Logos Review

*****Special Partner Offer*****

I love Logos. I use it every week to search the Bible, commentaries, lexicons, and more.

That said, Logos has undergone a transformation, and now that I’ve had a chance to spend a few months using the newest version, I’m sharing a review. I have used Logos for years and I’ve reviewed Logos 9 and Logos 10 in the past. I’ll touch on my favorite features below while addressing possible concerns of longtime users hesitant to embrace a subscription model.

Instead of offering periodic numbered releases (e.g. Logos 9, Logos 10, etc.), Logos now offers three subscription tiers: Premium, Pro, or Max. These are designed to meet the needs of Bible study leaders, pastors, and academics, respectively. I’m using the Pro tier. Price matters, so I’ll provide current prices (as of 12/28/24):

• Premium – $9.99/month
• Pro – $14.99/month
• Academic – $19.99/month

Opting for annual billing instead of monthly will also save you 16%. Instead of baking new features into each new release, Logos will now provide subscribers with features and improvements when they are ready for release. Subscribers also get access to AI and cloud features.

If you are new to Logos, you will first choose your subscription tier and then select which library you want to purchase. (You can compare the different library options here.)

All of this sounds like a pretty big change, but a lot is staying the same. No one loses anything they’ve purchased in the past, and you can continue to use Logos software without subscribing. Plus, owners of base packages receive a discount on their subscriptions. You can find more answers to important questions here in this FAQ.

What’s New About Logos?

Subscriptions and pricing aside, what changes, improvements, and enhancements will you find with the newest version? I can point to three big ones. The first change deals with the books included with each subscription tier. The other two changes deal with how you can access the data inside and outside of your library.

Included Books

Each subscription tier gives you access to a different set of resources. Don’t expect tons of recently published commentaries or top-shelf lexicons, a lot of what you get is stuff that’s been around for a while (e.g. Spurgeon, Barnes, and Keil and Delitzsch). Old isn’t bad, but you can find those types of resources pretty much anywhere. Thankfully, there are also some newer resources such as . . .

• The Evangelical Exegetical Commentary
• Lexham Geographic Commentaries
• Lexham Research Commentaries
• The High Definition Commentary Collection
• Discourse Grammar of the Greek New Testament
• Many more

Remember that your included books depend on your subscription tier. (You can compare the included books and other features here.) Most of your library will be comprised of the library you purchase. Plus, you can always purchase books individually.

Factbook

The Factbook has evolved from an optional source you might want to consult to a de facto place to start your research. A friend recently asked me about the meaning of the word Hosanna, which appears in the New Testament. Although he had heard the word many times, he didn’t actually know what it meant. I gave him a quick answer on the spot, but I could provide him with some additional information accessed through the Factbook.

The Factbook begins with a definition:

Next, it provides the entry from the Anchor Yale Bible Dictionary:

There’s some media:

There is helpful stuff like this, that includes key passages and links to other dictionaries in my library:

And even more, but I’ll stop there. Overall, the Factbook is a helpful place to start your search because it consolidates a lot of information from your resources and gives you lots of possibilities for further exploration.

Smart Search

Smart Search incorporates the power of AI into Logos. Now you can ask questions when you don’t know exactly where to look or begin in your research. This feature is not generative to the extent that you can ask it to write an essay or a sermon. It’s more akin to the AI-generated response you might receive from a popular search engine.

I asked some of my kids for questions to test out this feature. For my son who loves foxes, we asked “Are there any foxes in the Bible?” At the top, preceding the actual search results, comes this AI-generated synopsis:

Apart from evidencing a theological bias by suggesting that the Sampson episode was “likely legendary,” and also failing to note that many take the animal in Ezekiel 13:4 to be a jackal, there is some good info here.

To give you a clearer picture by way of more examples, here’s a question one of my other sons wanted to ask: “What is reformed theology?” Here’s the AI-generated response:

The AI-generated synopsis gives a helpful summary that can answer user questions and direct the user to fruitful topics. Ultimately, you would want to verify the answers with reputable sources and your own research.

Last of all, as far as the AI feature discussion goes, here’s one more question that I asked for the fun of it: “Do theologians or ethicists have anything to say about cryptocurrency?”

I feel like that’s a reasonable enough answer.

That wraps up my discussion of changes and improvements. If you’re like me, most of your questions probably center around the subscription model, so I should also mention that Logos offers subscribers some perks, which I’ve copied from their FAQ and pasted below. 

Subscribers at every level will enjoy:

• An additional 5% off across the entire Logos catalog*
• An extra free book every month
• Access to a selection of Logos Mobile Education courses each quarter

Additionally, subscribers of Pro and Max will get:

• A 5% annual reward coupon (more details here)*
• Access to all the features of Logos Sermons

*Some exclusions apply

What Makes Logos Great?

What about Logos as a Bible study platform? What do I like about it? Apart from everything new that I’ve mentioned, here are the biggest reasons that I’m an enthusiastic Logos user.

Ultimately, Logos is a digital library. Print has its place, but a Logos digital library provides me with the following benefits: a comprehensive, easy-to-search, portable, accessible digital library backed by the full support of a good company. I expand on these below.

Comprehensive

I’ve accumulated a robust Logos library that includes lexicons, commentaries, monographs, and other references. Granted, I’ve invested money to do so, but the prices for the digital resources are usually cheaper than their print counterparts. Plus, Logos resources are searchable and hyperlinked. For example, if a lexicon refers me to another entry, I can just click the word, and Logos redirects me that entry I want to see.

Easy to Search

Whether I’m using the Passage Guide, the search function, or searching within an individual resource, I can locate material fast. I’m not depending on an index in a print book or hoping to find something that I underlined in the past. I can find what I need fast.

Portable

Whether I’m working at the office or working at home, I can pull up Logos and get to what I need. The same can’t be said for my print library. A physical book can only be in one place. Plus, if I highlight something on my computer at work, the same highlight appears when I access Logos at home.

Instant Access

My purchases of print books usually require shipping or a trip to a bookstore. With Logos, I can access my purchases instantly. If I need a book fast, Logos is hard to beat.

Accessible on My Phone

I use the Logos app to pull up my Bible when I’m on the go—ESV, NA28, LXX, or whatever I need. It’s quick and easy to use. It’s still amazing to me that I can access so many books and resources from my phone on the go.

Awesome Customer Support

Any time that I’ve needed something, Logos has made the process painless and positive. I’ve called in before with product and pricing questions and I’ve also used their chat option. I also really appreciate the Academic Discount. You can check here to see if you might qualify.

The Big Conclusion

Logos is the premier digital Bible study platform. Without question, Logos is the best way to build and use a digital theological library. And because the power of the platform comes down to having a large library of helpful resources, a subscription with an appropriate library is an excellent way to get you started. Long term, you might decide that you can do without the subscription, so long as you have purchased a strong library of useful resources. I fully intend to continue using Logos and adding to my library, but I’m not currently in a position where I feel the need to subscribe. This could certainly change in the future as more features are added. I think new users are the ones who will benefit most from the subscriber model.

In closing, one big recommendation is to ask your pastor if he uses Bible software and see if this is something your church could provide for him. Unfortunately, most churches don’t give their pastor any type of book allowance. Your church could potentially be a major blessing to your pastor if you provide him with a Logos subscription and library. (Of course, check with him first to make sure he would use it!)

Feel free to send me a message if you have any questions. You can also use my partner offer to try Logos for free and get an extra month for free: https://logos.sjv.io/c/5795669/2175230/26054