Pencil Bible: Bible Notes App

Name: Pencil Bible: Bible Notes App
Rating: 4.2 (1320 reviews)
Author: Launch Round

Write Notes, Draw, and Study

Free · In‑App Purchases

1.3K Ratings
Ages

4+
Years
Category

Reference
Developer

Launch Round
Language

EN
English
Size

75
MB

The Only Bible App That Lets You: Write. Highlight. Draw. Reflect. All with the power of Apple Pencil. Introducing Pencil Bible V3 — a beautiful, lightning-fast Bible app built for Apple Pencil and iPad. Now fully redesigned and rebuilt from the ground up in Swift, it offers an incredibly smooth experience that feels as natural as pen on paper — but with the power of digital. Whether you're journaling, studying, or simply spending time with God, Pencil Bible is your canvas for spiritual growth. What’s New in Version 3.0: • Completely rebuilt in Swift – now 100% faster with zero lag • All-new design with smoother navigation and easier book swiping • Full support for Apple PencilKit + Apple Pencil Pro tools • Annotate on both iPad and iPhone • Use across multiple screens and devices at once • Edit your Bible pages anytime (You don't have to create a new Bible) • Left-hand mode simplified • Adapts beautifully to any screen size Your Bible, Your Way Choose from popular translations like ESV, NIV, NLT, CSB, and more. Customize fonts. Draw insights. Highlight truth. Annotate directly on the Scripture using the tools you're already comfortable with. Free to Read. Free to Explore. Read the entire Bible for free. You can annotate up to 10 pages at no cost. Upgrade anytime for unlimited access — your support helps us grow and serve more users. Pencil Bible isn’t just an app — it’s your daily sanctuary, your digital notebook, your prayer journal. Designed to deepen your connection with the Word and the One who wrote it. Download Pencil Bible V3 today. The Word is alive — now your Bible can be too. Note: Apple Pencil features require compatible iPads. Annotations are now available on iPhone, too! View Apple EULA: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Ratings & Reviews

4.2

out of 5

1.3K Ratings

Updated review
05/24/2024

Grininbearit
You came along a bit since the last time I tried the app, glad to see you are getting more bible versions. Love the dark mode. Writing pencils and highlighters are primitive but satisfactory. This is great for journaling, note taking, highlighting. I am seeing growth, and there is so much potential here! Money isn’t a deterrent for me, and money I spend to draw near to God is a good investment in my eyes, but still not enough to pull me from my other bible app. My other app lacks the ability to write in the margin or a side page and that is what keeps me drawing me back to check on the app, but the other app offers a lot of study tools like Strong’s, commentaries, dictionaries, cross reference, more bible versions, the ability to study multiple versions side by side or to swap back and forth. it also is a costly app but again that is not a deterrent for me personally and I have a lot of money invested in the other app already so to leave it at this point I still the more options. Keep going, this app is still the only one I have found that allows writing with my I pencil in a nice wide margin and I can’t tell you how much I love that feature!

Developer Response
🙏🙏🙏
Updated review
05/24/2024

Grininbearit

You came along a bit since the last time I tried the app, glad to see you are getting more bible versions. Love the dark mode. Writing pencils and highlighters are primitive but satisfactory. This is great for journaling, note taking, highlighting. I am seeing growth, and there is so much potential here! Money isn’t a deterrent for me, and money I spend to draw near to God is a good investment in my eyes, but still not enough to pull me from my other bible app. My other app lacks the ability to write in the margin or a side page and that is what keeps me drawing me back to check on the app, but the other app offers a lot of study tools like Strong’s, commentaries, dictionaries, cross reference, more bible versions, the ability to study multiple versions side by side or to swap back and forth. it also is a costly app but again that is not a deterrent for me personally and I have a lot of money invested in the other app already so to leave it at this point I still the more options. Keep going, this app is still the only one I have found that allows writing with my I pencil in a nice wide margin and I can’t tell you how much I love that feature!
Developer Response 11/23/2023
🙏🙏🙏
The Journaling Bible We’ve Waited On!
06/17/2022

jordanatnip
*Updated Below* I bought my first iPad/pencil combo about 3 years ago. Every so often I would search for an app that did just this. I gave up for sometime and recently looked again and found this gem. Instantly purchased ESV for a very reasonable price. Though I would love a CSB option (I hope lifeway will play nice). I have a couple minor draw backs that may be on the radar or my own user error. I will change my rating to 5 stars if they are addressed (or I am corrected). 1. It makes marks when I rest my palm on the screen. I’m using an Apple Pencil. Most things that can be “marked up” with the traditional Apple Pencil pop up will ignore the palm. 2. I personally like the Apple Pencil mark up toolbar more than the one built into the app because it lets you adjust the gauge of your stroke. All the ones I’ve tried in the app seem a little chubby. 3. If it could save a color to the currently selected tool that would be awesome (ex: hi lighter stays yellow and pen stays black). Regardless, I plan on using this app daily! Great work!*Update*They pretty much instantly responded to my review and were already working on every concern I had. That’s incredible. 5 stars!

Developer Response
Jordan! Thanks man! I appreciate it.1. Palm rejection is coming very soon. 2. Better tools as well.3. Color saving as well + quick tools.4. CSB - hopefully this year!Thanks for taking the time to review! Kind regardsErin
The Journaling Bible We’ve Waited On!
06/17/2022

jordanatnip

*Updated Below* I bought my first iPad/pencil combo about 3 years ago. Every so often I would search for an app that did just this. I gave up for sometime and recently looked again and found this gem. Instantly purchased ESV for a very reasonable price. Though I would love a CSB option (I hope lifeway will play nice). I have a couple minor draw backs that may be on the radar or my own user error. I will change my rating to 5 stars if they are addressed (or I am corrected). 1. It makes marks when I rest my palm on the screen. I’m using an Apple Pencil. Most things that can be “marked up” with the traditional Apple Pencil pop up will ignore the palm. 2. I personally like the Apple Pencil mark up toolbar more than the one built into the app because it lets you adjust the gauge of your stroke. All the ones I’ve tried in the app seem a little chubby. 3. If it could save a color to the currently selected tool that would be awesome (ex: hi lighter stays yellow and pen stays black). Regardless, I plan on using this app daily! Great work!*Update*They pretty much instantly responded to my review and were already working on every concern I had. That’s incredible. 5 stars!
Developer Response 06/17/2022
Jordan! Thanks man! I appreciate it.1. Palm rejection is coming very soon. 2. Better tools as well.3. Color saving as well + quick tools.4. CSB - hopefully this year!Thanks for taking the time to review! Kind regardsErin
Amazing app but needs some work
03/18/2025

networknadgers
This is my first ever review ever since I could care less about writing reviews but I just had to give props to the developer. As an aspiring full stack, everything about this app is magnificent. I love the concept and can’t wait to see how it turns out. That being said, I do want to add a couple things. I was reading some reviews and some mentioned the apple pencil features like the canvas you get and the barrel roll and pinch features and all that. I’d love to see different tools to write and annotate. My main thing is that, I didn’t notice this, when i switched over from an iPad 6th gen (9.7 in I believe) to an iPad mini (8.3 in) my annotations got all messed up. I had circled in an earlier verse and annotated on the side and on the iPad mini, it was circled in the wrong place. Luckily I annotated so I know where I circled but it was all messed up. Not sure if it’s a sizing issue because it only happened when I switched to the new iPad. Aside from that every review I’ve read, most of the features that I want are gonna be in V3 and I’m excited! Love everything you’re doing, keep at it!

Developer Response
Thanks so much. V3 will support FULL APPLE features! 😄
Amazing app but needs some work
03/18/2025

networknadgers

This is my first ever review ever since I could care less about writing reviews but I just had to give props to the developer. As an aspiring full stack, everything about this app is magnificent. I love the concept and can’t wait to see how it turns out. That being said, I do want to add a couple things. I was reading some reviews and some mentioned the apple pencil features like the canvas you get and the barrel roll and pinch features and all that. I’d love to see different tools to write and annotate. My main thing is that, I didn’t notice this, when i switched over from an iPad 6th gen (9.7 in I believe) to an iPad mini (8.3 in) my annotations got all messed up. I had circled in an earlier verse and annotated on the side and on the iPad mini, it was circled in the wrong place. Luckily I annotated so I know where I circled but it was all messed up. Not sure if it’s a sizing issue because it only happened when I switched to the new iPad. Aside from that every review I’ve read, most of the features that I want are gonna be in V3 and I’m excited! Love everything you’re doing, keep at it!
Developer Response 03/28/2025
Thanks so much. V3 will support FULL APPLE features! 😄
What I’ve been wishing for!
09/08/2024

ClayBearNBNC
I’m an avid journaler , doodler and notetaker, especially in church. I’ve been using Olive Tree Bible for years, and taking notes on a separate app. But sometime you want to make a note in your bible, and while Olive Tree allows you to open a window and make a note, or highlight and underline a passage, you cannot do what this app does with your Apple Pencil. I love drawing arrows, writing related verses in the margins, putting personal insights on the side and more. I just downloaded it today, when I wondered, if I should search Journal + Bible. I would love to see the ability to add extra pages, between the chapters, so I can write down detailed sermon outlines related to the passage. I would also like the option for lines on the side margins. The biggest thing missing is that you can go to the Book and Chapter, but you cannot pick the verse, you just have to scroll through to find it. This might be a problem, say, in Psalm 119. That would be a great feature to add. As one other reviewer mentioned, stickers and other colorful things would be cool. But the biggest need is detailed verse look up.

Developer Response
Thanks so much 💗 - please rest assured that we will be adding all those features in the future. Everything takes a litte time. Appreciate the support 🙏🏻Erin
What I’ve been wishing for!
09/08/2024

ClayBearNBNC

I’m an avid journaler , doodler and notetaker, especially in church. I’ve been using Olive Tree Bible for years, and taking notes on a separate app. But sometime you want to make a note in your bible, and while Olive Tree allows you to open a window and make a note, or highlight and underline a passage, you cannot do what this app does with your Apple Pencil. I love drawing arrows, writing related verses in the margins, putting personal insights on the side and more. I just downloaded it today, when I wondered, if I should search Journal + Bible. I would love to see the ability to add extra pages, between the chapters, so I can write down detailed sermon outlines related to the passage. I would also like the option for lines on the side margins. The biggest thing missing is that you can go to the Book and Chapter, but you cannot pick the verse, you just have to scroll through to find it. This might be a problem, say, in Psalm 119. That would be a great feature to add. As one other reviewer mentioned, stickers and other colorful things would be cool. But the biggest need is detailed verse look up.
Developer Response 09/10/2024
Thanks so much 💗 - please rest assured that we will be adding all those features in the future. Everything takes a litte time. Appreciate the support 🙏🏻Erin

Bug fixing and several improvements.

Version 3.0.1

12/23/2025

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Ratings & Reviews

What’s New

Version 3.0.1

App Privacy

Data Linked to You

Data Not Linked to You

Accessibility

Information

Supports

Family Sharing

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