For readers who love marking up a physical Bible, Bible Tiles is a free Bible reading and annotation app for iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple Vision, built so digital study can feel closer to writing in a physical Bible.^1
Readers can draw and highlight with the native iOS toolpicker, add typed notes, with Apple Pencil Scribble on iPad converting handwriting to text, and move annotations with a lasso tool.^1 They can also compare translations in split view, search, bookmark, and navigate with simulated Bible tabs.^1 The library includes more than 40 translations for offline use, plus red-letter text, customizable fonts, covers, and layouts, optional guidelines, dark mode, pinch-to-zoom, backup and restore, and a distraction-free reading view.^1 Notes stay on the device unless optional iCloud sync is enabled, and the developer reports that the app collects no personal data.^1
Bible Tiles began as a solo passion project, born from frustration with clunky interfaces and a desire for a truly intuitive, personal, and powerful Bible study experience.^2 The site tells the same story in other words: it started with a single individual who wanted a tool that felt less like software and more like an extension of a well-loved physical Bible.^1 The organization is now recognized as a California nonprofit corporation and a federally tax-exempt 501(c)(3) public charity, with a mission to provide the best possible tool to help people connect with the Bible.^1
Support through donations is optional; the organization says gifts go toward more free translations, app improvements, community engagement, and Gospel outreach.^1
Notable:
- Free forever, with no ads, no subscriptions, and no features hidden behind paywalls.^2
- Privacy by design: the App Store lists Data Not Collected, and notes stay on the device or in the reader's own iCloud account.^1
- An interface in more than 10 languages, with personalized covers, fonts, and layouts.^1
