We’ve covered a lot of Bible apps here at ChurchMag and too often we focus heavily on the functionality built into these tools. Features like Bible reading plans, the ability to add notes, export notes, commentaries, sharing verses and so on. These are all great and we’ve seen some huge steps forward there, but sometimes I wonder if this has lead to a neglect of the design of these tools.
Well NeuBible is a new (pun not intended) Bible app from a small indie development team that takes a radically different approach to many others and focuses on design first.
What is NeuBible
NeuBible is a Bible app from the two man team of Kory Westerhold, a UI designer at Apple and Aaron Martin, a design director at Yahoo. Their app came from looking round at the different Bible apps people were using and thinking that the design could be vastly improved.
This makes their app focus on a few key features and a beautiful reading experience. This is no feature heavy tool with a million different translations but there are a couple of more features in development (bookmarking and note taking) as well as the hope to add more version if the app does well.
The interface is minimal and makes good use of swiping and pulling interface elements into the screen such as pulling the screen to the left to show a chapter selection tool on the right, or scrolling the book of the Bible left to change between chapters too. Swiping to the right from the Bible text opens up the main menu bar. All simple and easy and hidden from view to avoid distractions.
The Good
The obvious main advantage of NeuBible is the reading experience. When you get to the verse you want, you are left with beautiful text on a clear background. You can change this to be larger or smaller depending on your preference as well as being able to adjust the font choices, spacing and even change to a night mode to suit the time of day.
These high quality fonts and disappearing interface (with easy swipes to reach) remind me a lot of the experience on the RSS reader Unread (also iOS only) which focuses on the content.
This makes perfect sense in a Bible app, the content in those pages is the most important thing and so giving it top priority and ensuring that nothing gets in its way is very powerful.
A really brilliant feature is the double tap to search. Simply double tapping on the verse you are in opens up a search bar where you can start typing the text of a verse (e.g. “for God so loved…” or a reference to jump to it (“e.g. john 3:16”) this is perfect for that moment during a church service where the pastor suddenly jumps half way across the bible. You don’t have to tap a hamburger menu, click on the Bible, click on the chapter and finally click on the verse (by which point the pastor is already on another verse). Instead, you double tap, type and go.
The Bad
If you love all the added features in YouVersion or other more powerful apps then this will disappoint you, at least at first. You can highlight and copy verses but you can’t easily share a verse (with or without a fancy background) as you can in YouVersion. You also don’t have social notes, Bible reading plans or a whole host of other features. However, you may find that the benefit in the reading experience outweighs those losses so I would certainly implore you to try before you dismiss it.
The main criticism that I know many readers will have for this app is that it is iOS only at the moment. I don’t think it is a huge surprise for an Apple designer to develop an iOS app first, however, they have stated that they want to expand into further version and further languages (and versions). Their main issue is they need money to do that and the best way to get money to continue its development is to let it generate money.
Wrapping Up
[Video via Vimeo]
NeuBible is a beautifully crafted Bible app that puts the reading experience first and foremost. Although it is feature limited, the search feature and distraction free minimalism make it an incredible app. This is now my first choice of Bible app and I can’t wait for it to grow and expand into more devices and platforms.
– Design
– Features
– Performance
– Value for Money
Neubible supports iOS and can be found here.
[Editor’s Note: Neubible is 50% off this week!]
Sean Leacy (@GeekAthair) says
Now if they would just release an Android version…
Chris Wilson says
Well it’s a good thing they have plans to release one then.
Sean Leacy (@GeekAthair) says
That’s what they were saying. Let’s just hope it happens before I need to use that RaptureTracker 700 🙂
Josh Miller says
love the design. love that people care about the visual to partner with the spiritual
Chris Wilson says
Me too Josh. It makes so much sense to focus on the text first and foremost in a bible app that once you’ve seen it you have to wonder why no one else does.
Keith Malone says
Looks clean and simple to use. Love it!
David Strader says
Love clean design – definitely going to download if I don’t win to check it out a bit more. Thanks for sharing & God Bless!
Chris Wilson says
No problem David. Good luck
Matt Rittgers says
No Greek/Hebrew? Why is that such a hard feature to find?
Chris Wilson says
Can’t say for certain but I’d guess it is connected to what is the most effective use of their time. Most people don’t look up the Greek or Hebrew so it is better to get out an app that will work for many than wait longer and get an app out that works for all (although it will never satisfy everyone)
Eric J says
It looks great but the lack of any of the 3 or 4 translations i prefer to read is a bummer, i have a personal motto of not buying an app based on promises of future improvements after getting burned a few times.
If the developers are reading this you are doing a great job with your marketing and the design, it just doesn’t fit into what i am looking for right now. I would gladly pay for a bible that was faster than YouVersion (which is soo slow) and your app may be that for me in the future!
Chris Wilson says
I can understand that Eric, it turned me off it at first as well but I found it such a great reading experience over some alternative bible apps that I was happy to not use my favourite translation [the NASB is close enough to my typical choice]. I can also understand waiting for developers to prove they are going to iterate. I hope they do put out some more translations.
Kyle says
I love the idea of beauty and simplicity. Just hope it adds the NET bible if it doesn’t have it already
Carl says
Like the look – but how much are the different translations going to cost me? Don’t like having to buy new ones each time with a new app. The app would have to be really good to make me switch. (Have pocket bible from old Palm days, plus YouVersion and Logos)
Chris Wilson says
I can understand that Carl but I wonder if we’ve been a bit spoiled? After all we always used to have to pay for translations when we bought paper bible or from legacy bible apps. It’s only really YouVersion which is the exception to that [which you have to praise them for, all those free versions is a great blessing and it must cost them]. The only one you can currently buy is the NASB which cost me £1.99 I believe, I’d expect the others to cost about the same in dollars or pounds (so $1.99 as well)
Peter (@BibleMemoryApp) says
Love the clean, elegant design!
Eric Dye says
A couple of quick comments:
First, I love how this app feels.
Second, it’s 50% off this week!
Finally, I interviewed the maker of this app, and they have plans to add more features and versions.
I an easily say that this app is probably just a few updates and translation purchases from being my primary Bible app.
Top notch! 😀
Bob says
It sounds like it might be interesting, since I have Logos Bible Software, Olive Tree, YouVersion, BibleGateway already on in all my iDivices and they all came with free versions so I could check them out free it would be nice if the NueBible did the same, I do not mind paying for add-one once I know that I will like it so I think I will wait a while to get more reviews to read.
Thank you, I feel that you did an excellent job with your review, I just need to look at other reviews.
Chris says
Great design, and can definitely appreciate the intent of simplicity to be able to simple read. But, I would echo the desire for some additional translation options.
Richad says
I’ve been using NeuBible for months now. I have been very pleased with its performance and its search function is excellent. I’ve also communicated directly with the dev team to correct a simple issue (which they did quickly) and received a positive response from them. For ease of use and ease of reading, I recommend the NeuBible over any other on the mobile app market.
Eric Dye says
An excellent app for sure!