Softwr

Entertainment · head to head

Roku vs YouVersion

Roku logo

Roku

Entertainment

Streaming made simple

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
YouVersion logo

YouVersion

Religion

Bible app with reading plans and devotionals

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Roku roku takes a 20 percent cut of all revenue channel publishers receive through Roku Pay (purchases, subscriptions, ads), paying out the remaining 80 percent no later than 60 days after the end of the month the payment was received, with non-US partners restricted to PayPal or wire transfer (ACH/direct deposit is US-only) and bank fees applying to wire and ACH payouts (archived developer documentation, 2 May 2021); YouVersion youVersion states its entire Bible App family is free with no paid tier, which means there is no purchasable enterprise or institutional plan with an SLA for organizations wanting one.
  • They diverge on capability: Roku covers Streaming aggregation, YouVersion covers Multi-translation Bible.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Roku and YouVersion actually diverge.

Attributes where Roku and YouVersion differ
AttributeRokuYouVersion
PlatformsRoku-devices, Smart-tv, Ios, AndroidWeb, IOS, Android, Smart TVs
CategoryEntertainmentReligion
Founded20022008

Identical on both: starting price (Free), pricing model (freemium), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Roku

  • Streaming aggregation
  • Free content
  • Voice search
  • Private listening
  • All major streaming apps
  • Smart home
  • PIN protection
  • Parental controls

Only in YouVersion

  • Multi-translation Bible
  • Reading Plans
  • Audio Bible
  • Social Media Sharing
  • Church Apps
  • Bookmarking Services
  • Web support
  • IOS support

Both cover

  • Android support

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Roku

  • TV streamingnot YouVersion
  • Content discoverynot YouVersion
  • Free entertainmentnot YouVersion

YouVersion

  • Member managementnot Roku
  • Donation trackingnot Roku
  • Event planningnot Roku
  • Volunteer schedulingnot Roku
  • Communicationnot Roku

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Roku

  • Roku takes a 20 percent cut of all revenue channel publishers receive through Roku Pay (purchases, subscriptions, ads), paying out the remaining 80 percent no later than 60 days after the end of the month the payment was received, with non-US partners restricted to PayPal or wire transfer (ACH/direct deposit is US-only) and bank fees applying to wire and ACH payouts (archived developer documentation, 2 May 2021)

YouVersion

  • YouVersion states its entire Bible App family is free with no paid tier, which means there is no purchasable enterprise or institutional plan with an SLA for organizations wanting one.

Pricing, plan by plan

Roku

Free
  • FreeFree
    • The Roku Channel
    • Free content
    • Ad-supported

YouVersion

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Basic Bible access
    • Reading plans
    • Devotionals
  • Premium$4.99/month
    • Audio Bible
    • Ad-free experience
    • Offline access

Which should you pick?

Choose Roku if

  • You need streaming aggregation.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Roku-devices, Smart-tv, Ios, Android.
  • You also want free content.
Roku review

Choose YouVersion if

  • You need multi-translation bible.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, IOS, Android, Smart TVs.
  • You also want reading plans.
YouVersion review

Questions people ask

Is Roku or YouVersion better?
Neither clearly leads. Roku starts at Free and YouVersion at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Roku or YouVersion?
Roku starts at Free and YouVersion at Free.
Does Roku or YouVersion run on more platforms?
Roku runs on Roku-devices, Smart-tv, Ios, Android. YouVersion runs on Web, IOS, Android, Smart TVs.
Can I use Roku for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Roku best used for?
Roku is most often used for tv streaming, content discovery, free entertainment. Of those, tv streaming and content discovery are not what YouVersion is typically brought in for.
What can Roku do that YouVersion cannot?
Roku covers Streaming aggregation, Free content, Voice search, Private listening. YouVersion covers Multi-translation Bible, Reading Plans, Audio Bible, Social Media Sharing. Both handle Android support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

YouVersion: Is the Bible App free?

Yes, the Bible App and all YouVersion products are completely free. Users can read or listen to the Bible, explore Bible Plans, create Prayers, study with Friends, and more at no cost.

Source
Share

Related pages

More on Roku

More on YouVersion

Keep looking

Other head to heads