About Avela
Avela at a glance
- What it is
- A private Bible and prayer app with Prayer Circles
- For
- Families, couples and friends who pray for each other, often from a distance
- Platform
- iPhone (iOS 18 or later). Not on Android yet
- Price
- Bible reading free forever. Premium $7.99 a month or $55.99 a year; Family $12.99 a month or $95.99 a year for up to 6 people (planned prices)
- Traditions
- Protestant, Catholic, Orthodox
- Translations
- 15 free public-domain translations, offline
- Privacy
- No ads, no selling of data. Journal stays on your iPhone; circle conversations are encrypted on the device
- Honest limits
- New, iPhone only, no audio yet, two guided programs, no NIV or ESV
- Status
- In final development, coming to the App Store
- Founded
- 2026 by Illia Tymoshenko
- Contact
- [email protected]
Why we are building Avela
Most Bible and prayer apps are built for praying alone: a reading plan, an audio session, a streak to keep. That is good, and Avela has a quiet daily practice too. But much of real prayer is for other people, and the people we love are often far away. A parent in another state, a child at college, a friend going through a diagnosis.
Avela is built around that. You create a small, private circle, share what is going on, and let each other know you prayed. No public feed of strangers by default, no ads, and no streaks that make you feel guilty for missing a day.
While building Avela we read about 7,000 App Store reviews of other prayer apps. The most common complaints were about money: confusing trials, charges after canceling, the feeling of paying to pray. That is why Bible reading in Avela is free forever and why we put our billing promises in writing.
Scripture and sources
Avela uses Bible translations that are in the public domain, so they can be read offline for free: the World English Bible, King James Version, Berean Standard Bible, American Standard Version, Douay-Rheims, the Brenton Septuagint and others, plus translations in German, French, Spanish, Italian, Dutch and Portuguese. Licensed translations such as NIV and ESV are not included.
Reflections come from classic writers of each tradition whose works are in the public domain, such as Matthew Henry (Protestant), the Haydock commentary and Thomas Aquinas's Catena Aurea (Catholic), and John Chrysostom and other Church Fathers (Orthodox). They are shortened and always credited by name.
How we write and correct
Articles on this site quote Scripture from the World English Bible with the exact reference, and link research we have read. Where a topic touches on abuse, mental health or safety, we say plainly when to contact a professional or emergency services. If you find a mistake, write to [email protected] and we will correct it and update the date on the page.
Who runs Avela
Avela is operated by individual entrepreneur Illia Tymoshenko (ФОП Тимошенко Ілля), Dnipro, Ukraine. See our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.