage.
MissionHubA Cru relationship and next-step app for evangelism and discipleship teams, with more person-level tracking.
GodToolsFree multilingual conversation tools for sharing the gospel, better for the first conversation than extended formation.
Gospel PartnerFree Bible teaching, courses and daily devotionals with a broader content library and less specific seven-step handoff.Frequently asked questions
Is the Following Jesus app free?
Yes. The iPhone and Android app is free and lists no in-app purchase. The book, ebook and online course are separate products.
What are the seven essentials?
The framework covers prayer and worship, the Bible, water baptism, the Holy Spirit, church community, sharing faith and living for God’s purpose.
How much is the Following Jesus book?
At research time the direct store showed the print book on sale for $5.95 from $9.95. The ebook was $9.99. Prices, shipping and bulk rates can change.
How much is the online course?
The current storefront lists the Following Jesus Online Course at $450. Review the syllabus, access duration, group rights and refund terms before paying.
Why are iPhone and Android privacy labels different?
The iPhone app still shows a May 2023 build with only unlinked usage and diagnostics, while the 2026 Android Subsplash app includes modern account and group features and declares much broader collection and sharing.
Does the app include a Bible reading plan?
Yes. Public materials describe Bible access and a one-year reading plan connected with YouVersion, alongside devotionals and teaching media.
Can a church use Following Jesus for new believers?
Yes, that is a central use case. The church should review the seven topics, assign a real follow-up person, establish chat safeguards and connect app lessons to baptism, community and service.
Sources & further reading
More Devotional Apps
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JO App (JesusOnline)JO App combines the complete NET Bible with daily inspiration, evangelical discipleship, apologetics, prayer requests, free books, and direct messages to its ministry team—but its breadth needs clearer content provenance, prayer safeguards, accessible privacy details, and more than an excellent rating from a very small audience.
EasterNowA free notification-led walk from Palm Sunday to Resurrection morning that makes Holy Week feel immediate—provided its reconstructed timing is held with humility.
Join The JourneyA free, church-built Bible rhythm that spends a week in one Acts passage and aligns reading, practice, podcast, and Sunday teaching—substantive, communal, and more transparent theologically than technically.
The Quiet CollectionEmily P. Freeman’s small library of spoken prayers and seasonal reflections is unusually calm, finite, and subscription-free—but the collection-by-collection cost and a broken privacy link deserve attention.