Saintly vs Ascension: which app teaches the Catholic faith better?
Ascension is the better choice if you want to go through the whole Bible or the whole Catechism in a year with Fr. Mike Schmitz, at about twenty minutes a day. Saintly is the better choice if you want short lessons that start from the basics, take a few minutes and check what you understood. Ascension's core content is free, and so are Saintly's first seven courses.
Saintly and the Ascension app both exist to help Catholics learn their faith, which makes this a closer comparison than most. Ascension does it with reading and listening: the full Bible and Catechism, paced over a year and explained in a daily podcast. Saintly does it with short courses: a few minutes a day, ordered from the basics upward, with quizzes.
Saintly publishes this comparison, and Saintly is one of the apps in it. We have described Ascension as fairly as its own makers would, linked to their own pages for prices and features, and said plainly where Ascension is the better choice. Prices are US prices checked on October 20, 2026. They vary by country and change, so check the store before you subscribe.
What is the difference between Saintly and Ascension?
Ascension takes you through the source texts in order. Saintly takes you through the faith in the order a learner needs it. Ascension's Catechism in a Year reads and explains every paragraph of the Catechism across a year. Saintly's courses select, explain and test the essentials in short lessons.
Both approaches are legitimate. The Catechism describes catechesis as an education in the faith imparted "in an organic and systematic way" (CCC 5). Ascension is systematic by following the book. Saintly is systematic by following a curriculum. The first is complete; the second is quicker to start and easier to keep up.
The practical difference is time. A daily Ascension episode runs around twenty minutes. A Saintly lesson takes about five. If you have a long commute and want depth, twenty minutes is a gift. If you have five minutes between other things, a year-long podcast is easy to fall behind on.
What does the Ascension app do best?
Ascension is the best app for working through the whole Bible or the whole Catechism. Bible in a Year and Catechism in a Year with Fr. Mike Schmitz are among the most popular Catholic podcasts in the world, and the app gives you the texts, the daily readings and the audio in one place.
Fr. Mike's explanations are the heart of it. He is clear, warm and faithful, and he connects each day's reading to ordinary life. Many listeners say that a year with him gave them a grasp of the faith that years of Sunday homilies did not. If you finish Catechism in a Year, you will have heard every paragraph of the Catechism explained.
The core of the app is free: the Bible and Catechism texts, the podcasts and the audio for both year-long programmes, according to Ascension's help pages. A paid subscription adds Lectio Divina, an audio edition of the Bible, Bible Answers, studies and podcast companions.
Its weakness is the flip side of its strength. A year is a long commitment, the order follows the book rather than the beginner, and there is nothing that checks what you remember. Many people start in January and stop somewhere in February.
What does Saintly do best?
Saintly is built for people who want to understand the faith in a few minutes a day. Its sixteen courses start with the foundations and move through the Mass, prayer, the saints, the Bible and the sacraments. Every lesson cites the Catechism or Scripture and ends with a short quiz.
Each lesson is built like a short illustrated magazine article: an image, a passage from Scripture or the Catechism, a pull-quote, a moment to reflect and a few questions. Lessons can be read aloud. A practice quiz brings back the questions you got wrong earlier, so the material stays after the lesson ends.
Saintly also accompanies the day. The home screen has the saint of the day as a short illustrated story, the day's Mass readings, a daily quote and an evening examen. An AI companion answers questions the lessons do not cover and shows its sources, which is useful when the Catechism raises a question you want to follow.
What Saintly does not offer is completeness. It does not read every paragraph of the Catechism or every chapter of the Bible to you in order. It is a way into the faith, not a replacement for the source texts.
How do Saintly and Ascension compare feature by feature?
Ascension is deeper and longer, Saintly is shorter and more guided. Both run on iPhone and Android and both offer their core learning content for free. The table shows where each one is stronger.
| Ascension | Saintly | |
|---|---|---|
| Built for | Reading the Bible and Catechism | Understanding the faith step by step |
| Format | Texts and daily podcast | Illustrated lessons with quizzes |
| Daily time | About 20 minutes | About 5 minutes |
| Order | Follows the Bible and Catechism | Follows a beginner-to-advanced curriculum |
| Checks what you learned | No | Quiz after every lesson, practice quizzes |
| Daily content | Daily readings, podcast episode | Saint of the day, readings, quote, examen |
| Questions answered | Bible Answers (paid) | AI companion with sources |
| Annual price (US) | $59.95 | $40 |
How much do Saintly and Ascension cost?
Both apps are free to download and both give away their core learning content. Ascension's subscription costs $8.95 a month or $59.95 a year, according to Ascension's help pages. Saintly Plus costs $40 a year in the US, with a seven-day free trial.
Ascension's free tier is remarkably complete: the full Bible and Catechism texts and all the Bible in a Year and Catechism in a Year audio. Saintly's free tier includes seven of sixteen courses, the daily saint, the day's Mass readings, the evening examen, the Rosary, guided prayer audio, a Bible reader and three questions a day to the AI companion.
Paying unlocks different things. Ascension's subscription adds Lectio Divina, the audio Bible, studies and companions to the podcasts. Saintly Plus adds the remaining nine courses, unlimited Bible and Discover cards, Sleep Scriptures, widgets and more questions to the AI companion.
Which app should you choose?
Choose Ascension if you have twenty minutes a day and want to cover everything. Choose Saintly if you have five minutes a day and want to understand the essentials first. If you are unsure, start with the shorter habit; it is easier to grow a habit than to restart one.
A few situations make the choice clearer:
- You have a long commute or a daily walk. Catechism in a Year fits that time well, and Fr. Mike makes it easy to keep listening.
- You are in OCIA or preparing for Confirmation. Short lessons that start with the basics and check your understanding fit between weekly sessions better than a year-long programme that starts at paragraph one.
- You are returning to the Church. Start small, with the sacraments and confession after years away, and build from there.
- You already know the faith well. Catechism in a Year will stretch you more than any lesson app.
If you want both, a natural combination is Saintly's daily lesson on weekdays and an Ascension episode when you have more time. For a wider look at all the options, read our guide to the best Catholic apps to learn the faith, or compare Saintly and Hallow.
What happens after Catechism in a Year?
Many people finish Catechism in a Year, or stop partway, and want a way to keep what they heard. That is where a lesson app helps. Short quizzes on the same material turn a year of listening into knowledge you can recall and explain.
It also works the other way round. Someone who has finished Saintly's foundations course often wants more depth on a single topic, such as the Eucharist or the Liturgy of the Hours, and Ascension's long-form content is a good next step.
The goal of both apps is the same: Catholics who know what they believe and why. The best one for you is the one you will still open in three weeks.
Common questions
Is the Ascension app free? +
Mostly. The Bible and Catechism texts, the podcasts and the Bible in a Year and Catechism in a Year audio are free. A subscription at $8.95 a month or $59.95 a year adds Lectio Divina, the audio Bible, studies and podcast companions.
Is Catechism in a Year good for beginners? +
It is excellent but demanding. It follows the Catechism's own order at about twenty minutes a day for a year, which suits committed listeners. Beginners who want a shorter daily habit often find a lesson app that starts with the basics easier to keep up.
Is Saintly like Catechism in a Year? +
Both teach the content of the Catechism, but differently. Catechism in a Year reads and explains every paragraph over a year. Saintly teaches the essentials in short lessons ordered for learners, with quizzes after every lesson.
Can I use Saintly and Ascension together? +
Yes. Many people use a short Saintly lesson on busy days and an Ascension episode when they have more time. The quizzes in Saintly help you remember material you first heard in a podcast.
Which is cheaper, Saintly or Ascension? +
In the US, Saintly Plus costs $40 a year and Ascension's subscription $59.95 a year. Both offer their core learning content for free, so you can use either without paying.
