Logos 10 Bible software is here! Read on to check out my complete review of this popular Bible study software highlighting 7 amazing features!
More Than Your Average Bible Software
I am a Faithlife/Logos Bible Software affiliate partner. As such, I have received advanced access to Logos 10 in return for an unbiased and honest review. Should you choose to purchase from Logos through my links, I will receive compensation at no additional cost to you.
Logos Bible Software checks a lot of boxes for just about any level of Bible reader. From personal study to academic learning, from intense research to sermon and lesson planning. The new Logos 10 is a serious tool for the digital age Bible reading Christian.
As of this review, I’ve personally been using Logos every day for 5 years. There are devotions that I read from, Bible reading plans that I follow, and books that I read.
I also use Logos Bible software for academic research, lesson planning, and for sermon planning, preparation, and writing. Logos allows you to really dig into the context of the original text and the historical importance of scripture.
As you’ll often hear me say, context is everything when studying the Bible. It is imperative to understand and communicate scripture in it’s context so that you may apply the truth of God’s word to your life.
Logos 10 Bible software will help you achieve that and here are 7 amazing new features that will show you how.
1. Fresh and Modern New Design
As soon as I launched Logos 10, my eyes widened as I first experienced the update to the design of the user interface. Faithlife has moved the toolbar from the top to the left side, and although it’s been at the top for as long as I have used Logos, it’s not awkward at all.
In fact, it felt so much more natural and intuitive that I immediately appreciated this design update. The vertical toolbar gives you more screen space and it’s customizable so it also provides you with more access to things you use the most.
The modern UI design refresh gets an A+ from me!
2. Improved Speed
Even if you’re using the most recent computer hardware, this new feature is an extremely welcome enhancement to Logos 10!
One of the things many Logos users had grown accustomed to is a program that doesn’t start quite as quickly as some others. Plus, when it came to indexing your library, I have seen it take from several minutes to hours!
There is no doubt that Logos Bible software is an absolute powerhouse. That’s why a little extra time starting has never really bothered me. However, when I launched Logos 10, I was amazed at how fast it launched. And even more so at how fast the initial library indexing occurred!
What’s more, as I’m downloading books and resources in Logos 10, indexing is happening on the fly and completes quickly.
Initial Speed Improvements in Logos 10 Bible Software
While official benchmarks have not yet been released, Faithlife has shared the following initial improvements during speed testing. My best guess is the % range reported is likely dependent on your hardware and your system environment.
- Apple Silicon users will see a “good performance increase across the board” for those using an M1 processor.
- Similarly, Windows users will see performance increases with the support of .NET 6.
- Faster indexing for everyone on desktop, and about 10% less disk space for the index.
- Improved server performance improves the speed of most online functions, which is especially beneficial to the mobile and web apps.
Again, I can testify that I experienced a very noticeable improvement in launch time and especially during library indexing.
Improved speed gets another A+ here!
3. Advanced AI Search
If you’ve used Logos Bible software in the past, you have learned the nuances of using search within the program. I’ve actually heard it described as complicated, heavily involved, and just not everyday user friendly.
Welcome to Logos 10, where search has been enormously improved and made more useful to more people!
Search was previously used primarily by power users. For the rest of us, it went largely unused because it could get real complicated very quickly. Here’s what I mean.
In Logos 9, if you wanted to find all of the instances in your library that showed Jesus speaking about Moses, you would have had to use a search syntax string that contained brackets (< >) and special characters ({ }). With the improved AI search in Logos 10, it works like most search engines would when you’re looking for specific results. Just search person:Moses IN speaker:Jesus and you’ll have your results!
No more complicated syntax means search will be much more useful to all of us, with the added benefit of being faster, too!
Faithlife has also added an autocomplete feature to search as you type. This is even more helpful for those of us who are not power searchers. Even better, you’ll now have search tabs which will allow you to more easily search maps, Factbook, your Logos documents, and other resources.
Greatly improved and dramatically improved search: a big A++!
4. Print Library Catalog
It’s true, my jaw dropped when I saw this feature in Logos 10!
This feature is for Logos Gold Library (and above) users. I sincerely believe that all instructors, teachers, Pastors, and Seminary students should be using Logos Gold when possible.
I’m not kidding, this feature may be worth an upgrade to Logos Gold if you have an extensive library of print books. Here’s what this is:
You can add any print book, ebook, or even a library book to your Logos Print Library Catalog by simply scanning the ISBN or searching for the book within Logos. If the book is in the Logos library, it will be searchable by you from within Logos. This helps you jump directly to a specific page in a print commentary or some other book that you rely on.
Basically, it’s like adding a search feature to your print books. Where was that when I was researching the Dead Sea Scrolls from 30 library books for my thesis?!
Print Library Catalog in Logos 10 is another A++ from me!
5. Church History Dataset
You’ve heard me say how critical context is when communicating scripture. In Logos 10 Factbook, dozens of new pages have been added to support church history themes.
Themes are important things that happened in the history of the church at any given time. Themes can overlap as more than a few could have been going on during the same period, and could even involve the same people in history.
The Church History Dataset in Logos 10 provides a summary and provides the main points of specific events in church history. The results also show you the important people, places, ideas, and any supporting documents for that theme. These also link to other areas of Logos Factbook to give you even more detailed information.
This is a huge benefit for anyone who wants to more clearly understand or communicate scripture in it’s historical context.
Placing theology in it’s own historical context scores an easy A!
6. The Advanced Timeline
By now you know that context matters, right? Let’s continue adding to that with the next most impressive feature of Logos 10, the Logos Bible Advanced Timeline.
The timeline is a tool that will allow you to see historical events in their historical context, while seeing what else was going on in the world at that time.
The Logos Bible Advanced Timeline allows you to filter whatever event you’re looking at. You can then organize them so that you’re only looking at the most relevant events to you. I am finding this tool to be a huge timesaver, helping you to gather your information more quickly and efficiently with far less distractions. The details of the historical events you’re researching is pretty amazing as well when you use the zoom feature.
Did I mention how easily distracted I can be? Saving time, energy, and fewer distractions in the Logos Bible software Advanced Timeline gets an A score!
7. Logos Bible on Mobile and Tablet
This is where Logos Bible really counts for me in my work, and it’s gone from “good” in Logos 9 to “amazing” in Logos 10!
As a missionary, my life has to remain portable and transitory. I have found Logos mobile, particularly on my Android tablet, to be an invaluable resource that I use several times every single day.
When I fired up Logos 10 on my tablet, I was amazed! The first thing I noticed just as on desktop was how much faster the app feels starting up. And then the layouts popped out at me. Oh, the new layouts on mobile!
Instead of the previous 2 panels allowing 2 resources on your screen, now you can have up to 6 books on your screen at once!
The next feature upgrade that caught my attention is the new panel linking. This allows you to more easily link tools together, like a Bible translation and a commentary that will scroll at the same time.
I also see that the resources I have linked together are more easily recognizable with an orange “A” next to the title I’m reading. That’s quickly showing me these 2 books are part of the “A” linkset. You can have 3 linksets, marked A, B, and C.
Even More Mobile Feature Details
If you’re using an iPad, you can now draw on your screen. It’s not available on Android, but on iPad you’ll be able to mark your text in Logos Bible with pen, pencil, and with several highlighter colors.
If you use Logos Bronze library or above, on mobile there’s a new text-to-speech feature that makes pretty much any book into an audiobook. So far, this has worked on every book I’ve tested it on.
Another really cool feature I caught was when I selected a word in the Bible translation I was reading. An information box pops up and allows allows you to highlight, take notes, or scroll sideways through a series of relevant information cards.
This does change the way the toolbar disappears while you’re reading on tablet or mobile. Previously, you could tap an empty area of the screen and the toolbars would be hidden.
In Logos 10 Android, I have to scroll upwards just a little bit to hide the toolbars, and scrolling down brings them back. It may take some getting used to, but the information and markup popup tool is valuable and worth the change.
Since I spend much of my time in Logos Bible on my Android tablet, these new changes have been most impressive and I am not disappointed. Mobile and tablet improvements have earned the big A++ from me!
My Logos Bible Software Version 10 Conclusion
As a Logos Bible software user since 2017, I must say that Logos 10 is by far the most impressive update yet. The new features are practical and the improvements on existing tools are right on time.
The program on both Windows desktop and on Android are faster, leaner, and even more useful in both big research endeavors and in daily reading and use.
If you’re considering Logos Bible or are already using the software and are considering an upgrade, I can testify that Logos 10 is well worth your time.
As a Faithlife partner, I also invite you to use my links because Faithlife has given my readers special discounts, and they will reward me with a commission at no cost to you.
Through my special links, you will receive 15% off for new Logos customers and 30% off for upgrades!
Finally, if you’re just starting out with Logos Bible software or already use it, please let me know how you use it and how it’s working out for you. I’d love to go further with fellow Logos users so we can both learn how to use this amazing tool to it’s potential!
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