Answer hub

Bible app blocker

Prayer First does not replace your Bible app. It helps you reach it first.

Direct answer

Prayer First is a Bible-app-aware blocker that keeps chosen apps behind a morning shield until Scripture comes first. You can unlock with supported Bible apps like YouVersion, Olive Tree, Logos, Blue Letter Bible, NIV, or ESV, or use a physical Bible timer or journal line.

How it works

The Bible app becomes the key.

Select apps

Choose the apps you do not want to open first in the morning: feeds, video, news, or any app that pulls you away early.

Use Scripture

When the shield appears, open a supported Bible app, read with the physical Bible timer, or write a short journal line.

Continue your day

Once the morning rule is complete, Prayer First opens the gate and keeps it open for the rest of that day inside your settings.

Who it is for

For Bible readers with a phone-shaped morning problem.

Prayer First is for Christians who want their existing Bible practice to happen before algorithmic feeds. It can support people who read digitally, read on paper, or use a tiny journaling habit to mark the beginning of the day.

It is useful when a normal app blocker feels too generic, and a Bible app alone does not create enough friction against Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, or other chosen apps.

Limitations

Detection is practical, not mystical.

Prayer First supports a growing list of Bible apps, but support can vary by platform, app package, and store availability. If a Bible app is missing, it can be requested. The physical Bible timer exists so reading on paper still counts.

The lock can be disabled by the user. On Android, permission changes or device-specific settings can affect reliability. On iOS, Prayer First follows Apple's Screen Time APIs and requires entitlement approval before public release.

Privacy & trust

Your reading and journal are not a cloud profile.

Journal

Journal text and optional photos stay on device. Prayer First does not upload them to its servers.

App choices

Your selected blocked apps are not uploaded as a readable list. Android foreground app names are read in memory for shielding.

Analytics

Limited anonymous mobile product analytics may be used for onboarding and paywall health, without journal text, photos, selected apps, or foreground app names.

For full details, read Privacy and Terms.

FAQ

Common questions.

Is Prayer First itself a Bible app?

No. Prayer First is the gate before distracting apps. It sends you toward your Bible app, a physical Bible timer, or journaling.

Which Bible apps does Prayer First detect?

The current source-of-truth list includes YouVersion, Olive Tree, Logos, Blue Letter Bible, NIV Bible app, ESV Bible app, and more as support grows.

Can I read a physical Bible instead?

Yes. Start the physical Bible timer, set the phone down, and read on paper. When the timer completes, the morning can be marked done.

What platform is first?

Android is first and headed to Google Play. iOS is in build. The website paid lifetime checkout is for iOS early access; Android checkout happens in Google Play.

Last updated

May 29, 2026.

Author/founder: Prayer First is built by BeforeScroll Studio, the independent studio of Brian Tan. Contact: radiansnail@gmail.com.

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