7 Best Sermon Writing Apps 2023 (#1 Preparation App)

by Chris Von Wilpert • Last updated September 6, 2023

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Today there are 74 different sermon writing apps. We spent 28 hours comparing the top 50 to find the seven best you can use to deliver powerful, inspiring sermons consistently.

What is the Best Sermon Writing App?

  1. Sermonary — best of the best
  2. Scrivener — best writing interface 
  3. Logos Sermon Builder — best for big churches
  4. e-Sword — best for comprehensive Bible study resources 
  5. Evernote — best for note-taking 
  6. Microsoft Word — best for editing and formatting tools
  7. Google Docs — best for collaborative sermon writing

Our Verdict — Best Of The Best

Price: Starts at $29/month

Sermonary is a comprehensive sermon writing assistant for pastors who value organization and structure. We think it’s the best sermon writing app because of its drag-and-drop sermon editor, efficient Podium Mode, and sermon illustrations library.

The Best Part:

  • Game-changing Podium Mode. Sermonary puts sermon delivery in the first lane with its Podium Mode, enabling you to adjust your font as you read your sermon, keep track of time, and read straight from your device without the clutter of paper notes.

The Worst Part:

  • It requires an internet connection. Sermonary lives in the cloud, which can be a drawback for pastors who prefer to turn off distractions when writing sermons.

Get it if you want a straightforward app to streamline your sermon writing process and keep everything organized.

I recommend you get started with the 30-day free trial, then sign up for the paid plan for $29/month.

(30-day free trial)

Best For

Sermonary is best for pastors who want to ditch the clutter of paper notes and preach straight from their devices.

Top Features

  • Add some flair to your sermons. Light up your sermons with relevant articles, videos, quotes, and stories to better deliver your message.

  • No more juggling tools. Use Sermonary's supercharged slide export feature to send your sermon straight to your favorite presentation tool, whether it’s PowerPoint, ProPresenter, or Faithlife Proclaim.

  • Say goodbye to writer’s block. Get a head start with Sermonary's Sermon Templates; whether you're crafting a traditional 3-point sermon or prepping for a wedding ceremony, there’s always a template for you.

  • Focus on your message. Say goodbye to digital clutter with Sermonary's user-friendly, clutter-free interface that keeps you focused on writing.

  • No more last-minute scrambles. Take advantage of Sermonary's efficient sharing feature to send sermon notes to your media teams before you start preaching.

Pricing

Sermonary offers a single pricing plans:

  • Sermonary: $29/month for busy pastors and church leaders who want a one-stop solution to efficiently write, share, and present sermons.

Annual plans provide over than 40% discount.

Try Sermonary today with a free 30-day trial.

Our Verdict — Best Writing Interface

Price: Starts at $23.99

Scrivener is a user-friendly writing app with a cozy, old-school interface that feels just like home. We think it’s the best writing interface because of its corkboard view, versatile writing and editing capabilities, and integrated research tools.

The Best Part:

  • Cozy corkboard view. Scrivener’s easy-to-use corkboard view can be tailored to meet your unique needs for sermon preparation, theological brainstorming, scripture reference organization, and more, no matter the complexity.

The Worst Part:

  • Steep learning curve. While it's pretty user-friendly, Scrivener has so many features it might take newcomers a bit of time to get their heads around.

Get it if you want a customizable app that works as a one-stop-shop for drafting, researching, and organizing your sermon writing process.

I recommend you start with the 30-day free trial, then get a Standard License plan for $59.99.

(30-day free trial)

Best For

Scrivener is best for pastors who want to enjoy having a bird's eye view of their entire sermon while writing.

Top Features

  • Pick up where you left off. Work on your sermon from your desktop at home or your mobile device when you're on the move, thanks to Scrivener's seamless syncing and support for macOS, Windows, and iOS.

  • Make it feel like home. Tweak the layout, color scheme, and various features to create a workspace that feels cozy.

  • Store everything in one place. Keep all drafts, research, and notes for each sermon in a single Scrivener project, making it easy to find and refer back to.

  • Plan ahead. Arrange your thoughts and structure your sermon effortlessly with digital notecards on Scrivener’s customizable cork board view.

  • No recurring payments. Once you've purchased the app for a one-time fee, it's yours to use forever without worrying about monthly or yearly subscription fees

Pricing

Scrivener offers six pricing plans:

  • Standard License for macOS: $59.99 one-time payment, for pastors who want full access to Scrivener's features for their Mac device.
  • Educational License for macOS: $50.99 one-time payment, for theology students & academics who are affiliated with a religious institution and want to experience Scrivener’s sermon features at a discounted price for their Mac device.
  • Standard License for Windows: $59.99 one-time payment, for pastors who want full access to Scrivener's features for their Windows device.
  • Educational License for Windows: $50.99 one-time payment, for theology students & academics who are affiliated with a religious institution and want to experience Scrivener’s sermon features at a discounted price for their Windows device.
  • Scrivener for iOS: $23.99 one-time payment, for iPhone and iPad users who want to write their sermons on the move without being restricted to a desktop device.
  • Scrivener for macOS & Windows: $95.98 one-time payment, for pastors who want a powerful, all-inclusive sermon writing tool across all their desktop devices.

Try Scrivener today with a free 30-day trial.

Our Verdict — Best For Big Churches

Price: Starts at $799.99

Logos Sermon Builder is a tool that helps you write sermons better and easier. We think it’s the best for big churches because of its automatic scripture insertion, user-friendly interface, and versatile export capabilities.

The Best Part:

  • Instant scripture insertion. Logos Sermon Builder automatically inserts the corresponding scripture text when you mention a reference as you’re writing your sermon. 

The Worst Part:

  • Pricey subscription plans. Logos Sermon Builder's premium features come with a hefty price tag, starting at a $799.99 one-time payment for the Silver plan.

Get it if you want an all-in-one sermon tool that will not only help you write your sermons but also prepare presentations, handouts, and discussion guides.

I recommend you book a call with Logos to learn more about their packages, then get the Gold plan for $1,122.49.

(free call)

Best For

Logos Sermon Builder is best for pastors, churches, and congregations that want to deliver engaging sermons without getting bogged down by the nitty-gritty of sermon preparation.

Top Features

  • User-friendly writing interface. Write and research your sermons easily with Logos Sermon Builder's intuitive interface.

  • Work whenever inspiration hits. Access and edit your sermons from anywhere, at any time, thanks to the Logos mobile app.

  • Say goodbye to hard copies. Instantly switch from prep to preaching with Logos Sermon Builder's 'Present' feature.

  • Bring your sermon to life. Format your main points and subpoints effortlessly, emphasizing key words or quotes with your font size or highlight color of choice.

  • Add depth to your sermons. Logos Sermon Builder analyzes your sermon as you write it and gives you suggestions or relevant quotes you can drag and drop to add depth and relevance.

Pricing

Logos Sermon Builder offers three pricing plans:

  • Silver: $799.99 one-time payment, for pastors and small churches that want a comprehensive sermon writing tool.
  • Gold: $1,122.49 one-time payment, for pastors, larger churches, and ministry leaders who need more robust resources and sermon writing features.
  • Platinum: $1,572.49 one-time payment, for large congregations and religious institutions that want advanced sermon writing and sharing features.

Try Logos Sermon Builder today with a free call.

Our Top Three Picks

Here’s a quick summary of our top three picks:

  1. Sermonary  — best of the best
  2. Scrivener — best writing interface 
  3. Logos Sermon Builder — best for big churches

Here’s a quick comparison of our top seven picks:

Tool

Entry Offer

Pricing

Sermonary

30-day free trial

Starts at $29/mo

Scrivener

30-day free trial

Starts at $23.99

Logos Sermon Builder

None

Starts at $799.99

e-Sword

None

Free forever

Microsoft Word

30-day free trial

Starts at $6.99/mo

Google Docs

None

Free forever

Evernote

Free plan

Starts at $14.99/mo

Here are the top 50 sermon writing apps we considered in this review:

  1. Sermonary
  2. Scrivener
  3. Logos Sermon Builder
  4. e-Sword
  5. Microsoft Word
  6. Google Docs
  7. Evernote
  8. OneNote
  9. Proclaim
  10. ProWritingAid
  11. Grammarly
  12. Trello
  13. Notion
  14. Duet Display
  15. Blue Letter Bible
  16. YouVersion Bible
  17. Pocket
  18. Day One
  19. Preaching: Sermon Writing & Planner
  20. Google Keep
  21. Simplenote
  22. Bible Gateway
  23. Olive Tree 
  24. Zotero
  25. Mendeley
  26. Penzu
  27. Canva
  28. Zoho Writer
  29. Bear Notes
  30. MindNode
  31. Workflowy
  32. AbiWord
  33. Storyist
  34. LibreOffice Writer
  35. Celtx
  36. Final Draft
  37. JotterPad
  38. Byword
  39. Study Bible by Faithlife
  40. Accordance Bible Software
  41. Wordsearch Bible
  42. BibleWorks
  43. Quickverse
  44. MyStudyBible
  45. Keynote
  46. Pages
  47. Todoist
  48. Wunderlist
  49. ZenWriter
  50. Zoho Projects

What is the app that helps write sermons?

There are several apps that help write sermons, but among the top contenders is Logos Sermon Builder. This mobile app is a powerful tool that serves as an all-in-one sermon preparation resource, making it an invaluable app for pastors and ministry leaders. The app has an automatic scripture insertion feature, which can add relevant passages of scriptures from the Bible directly into your sermon manuscript.

Additionally, it also offers a user-friendly interface and versatile export capabilities. This comprehensive sermon writing tool makes sermon creation, sermon topic brainstorming, sermon outline preparation, and even sermon series planning much more manageable. It's indeed a valuable asset in sermon planning and writing, especially for those who aim to deliver engaging church sermons.

What is the AI that writes sermons?

There isn't currently an AI that's specifically designed to write sermons autonomously. However, there are many AI-powered apps for ministry like Logos Sermon Builder that assist in sermon writing.

These apps can provide sermon series ideas, generate sermon outlines, and even insert scripture references automatically into your sermon document. However, they aren't writing the sermon itself, they're enhancing your sermon writing experience by providing helpful features and tools.

How do you write your own sermon?

Writing your own sermon involves a few major steps, which could be facilitated with an app like Logos Sermon Builder. You begin by selecting a sermon topic, often a biblical theme or passage.

Then, you conduct research on this topic, often consulting a vast library of biblical resources and drawing upon your own personal experiences and wisdom. You'll break down the topic into manageable sections, creating a major sermon division. This outline serves as the backbone of your sermon.

Afterwards, you flesh out each section with further scriptural references, anecdotes, explanations, and applications. You write your sermon in your own voice, making sure to create engaging sermons that will hold your congregation's attention. The final document can be a 1,000-word sermon or longer, depending on your specific requirements.

What is the best way to outline a sermon?

The best way to outline a sermon is by first determining the main points you want to cover, based on your chosen topic or scripture. Then, divide your sermon into major sections, such as the introduction, main points, sub-points, and conclusion. You can use apps like Sermonary for structured sermon writing, as it has a drag-and-drop sermon editor that can streamline this process. Outlining a sermon helps to provide a clear structure and logical flow, making the sermon more digestible and engaging for the congregation.

How do pastors write sermons?

Pastors often write sermons through a process of prayer, Bible study, research, and reflection. Many pastors use sermon apps like Logos Sermon Builder, Sermonary, and Scrivener, which can assist in sermon planning, sermon creation, and sermon writing. These apps provide useful tools like instant scripture insertion, sermon outline templates, sermon series ideas, and even suggestions to add depth to sermons. Pastors also often draw upon their own life experiences, spiritual insights, and the needs of their congregation to craft their sermons.

Is there a Bible app you can write on?

Yes, several Bible apps offer the feature to write, highlight, and make notes directly on the app. Olive Tree is one such app. It's a Bible study app that lets users highlight text, bookmark passages, and write study notes within the app. Similarly, Bible Gateway, another popular Bible app, also allows users to highlight and write notes on scripture passages. These tools, along with sermon apps like Logos Sermon Builder, can be a valuable aid in sermon planning and writing.

The Bottom Line

To recap, here are the best sermon writing apps to try this year:

  1. Sermonary  — best of the best
  2. Scrivener — best writing interface 
  3. Logos Sermon Builder — best for big churches
  4. e-Sword — best for comprehensive Bible study resources 
  5. Evernote — best for note-taking 
  6. Microsoft Word — best for editing and formatting tools
  7. Google Docs — best for collaborative sermon writing

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