✦ For parents✦
What your child will find in the app
On the App Store, The Bible Dogs is rated 13+. Here you can read why, what children come across in the app, and what it deliberately does not have. So you can decide for yourself whether the app is right for your child.
Why 13+
The rating does not come from chat, ads or content made by strangers, because the app has none of those. It comes from the Bible itself. Apple asks whether an app mentions alcohol, violence or weapons, and even an occasional reference leads to 13+. The Bible tells of wine, of wars and of the crucifixion, so we answered honestly. In the app these stories are retold in our own words, in simple language, and never in gruesome detail.
What children come across
Each of these topics is rare, usually a short sentence in a story or a quiz question.
Wine
Jesus turns water into wine at the wedding in Cana, and at the Last Supper he shares bread and wine. Noah is said to have become drunk.
Violence
The crucifixion of Jesus, the stoning of Stephen and battles in the Old Testament. The app tells what happened, not what it looked like.
Weapons
David faces Goliath with a sling. Swords and spears appear in some stories and quiz questions.
Difficult topics
The Ten Commandments name adultery, and the story of David and Bathsheba is briefly mentioned. Adam and Eve notice that they are naked. There is no sexual content.
What the app does not have
No chat
Your child cannot message anyone in the app, and nobody can message your child.
No ads
No banners, no videos, no offers from other companies.
No social network
No profiles, no likes, no comments. What your child writes is seen by nobody but your child.
No open browser
The app opens only a few fixed pages, such as the privacy policy or a directory of crisis helplines. You cannot browse the web freely in it.
No tracking
We use no analytics software and we do not sell data.
No gambling
In the shop you always see what you get. The stars for it are earned in the app and cannot be bought with money.
Wellbeing and SOS
Part of the app cares for inner wellbeing: breathing together with your own dog, a five, four, three, two, one exercise, giving worries to God, shaking off anger, a mood check, a gratitude wall and a daily walk. What is entered in the mood check, in "Give it to God" and in the letter is not stored anywhere. The SOS section points to findahelpline.com, an independent directory of crisis helplines in your own country. The app is no replacement for help from people.
What the app can do
A dog of your own
Poodle or wolfdog, with a name of your choice. It grows when you come back regularly, not through performance.
The whole Bible
All 66 books to read, in public domain or openly licensed translations.
A verse and a prayer every day
Plus a word of encouragement. The dog reads the prayers aloud if you like.
Bible quiz
Over 1,000 questions, each with its explanation. There is no score: questions answered wrongly simply come back.
Stories and people of the Bible
Retellings, prophecies, the teachings of Jesus and what a word means in Hebrew or Greek.
The Way
Guided paths through topics such as anxiety or loneliness, station by station and without pressure.
Calendar and widget
An archive of past days and a widget for the Home Screen.
Three languages
English, German and Spanish.
Purchases and control
Free
The verse, prayer and question of the day, every wellbeing tool including SOS, all prayers and the whole Bible to read. Plus the first entries of every Bible section, five quiz rounds and two book overviews a month.
Premium
A subscription, monthly or yearly, opens everything else. It runs through Apple and can be cancelled at any time in the iPhone settings.
Screen Time
With Screen Time on the iPhone you can allow the app for a younger child as well.
Ask to Buy
With Family Sharing set up, your child's iPhone asks you before a subscription is purchased.
Account and backup
No account is needed. The app backs up the journey in the cloud so that it is not lost with a new phone. This can be turned off in the settings.