I’ve used Logos Bible Software for well over a decade now. Every new edition has brought several amazing features that enhanced my experience. In every role I’ve held over the years—as a small group leader, a teacher, an author, and a student—Logos has been invaluable to me. And now, Logos is moving the way that all software is in our day: toward a subscription model.
Yeah, I know. Whether it’s entertainment, creative tools, or easy-prep meals, so many of us are exhausted by subscriptions—especially those that cost us significantly more than a standalone product. (I’m looking at you, Adobe.)
When it comes to Logos, though, things are a little different. Purchasing Logos has always been a balance between new features and an expanded resource library with options allowing you to spend a few hundred or a few thousand dollars, depending on your needs. That mindset continues into the new Logos subscription model. But unlike other subscriptions, this one actually costs less than you’d expect.
But before we get there, let’s talk about some of the new features.
New Features for More Effective Study
The new edition of Logos includes several all-new features and gives a number of existing ones a refresh. These new features include:
- The Memorization Tool
- English Word Study workflow
- Bible Study Builder
- Dynamic Themes
- New AI Tools
We’ll come back to the AI tools later. The Memorization Tool is a guided process for working through memorizing a Bible verse based on a passage list. Those who are into memory work will really enjoy it. The English Word Study workflow is an interactive question-and-answer tool that encourages you to think through the why behind your desire to explore a specific English word found in Scripture. (This, honestly, is not a tool I see myself using, but I’m glad it’s there.)
When it comes to refreshed features, the Factbook is the big winner this time around. It’s been refreshed to allow you to more effectively explore biblical themes, topics, and even passages of Scripture. This tool now allows you to explore your topic comprehensively—looking at everything from resources in your library to media to outlines and more—or to focus your study with an emphasis on biblical words and themes, resources in your library, or in-depth theological study.
In recent weeks, my primary use for Logos has been as a seminary student. This means that I’ve become close friends with the Factbook, along with passage lists, word studies, notebooks, and custom layouts. From that perspective, the improvements to the Factbook are a delight. It is so much easier for me to find what I’m looking for (and it wasn’t all that difficult before).
Now, about those AI tools…
AI is Here (Whether I Like It or Not)
People who know me know that I am not a big fan of AI tools, especially in writing. This largely has to do with my generally low opinion of human beings and our love of taking shortcuts. Plagiarism was a problem before these tools came onto the scene, and the opportunity for lazy plagiarism they offer only exacerbates the issue.
So when I saw that Logos was adding AI features, I had to take a deep breath. Their inclusion was inevitable, whether I like it or not. Among these tools are:
- Smart Search, which searches for every piece of data on a specific theme or topic from your digital and print library
- Search Results Synopsis, giving you a synopsis of your search with all the appropriate bibliographical information
- Summarize, which generates a synopsis of an article or chapter of a book in your library.
- Sermon Assistant, which can generate outlines, questions, illustrations, and quotes.
Here’s what surprised me: some of them are very helpful. I like the Smart Search and Search Results Synopsis tools, especially their ability to summarize their results. The Summarize tool is also handy, although I could see an unscrupulous student trying to use this as a shortcut.
But what about Sermon Assistant? That one is a bit more concerning to me.
The Mixed Bag of the Sermon Assistant
To test it out, I used a sermon I preached on 1 Thessalonians 4. I wanted to see what kind of quotes, questions, and illustrations it would devise. (I didn’t bother with the outline option because that falls squarely in the “do not use” box for me.)
First, I highlighted a paragraph of my manuscript and chose the “find popular quotes” option. Within seconds, I had several useful and encouraging quotes to draw upon, along with their sources. Even better, most of them were already in my library, so I could check them in context.
Next, I chose the question feature, which is based on the entire sermon manuscript. After choosing to focus on life application for adults, I very quickly had a series of questions that were fine. There weren’t any that stood out as being exceptional, but they were serviceable. If a church opts for sermon-based discussion groups, this tool would serve them well. (Those churches would still benefit from giving the questions a once-over for refinement.)
After that, I opted to create a series of illustrations based on some commentary around idleness. This part of the sermon assistant allows you to choose personal, historical, hypothetical, or biblical illustrations in several tones and directed to different audiences.
The quality of the illustrations was, again, fine; they were better written than anything you’d get out of Jasper or ChatGPT. But everything about it screamed problematic to me—specifically because of the ability to generate personal illustrations. We already have a problem with people using illustrations that didn’t happen to them; we shouldn’t make it easier for them to do it. This is a component of the feature that I do wish Faithlife had not added at all, and I hope they will remove it.
The Subscription Model—Is It Worth It?
So, because I can’t avoid it any longer, we’ve got to talk about the subscription model. Logos Bible Software is now available in three tiers, Pro, Premium, and Max, each with feature sets and resource libraries designed for their intended use:
- Pro is ideal for in-depth personal study, as well as for small group and Bible study leader prep
- Premium is geared more toward pastors and sermon prep
- Max is the deep dive tool built with the academic and researcher in mind
Subscriptions start at $9.99 per month, with a 16% discount if you choose an annual subscription. (And if you already own a Logos package, you may be eligible for even greater savings.) This is a substantial savings over the previous model, bringing it into the realm of affordability for the average person.
It’s important to note that you are subscribing for the feature sets that define your experience, along with all future updates which will be rolled out multiple times per year, as opposed to once every 2 years or so. That is a big change, and one that is welcome. Logos continues to offer curated libraries that are tailored to each tier. When you purchase a library, it is yours forever.
But what happens if you cancel your subscription? When you cancel, you are no longer eligible for future updates, but you will always have access to security and bug fixes. If you cancel after 24 months, you receive a fallback legacy license, which allows you to maintain access to all the offline tools (ie non-AI tools) that have been part of your feature set up to that point.
All this to say: despite subscription fatigue and my distaste for AI tools, I am excited about this new edition of Logos. I’ve loved the experience of working in it for the last several weeks, and I’m eager to continue to do so in the months ahead. Whether you’re looking at it for the first time or a longtime user, Logos Bible Software is a powerful resource that belongs in every serious student of Scripture’s toolkit.
Notice of disclosure: Faithlife, the makers of Logos Bible Software, provided a free trial subscription for review purposes in exchange for my honest feedback. I also receive a small commission from purchases made via the affiliate links in this article.