Cloud Bible vs Olive Tree at a glance
| Cloud Bible | Olive Tree | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Reading is free. Highlighting, notes and scan need Cloud Bible+ (monthly, annual with a free trial, or a one-off lifetime purchase) | Free app with free Bibles and tools; commentaries, study Bibles and bundles sold separately |
| Built for | Reading and marking the text | In-depth study with a library of resources |
| Highlighting | Six renameable highlighters; underlining as a separate layer | Multiple colors, underline and strikethrough, with tags |
| Notes | Notes on any verse | Notes in folders and tags, searchable, with linked references |
| Study resources | None | Commentaries, study Bibles, dictionaries, maps, Strong's, interlinears |
| Paper Bible highlights | Photograph a page and its highlights come in, read on your phone | No equivalent listed |
| Platforms | iPhone, iPad and Android | iOS, Android, Mac and Windows |
| Account | Optional, only for sync | Free account for sync and purchases |
What Olive Tree does well
- A real study library. Commentaries, study Bibles, dictionaries, maps and original-language tools, open beside the text.
- Markup with structure. Several highlight styles, plus tags and folders that make notes searchable across years.
- Desktop too. Mac and Windows apps alongside phones and tablets.
- Buy once, keep. Books you purchase stay in your account and can be downloaded again.
When Olive Tree is the better choice
- You prepare sermons or teach and want commentaries and Greek or Hebrew tools next to the text.
- You study on a computer as much as a phone.
Why people choose Cloud Bible
Less to manage
Study apps reward people who enjoy building a library. Many readers just want to open the Bible, read today's chapter and mark what stood out. Cloud Bible is that and little else, with typography designed for long reading rather than panes of resources.
Your paper Bible's highlights
Cloud Bible can photograph a page of your paper Bible and bring in its highlights, so years of marking aren't left on the shelf. Paper Bible or Bible app weighs up when each makes sense.
A key that lives in the app
Rename each highlighter for what it means to you and the Study screen gathers every verse under that name. Our free color code maker helps you choose a system first.
Questions
Is Olive Tree free?
The Olive Tree app is free, with free Bibles and study tools, and you never have to buy anything to use it. Commentaries, study Bibles and other books are sold separately, and there are subscription bundles.
Is Cloud Bible a study library like Olive Tree?
No. Cloud Bible has no commentaries, Greek or Hebrew tools, or bookstore. It is a reading Bible for highlighting, underlining and notes, with the option to bring in the highlights from your paper Bible.
Does Cloud Bible work offline?
Yes. Every translation is stored on your phone, and reading, highlighting, notes and scan all work with no connection.
Can I bring my Olive Tree notes into Cloud Bible?
Not directly. Cloud Bible can bring in highlights from a paper Bible by photographing the page, but it does not import from other apps.
Sources
- Olive Tree Bible App: features, platforms, free and paid resources
Prices vary by country and change over time; the App Store and Google Play show the current price before you pay.