Logos Bible Software, Part 3

Comparison with BibleWorks

Both Logos and BibleWorks have advantages. As I’m stilling learning the intricacies of BibleWorks, I’m sure it’ll take even longer to master Logos. Therefore, these conclusions must be taken as preliminary.

After a few weeks of practice, I’ll post an update.

1. BibleWorks is cheaper. I gave the pricing information in part 1 and will repeat it below. You get more resources, on the whole, with Logos, and so it’s hard to do an apples-to-apples comparison.

2. BibleWorks is faster. I run 2.5 GHz quad-core computer with 4 GB of RAM. Sometimes there’s a lag running Logos. But that’s because Logos has a vastly larger library than BibleWorks and far more graphics. [I do wonder about the indexing in Logos. It runs far slower than you’d expect on a modern computer, even with a huge database.]

3. Logos is slicker. BibleWorks has a frankly ugly look. I don’t think they have any graphics artists on the payroll. The icons are primitive. The whole thing looks like someone put a Windows wrapper on an old DOS program.

Logos is pretty. It has lots of graphs, and some are extremely helpful. It looks like 2011 software. Its look is state of the art.

Think of BibleWorks as a base-model Jeep — plastic windows, stick shift — and Logos as a Lexus. Jeeps aren’t comfortable to ride in, but they get you there and back and don’t cost as much.

A Lexus will get you there and back, with a GPS, top-notch stereo, heated seats, power windows, and airbags in all directions.

Jeep owners take pride in their lack of creature comforts and utilitarian ethos. But on a cold day, they wish they had seat warmers.

4. BibleWorks has some annoying deficiencies, the two biggest being an odd way of doing a search, as noted above, and the lack of a back button. I really wish they had a back button.

5. BibleWorks won’t do Greek or Hebrew interlinear presentations with English. Logos does this routinely.

6. BibleWorks has the ECFs. It’s an old, hard-to-follow translation, but it’s there and it’s automatically linked to the verses.

7. BibleWorks does cross-references better (although no one’s cross-references are all that great). But if, like me, you rely on them, BibleWorks’ cross-references are far more comprehensive.

8. Logos has a much, much larger library.

9. BibleWorks has Greek grammar books linked to the verses. You have to pay extra to get that in Logos.

10. BibleWorks gives you access to the title page of books. It doesn’t present information via bubbles on hover (which is less convenient but let’s you cut and paste from the information that is there). [But Logos will, in some windows, provide the citation automatically as part of a cut and paste.]

11. Logos has far more commentaries, which is a great help on many research projects. If you’re a big user of commentaries, Logos is your choice.

12. Logos lets you read its materials on your iPhone or iPad. You can even do Greek word searches on your device.

13. Logos has numerous base packages. You can spend less money and then add features over time, even waiting on sales and specials. Logos begins at $127.46 and goes up to $3,646.50. BibleWorks comes in just one version: $359.

14. Both products sell add ons. For example, you can buy the BDAG Greek dictionary for either for $150. But Logos has a much bigger library of potential add ons, both in scholarly and popular Bible literature.

16. BibleWorks has a user group that makes a number of public domain resources available for download for free, including Calvin’s Institutes (I just found this and downloaded a bunch of public domain material). There are also additional free books that you can download for Logos.

17. Both offer group discounts. Logos offers discounts to Bible students and faculty. BibleWorks offers group discounts through institutions. Therefore, you can probably get a better deal for either if you’re a student or on the faculty. However, there’s no price break for either through discounters such as Amazon.

For me, I’ll use both. I love having the commentaries available in Logos, as well as the easier search features. On the other hand, I find the BibleWorks Early Church Fathers invaluable. And I’m hooked on cross-references.

BibleWorks is less expensive, but has fewer resources and fewer possible add ons — less opportunity to build a library.

My experience is that most scholarly Bible books are not available in electronic form via Amazon. But Logos likely has or will have them electronically. And for a preacher (and especially a missionary) having a library in electronic format can save a lot of grief.

For example, Logos sells the complete collection of N. T. Wright’s books in electronic form — 34 volumes — for $429.95. I would love to have those in electronic form so that verse references tie to whatever I’m researching! It’s not cheap, but it’s cheaper than buying hard copies.

And frequent moves with heavy books and searching for shelving in new homes can be a real burden. (My wife has advised me that I’ve maxed out on book space. I doubt that I’m alone.)

Therefore, if you have the money, and if the ECFs aren’t critical to your research, Logos is the superior product. I just does more, is better software, and has more resources.

If you’re on a tight budget, you can buy the Original Languages base package from Logos for $415.95. The differences from the Scholar Package I have are detailed here. And that’s only $60 more than BibleWorks.

Here’s how to compare —

– The resources available in BibleWorks are listed here.

– The resources available in each Logos package are listed here.

Then compare prices. Be sure to check on discounts if you’re a Bible student or faculty member.

Then compare the available upgrades — both free and cost.

You won’t go wrong either way. In a close case, I’d go with Logos. It’s obviously a better funded company with a lot of good ideas. It’s a high quality product with a lot of upside that is aggressively bringing new books to the electronic marketplace.

If you want to be able to read your books on an Apple device, you have to go with Logos. There are no iPhone or iPad apps for BibleWorks. Neither one supports Kindle.

But if the Early Church Fathers are important to your research and funds are tight, BibleWorks would be the ticket.

One last point: With the Internet, you can do research for free in Greek or Hebrew, the Septuagint, and public domain materials, such as the works of Calvin. Several Bible translations can be searched for free on Bible Gateway. Don’t buy software if all you need is a concordance.

But I tried for better than year to do research using the Internet, and it’s just not nearly as quick, easy, or thorough as either of these packages. I don’t miss downloading font files, massive pdfs, and using Adobe’s kludgey search features.