YouVersion Surpasses 1 Billion Installs, Signaling a Global Hunger for God’s Word
A landmark achievement for the popular YouVersion Bible app points to a deepening worldwide hunger for God’s Word, says the ministry’s chief operating officer.
YouVersion marked the one billionth install in its history this week with testimonies, musical worship, and even confetti during a celebration in Oklahoma City, some 17 years after the ministry’s founder, Bobby Gruenewald, conceived of the idea for a Bible app after asking a simple question: Could technology help people engage with the Bible more often?
YouVersion was one of the first apps in the Apple App Store in 2008 after the iPhone’s launch and experienced tens of thousands of installs in its first weekend, confirming to Gruenewald and others that a digital Bible was meeting a widespread need.
It took 13 years to cross the 500 million mark – achieved in 2021 – but only another four years to pass 1 billion. It is a ministry of Life.Church.
“What we're really celebrating is a global movement, a hunger that we see from people seeking God's Word more than they ever have,” Greg Hall, chief operating and growth officer for YouVersion, told Crosswalk Headlines.
YouVersion’s installs are up 12 percent this year, while its daily usage has seen an 18 percent boost. Incredibly, its record high for daily usage fell not on a holiday where people typically read the Bible more – such as Easter or New Year’s Day – but instead on a random Sunday in November that carried no special significance.
“People are seeking truth more than ever,” Hall said.
Bible reading is rising, he said, at a time when AI-generated images and videos are making it harder for people to discern what’s real.
“I think we have an entire generation of people going, ‘What is truth?’ And I will tell you, God's Word stands alone – that it is truth,” Hall said. “... We are saying: God's Word is trustworthy. God loves you. He knows you. He has written this with you in mind.”
YouVersion offers the Bible in more than 2,300 languages and has thousands of ministry partners around the world. It’s been installed in every country in the world.
“We get to trumpet the fact that Jesus came to earth and His Word is alive, and people are seeking it more than ever,” Hall said. “And so we are excited about the first billion that we've experienced, but we're excited more for what we see God doing around the world.”
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Michael Foust has covered the intersection of faith and news for 20 years. His stories have appeared in Baptist Press, Christianity Today, The Christian Post, the Leaf-Chronicle, the Toronto Star and the Knoxville News-Sentinel.
Listen to Michael's Podcast! He is the host of Crosswalk Talk, a podcast where he talks with Christian movie stars, musicians, directors, and more. Hear how famous Christian figures keep their faith a priority in Hollywood and discover the best Christian movies, books, television, and other entertainment. You can find Crosswalk Talk on LifeAudio.com, or subscribe on Apple or Spotify so you never miss an interview that will be sure to encourage your faith.
Originally published November 20, 2025.
