Printable vs. App Bible Reading Tracker

Both work — what matters most is that you record your reading somewhere. A printable Bible reading chart is simple, tactile, and distraction-free. A Bible reading tracker app can't be lost, works on any device, and can do the math for you: daily goals, reading streaks, and a predicted finish date. Many people start with paper and move to an app once they want more insight.

Why track your Bible reading at all?

A meta-analysis of 138 experiments (nearly 20,000 participants) in Psychological Bulletin found that monitoring your progress toward a goal makes you more likely to reach it. The effect was stronger when progress was physically recorded — written down or logged — rather than just noted mentally, and stronger still when it was shared with others.

In other words, a Bible reading tracker isn't just a record of what you've done. It helps you keep going.

Printable Bible reading tracker: pros and cons

Pros

• Simple and satisfying — there's nothing quite like checking a box with a pen
• No screens, notifications, or distractions
• Easy to keep inside your Bible or on the fridge
• Great for kids, families, and groups doing a challenge together

Cons

• Easy to lose — and your progress goes with it
• No daily goals, reminders, or finish-date predictions
• Hard to see how many verses you've read or how consistent you've been
• Only one copy: you can't check it from your phone when you're away from home

Want to try paper? Download our free printable Bible reading tracker with a checkbox for all 1,189 chapters.

Bible reading tracker app: pros and cons

Pros

• Your progress is saved and can't be lost or damaged
• Works on your phone, tablet, and computer, and stays in sync
• Automatically calculates your percentage read, daily goal, and finish date
• Records partial chapters and specific verse ranges, not just whole chapters
• Can remind you to read and show your consistency over time
• Lets you take notes and find them later

Cons

• A phone can be distracting — it helps to read from a paper Bible and log afterward
• Some apps require subscriptions or show ads (My Bible Log does neither)

According to the American Bible Society's State of the Bible 2025 report, about two in three Bible users (66%) access the Bible digitally at least some of the time, so for many people an app fits naturally into how they already read.

Side-by-side comparison

Can I use both?

Yes. Some people keep a printed chart in their Bible for the satisfaction of checking boxes, then log the same reading in My Bible Log so their progress is backed up and their stats stay current. Others use paper during a group challenge and an app for their personal reading.

Which should you choose?

• Choose a printable if you want the simplest possible approach, read from a paper Bible, or are doing a short challenge with family or friends.
• Choose an app if you want your progress saved for good, want to know how much you read each day, or want a finish date to aim for.

Whichever you choose, pair it with a plan: see our guides to reading the Bible in a year, Bible reading plans compared, and building a Bible reading habit.