Scourby YouBible
reviews and complaints

I like this app, I listen to my bible through 3-4 times a year along with endless studying where I listen to the same chapter over and over to study a new concept with the context. I would have gladly paid $200 for this app free and clear maybe more instead I was billed $25 free and clear for the app.

Now I wake up this morning to all of the features that I paid for being canceled and the app now wants to draft my account $40 a year for the same app that I have already purchased.

I am not a review person and tried to give feedback through the app to the owners to get it worked out but along with the apparent update of the app the link to send feedback was broken.

I will forgive this but I will unfortunately be looking for another bible reading app that does not have a monthly/ yearly subscription.

UPDATE 2 on August 27
So now we can’t even access customer support. You have a serious problem w your app, which costs $20, that renders it useless and you won’t respond to our notices to you, plus you have a customer support link that is not working.
This is not a new problem. It has been going on for a while.
Please fix the app. Thank you!

UPDATE ON August 27
PLEASE FIX THE APP!
It won’t open. Crashes every time!

Original review...
Has been a great app! It constantly crashes since the latest update. Can’t even get it to open up without crashing. Hope they fix this soon.
I would love to see them add more Daily Reading Plans. An example would be to read the NT through in a month. Just a variety.
Thank you! Look forward to the crashing issue being fixed so I can use the app again!

I love this app so much- I have a version on my iPad as well. No one reads the KJV better than Scourby. I also have the Bible on audio alone, but I seem to get much more out of it by being able to look at Scripture while listening.
The biggest draw for me with this app is in the way that it helps my understanding of the KJV- so many times understanding is influenced by the way a passage is read. The inflections of voice, the pauses or stops at various places-all make a difference in the way the passages are understood. Then too, is the pronunciation of all of those biblical names! In all, an outstanding app for my daily reading of the Word- it actually encourages me to want to read daily- I often read several times during the day and for much longer periods of time than I normally do, without the use of this app. Love it and highly recommend it.

September updated...

Still using this program! I am still enjoying listening to Scourby read the KJV. His reading is the finest in the world (to me). I've tried numerous Bible programs and this one is the best. Why? I think it's because the sole focus is only on God'a Word. Plus, the King James Authorized Version is truly the most accurate, sophisticated and effective translation of the Bible. It just is! God bless...

The following review is well over 2 Years ago...

Just downloaded the Alexander Scourby Bible APP. Nice first impression. Lots of good tools. Audio sounds good. General overview is good. Pleased with the APP. I'm a trucker and have Scouby's CD's, the rig beats the cds up a lot, then decided on this app. Well worth it. The cds was $100 I think, this app is only $20, a good deal! Enjoy your own app, I recommend it.

Preacher John

Update:

Shortly after I left this review, and update was issued and I have been using the app with NO ISSUES for a week or two now. I’m glad that they were able to resolve this!

Original Review:

I love Alexander Scourby’s recording of the Bible and this is the best way for me to listen to it. The app looks a little dated, but is overall clean in appearance. Navigation is pretty straightforward as well. The only problem is this app crashes all the time. If I start playing it and then pause it, inevitably, when I come back to start it again it will crash. Everyone I try to open the app after that it crashes! It usually will do so until I restart my phone. I thought that it might be my iPhone 6s, but when I upgraded to the 11 pro, it did the same thing. This is totally unacceptable for an app you’re paying $20 for. I love the app and want to continue using it. I hope they resolve this soon.

Outstanding! This is the audio Bible I've been waiting for years to get. It's worth every dime I spent on it. Sound quality is superb and features are well done. By far the best all-around Bible app for reading, listening, and memorization. However, as good as this app is, I do have few suggestions for future releases that I wish it could do:
1) allow multiple color options for text highlighting
2) connect a Strong's Concordance like the one in Patrick Franklin's Touch Bible (available in iTunes App Store)
3) variable reading speed (sometimes Mr. Sourby goes a little fast)
4) recalculate the one-year reading plan based on the start date and starting point in the Bible (e. g., if I want to start reading at Ezra 4:1 on 5/22, then give me a daily reading plan for the remainder of 2015 covering from Ezra 4:1 through Revelation 22:21; I will start over at Genesis at the beginning of 2016).
Thank you for a fabulous app!

There’s no better app Bible App in the playstores. The Scourby Bible app is the best, no bible app has a playlist like the Scourby Bible app, and no better narrator than Alexander Scourby. All these complaints about charging a small yearly fee for feature subscriptions is quite Ludicrous. I wonder what Jesus is thinking about that? Is there any business that can sell a product one time and then expect it to be maintained for life. I am a software developer, and I know the cost to maintain software, and it’s very expensive. We all pay for subscriptions every month for our TV programs, cable net work and monthly cell phone bills, how long could those companies be in business if they just charged one time for their services? I bought the entire bundle of 10 app features, and they all work great and I believe it’s well worth the small yearly payment. Stop with all the complaining, you sound like the competition trying to attack the best Bible App In the play stores.

I reached out to the folks at Litchfield Ltd., and they responded quickly, telling me that it was likely that I’d loaded it with “Cellular Data” rather than with WiFi, and if I’d correct that problem — they gave me step-by-step instructions, I’d have the problem fixed. They wanted me to know that it WAS NOT their app’s problem.

This, of course, didn’t explain why it worked perfectly until they did their update, nor why it continues to work — sped up, and with some words missing — on my iPad. But I gave it a try. It didn’t work.

At least it still works on my iPad, which was loaded with the same WiFi network that my iPhone was loaded on. Of course, it is still sped up, and it still lacks the conclusions of each and every book. But it is better than nothing. I wish they would sell the rights to the original recording to Olive Tree, a company I believe would respect the original recording enough to give it to us in its complete form. And it works on all devices.

I used to listen to Alexander Scourby everyday on CD. Then my kids and watched it on DVD for years. Now all of us in the family use the app. I start everyday with my Bible, prayer book and the Scourby app. I’ve been using this since I got my first smart phone in 2014. For 5 years, I’ve watched the updates improve the app and give more features. This is the only app I have that I never want to live without. No one reads the Bible with such authority as Mr. Scourby. If you read your Bible daily, or you want to try, this app is worth every penny. You can make play lists for verses you want to memorize and listen to it over and over. You can have a reading plan to read the Bible 1,2 or three times through in a year. Or you can set your own pace. Most of all, you can listen to the Bible anytime with ease and from someone who knows how to read it and pronounce the words. I am a linguistics major and appreciate good pronunciation. Mr Scourby does it right! Thank you so much and God bless you for making this app.

I was fortunate enough to be part of the beta testing team for a previous version of this app. In doing so, I was in constant contact with the development team and through that, I was able to determine that they really cared for this product and wanted it to be as user friendly to those that love the Lord and want to absorb his word into their hearts through this app.

After seeing the updates in this new version, I have to say that it's even better than the version I beta tested and that the development team continues to listen to the consumers of this product and cares for the way in which it is utilized according to the feedback they receive from the users. The interface of it is easier than ever and the new additions to the UI of the app are great. If you're looking for a great KJV audio Bible app, then you can't do any better than the Scourby Bible app that allows you to see and hear the great truths of our Lord's word with ease and great comfort. I highly recommend this app for anyone looking for a KJV audio Bible app.

Matthew C.

This is the most expensive app I have ever purchased. I had it on my phone and my iPad. I paid for the extra speed on my iPhone because I had it on my iPad. After an update, extra speeds were removed from my iPad - forcing me to buy it if I wanted to keep it. Spoke to the developers and basically they said tough luck.

Now after a couple of years they change the speed so there is a 3-second delay between each and every verse. It is extremely annoying. Do the developers ever listen to their product before releasing. The app upgrade said they added the delay at a user’s request so they could think about the verse. That is ridiculous to change an app so they could do so. First off, those users could play the verse at a slower pace. Why offer a faster speed only to put a 3-second delay before each verse at 1.5 speed. I did not test f the delay remains the same in all speeds. It doesn’t matter. This needs to be fixed. There are lots of good Bible apps out there that are free. I paid more than $20 for the app and speed upgrade. Please fix it.

All you have to do is look back in our history as Americans. When our leaders started this great nation with the most important book of their times and still if the most important book every printed the Holy Bible. When I grew up there was none of the crimes that we have now. I grew up where you did have to lock your doors. You did have to worry what was going to happen inside or outside of your homes, none of the shooting that we happen every day in our great country. People got a long with everyone. Why did all this happen when I grew up is because our parents took us to church and we got to know GOD and Jesus. If you wonder why we having all the problems in our county now there is one answer. We have kick GOD and his son out of everything that is import to us a country. If we do not believe in him, GOD does not believe in us. The only way back to a Great America is thru the Bible. Read it and you find out for yourself the real meaning of life. The Bible can change your life for the better. All you have to do in read or listen. This app is the most important app there is. If can save your life.

I bought this app in 2013 for $20. This is the ONLY APP IN WHICH I have ever paid so much for because I loved it and had to have it. All of the features were included in my purchase including sleep timer which I like to set to keep the app from going on continuously. The company now wants me to pay for the privilege of using certain features which were already a part of my original purchase. This is robbery and an infringement on the original purchaser’s rights. I did not rent to own the app I purchased the complete app and all of it’s components. Perhaps if additions of substantial quantity and proponents were added in and made available for purchase it would be fair, but I purchased everything offered from the get go and the company has severed it into continual profitable pieces to increase revenue without any thought or respect for the previous customers and their originally purchased app with all inclusive content. I am so disappointed! There should at the very least be a plan of grandfathering in past customers to allow them full access to the complete app that was already purchased. I feel cheated!

I purchased this app many years ago and enjoyed all the features I had PAID for at the time. Now with the update, I can no longer without a paid subscription as many other dismayed owners of the app have mentioned. Do you even recognize that people had previously purchased the app? What did I even purchase? A more honest approach would have been to treat your grandfathered owners of the app as sincere customers and only have any new ‘owners’ subscribers to the app pay the large monthly fee while offering your cherished grandfathered owners any new features for a subscription price, features they didn’t previously enjoy. What a sign of the times it is to feel hustled by a Bible app! I would have gladly paid $50 for the app when I bought it at the time, if that’s what you needed to maintain the app, knowing I wouldn’t feel duped years later! What’s next? I buy my home and then am told years later that it’s moving to a subscription plan and I now have to pay rent? I know the analogy isn’t exact but I hope you understand the frustration and disappointment. I have recommended this app to many family who decided to PURCHASE it as well, but I will not recommend it any longer.

So I purchased this app back when everything was included in the high price($20) for this app. Then with some of the recent updates it suddenly needs to be a subscription. I reached out to them the first time this happened and they never responded but my app suddenly unlocked and was back to the original “everything included” except for a few features. Now today I got back on to do my reading and it’s back to wanting me to do a subscription for something I already paid for. This is very dishonest and if this is a subscription based app it should be less than $10 for the interface of the app and then the other features (Bible reading plan, speed, etc) be subscription. Scourby’s recording has been around so long and I’m sure they’ve made money on this charging $20 for the full app. Now they get greedy and start double charging. They must not read the content of this app. I’m very frustrated because before I’ve had these problems I would have rated this 4-5 stars and only mentioning a few bugs in the system, but now it’s not something I would recommend. I could buy the recording elsewhere and reading along I’m a free Bible app or a hard copy Bible. Much cheaper and not a rip off.

There is no better investment of one’s time than to listen to the bible in my opinion, although the king James has flaws as all English translations do, this is not really relevant to this app, it is mainly a purchase of the audio recording of scrourby. Whilst I appreciate along with many, the need to charge for software development as well as for audio recordings that likely have royalties needing to be paid, the main focus of the developers here should be ease of use and feature development.
This is where I rate this as 1 star. Making simple changes or customising a reading plan or playlist are really the very basic plus features that would make a $20 app worth the investment. If done right they could have charged $50 for this app, but the application is basic, clunky, and really just audio attached ever so nicely to some third party reading software.
Having the ability to create and edit or delete and stop reading plan(basic)
Being able to create playlists the whole bible long, without doing it a single verse at a time(basic)
Having a simple interface that appears to having endless options, but is really just bad design with too many doors to nothing.

I would still recommend people buy this app and listen, but the developers should really do better than this and sell a grown up interface that matches the grown up content.

6/3/23: Going forward, I see two godly options before the developers of this app: 1) Permanently restore all functionality to all users who have paid full price for this app (I paid $20 years ago when it first came out.) 2) Full refund for all app users. Then each user can decide whether or not to opt for the subscription option. The third alternative, however, does not look good for the developers: 3) Psalms 7:15: He made a pit, and digged it, and is fallen into the ditch [which] he made. He that hath ears to hear, let him hear. …[T]he love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. I choose to forgive the developers for their egregious error of adding a paid subscription service for customers who have already paid full price for the app. And I plan to use the limited functionality of this app for as long as it continues to be available—as well as Scourby YouTube recordings, CDs, and other options (I even still have the Scourby bible on cassette tape!) I encourage others to use whatever options are available that, as much as possible, avoid greed and exploitation of both you and others. God Bless You. —— Earlier reviews (before the subscription-based system): Just Downloaded the newest update. So far it looks great — it even saved my playlist! Looking forward to checking it out in more detail… First review: Help! Update crashes every time I try to open it. Also, in reading the update info I see that the words of Christ are now in red. I do NOT want this feature. Please remove this feature or give me the opportunity to turn it off, and PLEASE PLEASE fix the update or give me the opportunity to reload the old version. Old Updated review: The app now works great — and I use it every day. I upgraded my rating from one star to four — the only reason it doesn't get "six stars" is because of a few technical issues with the app itself. But it is by far my favorite app on the iPhone. I have been reluctant to update it to the most recent version, however, due to its unwieldy file size, and the reviews that say that you completely lose your playlist and have to reinstall it. Lately I've been getting warning messages that the app will slow down my iPhone. So it looks like the app is overdue for a brand new update, at which time I will probably update the app to the latest version. But overall I still love it due to its content and masterful reading. Thank you and God Bless! P.S. One of the first things I did with my playlist was to put each book of the Bible into it separately. Perhaps that's an option that could be employed in a newer update so that we don't have to do it ourselves – thanks!

After the latest update, my Scourby Bible app lost the feature which has a countdown on the daily Bible reading. This feature was great because it gave a daily timer countdown based on the reading plan chosen and it showed how much time you needed to read for the day. Now that it doesn’t show this feature, the app just keeps reading over to the next day, and it doesn’t show when the daily reading is done.

I reached out to the app support team and explained the problem and they couldn’t help.

I've listened to this app for years and shared it with others. I LOVE IT.
But now with new update , the audio freezes at 1 Cor 6:12. Someone else also mentioned that.
Some parts sound rushed. It's like the speed turned up just a tiny bit? Especially between chapters.
The verses got spread out visually with space in between each verse making it harder to read along and see the overall message.
Can you bring back the version before the most recent update? Or create next update to be similar to recent.

This app has been such a blessing through the years and I’ve gifted to several people. But I’m disappointed in the breakdown of functionality and the need to delete and reinstall after every iOS update.

The longer pause between verses is distracting and makes reading time longer.

What happened to the “End” option for adding verses to a playlist? Adding through the Select option still yields individual verses being added. I can’t recreate my daily Psalms and Proverbs playlists after having to delete and reinstall.

Scourby’s voice has been a part of my daily life for many years (mp3 package for PC). The app was originally a pay-once purchase and I invested in it albeit a bit pricey for an app.
Now I am locked out of many features I utilized heavily pending an exorbitant yearly subscription fee.
In my opinion, this pricing model is atrocious and I can’t in good conscience condone this behavior with my monetary support, even if I actually COULD afford it at the moment.
So I am forced to delete this app.
My heart is heavy and I am sad.

While I consider this my favorite iPhone app, I’m a bit perplexed now as to why I can no longer use the features I’d paid $19.99 for several years ago. My normal go-to features (like Playlists) are no longer accessible without a $3.99 feature-charge. I can understand how Scourby.com will need to update its pricing structure from time to time, but hopefully not in a way that will take away functionality from previous customers/fans/advocates. Blessings to you, and I wish you great success in the coming days as you make this app better than ever.

Was a great app and for new customers that want to pay a subscription im sure its great.

But I bought this app years ago and paid $20 which was a lot for me to spend on an app. Maybe I paid to upgrade for faster reading etc. but the cost was fixed. Then all of a sudden my Bible reading plan had been erased and he reads so slow it’s not usable. Original customers should have been grandfathered in. I would have never paid for the current version of the app. I don’t know if you have to pay $20 for the app still then subscribe but I paid for a version that was better and now it’s totally different so it feels like I got ripped off.

I paid for the app and I paid for a reading plan in the app, I can’t use the reading plan it says I have to pay for it. I’m pretty well frustrated with it not being user friendly. I sent an email about it and I got no reply. Is anyone actually running this application or is it really just a spending hole. Why charge for ever feature and at that no help to be found when the features paid for don’t work? I love to listen to the Bible read by a nice voice, but this has me more focused on trying to get the app to work than actually getting to listen. Don’t they make enough off of the initial $20.00 to purchase to make it usable? So frustrated.

I’m very frustrated. I’ve sent two emails, and my problem is still not solved. They’ve told me to tap on my purchased subscription, which I did. But on my iPhone 13 Pro, there is absolutely NO feedback when I do that. I would think that it acknowledges it somewhere. It does say purchased.
So I fo back to where it says reading plans, and it gives me the same message. It thinks that I want to choose the standard reading plan.
I just keep going around and around. And the email reply simply gives me the same instructions again.
It should work like the YouVersion Bible with the audio narration.
I’m paying to hear Alexander Scourby, because I love how he reads the scriptures. But it shouldn’t be this hard to do, in 2023.

You will lose any purchases you have already made. I purchased the speed option for 4.99 a couple years ago and they took it away with this update and want me to pay 3.99 a year. To sell someone something and then take it away is theft. Exodus 20:15 “Thou shalt not steal.”
They also made me buy the app twice for about 20.00 each time several years back. I had purchased the app for $20 and they changed it by making the first one obsolete and I had to buy it again to load to my new phone. I love Scourby, but the owners of the app have charged me about $25 more than the original purchase and I have nothing to show for it. Don’t update or you will lose any purchases that you made within the app before the new subscription update.

I could put my scourby MP3 Bible on my phone but decided to spend 20 bucks for convenience. Big mistake. I use this in my car and the Bible book chapter verse selection wheel is just awful. I select book chapter verse while driving then while listening there is NO button to forward or reverse a chapter at a time PLUS if I open back up the selection wheel it's NOT where I made my last selection it's back at the first book of the Bible so while driving I have to spin the selection wheel all around again to find my book chapter verse again and doesn't save my last selection there needs to be an easier navigation so drivers can easily select books and chapters while driving or jogging. Designer of app please fix and I will change my rating to five stars.

I purchased this app in 2015 for $19.99. In 2018, I purchased the playback speed feature. I used the app every single day to read my Bible with the wonderful sounds of Alexander Scourby. Unfortunately, in 2021, they changed the app and have forced people who already purchased the app and certain features to buy it all over again YEAR AFTER YEAR if you want to continue using it. I cannot restore my purchases. I bought it once. I shouldn’t have to buy it again. If you buy a car, the dealership can’t call you in 5 years and say, oops. Changed our mind. You have to pay us again if you want to keep the car. It doesn’t work like that. This is robbery. And I think Alexander Scourby would be very disappointed to learn how greed has taken over his legacy. Shameful.

3 days ago, some of the features became “Subscriptions”!

That’s not fair to those that did not agree to this when originally purchasing the app.

This was by far the most expensive app I ever purchased, and I want the features that I paid for. They were not “free” since they were included in the purchase.

What if every app developer decides they are going to start shaking down their customers and inventing ways to charge for what was already purchased?

It’s the same as car manufacturer deciding that now it wants to charge for a monthly subscription for the use of my radio or the use of the windshield wipers.

If that’s something you want to do going forward, that’s your business. But to start charging for past purchases, that’s just not good business.

This app has a volume issue and navigating isn’t too convenient either. The volume so low on this app that I really can’t hear it when it’s synced to my truck unless I crank the volume all the way up. And then if I get a call or navigation speaks it blows out my ear drums. I’d emailed them about it and they said to look for an update but that’s never happened. I love Scourby’s voice but what good is it if I can’t hear him. The search option I wish they had is being able to scroll and click on a verse and start from there. As it is you must skip forward it back verse by verse or go to the search page and find the book, then the chapter, then the verse. It may not sound like much but I’d rather use the other apps that are easier to navigate and volume is better.

I didn’t even know there was an update download but since update there are mistakes.There are cut off of certain words and in first Peter the last chapter last verse there is static between words. A lot of static. There are repeats of words The Bible app won’t stay open with cellular on. Ive done what they said to do to fix and it still shuts down. This is not good. I listen to Bible often and now it’s a disappointment. I would like this fixed.
I’ve done what was say to do to fix the app and it still doesn’t work. In Corinthians the app stops because the verse won’t play. It just sits there open but won’t play. I have to go to the next verse for the app to work. There are so many problems after the new version downloaded. Can you please get them fixed
These things need fixing