JW Notes, JWrite and other theocratic note apps
This comparison covers five apps for meeting, assembly and convention notes: JW Library, JW Notes, TheoPad, JW Smart Notes and JWrite. JW Library is the official app for reading publications. JW Notes also offers a free browser app; TheoPad stores notes locally without an account. JWrite detects Bible references and lets you read verses offline after downloading a Bible translation in the app. The table compares price, platforms, scripture detection, offline use, languages and sync. See the methodology below for the source and verification limits.
JW Library is the official app of Jehovah's Witnesses and the place where publications are read, highlighted and annotated. For freeform notes taken during meetings, assemblies and conventions, third-party apps add tools that JW Library does not aim to offer: a full note editor, automatic scripture detection while you type, and sync between devices.
JW Notes and JWrite are separate apps for theocratic notes. This page compares them with JW Library, TheoPad and JW Smart Notes on price, platforms, scripture detection, offline use and sync.
Comparison at a glance
| JW Library | JW Notes | TheoPad | JW Smart Notes |  JWrite | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price | Free, no ads | Free, optional donations | Free | 0.99 dollars | Free, Pro at $22.99 per year* |
| Platforms | Android, iOS, Windows, Amazon | Android, iOS, web | Android, iOS | Amazon Appstore only | iOS, Android, web (Pro) |
| Automatic scripture detection | No. Notes attach to publication text | Yes | Yes, after importing the Bible from jw.org | Not offered | Yes, with in-app Bible downloads |
| Works offline | Yes | Yes | Yes, local only | Yes | Yes |
| Interface languages | 100 or more | Over 70, declared by its developer on Google Play | 14 | 3 | 13 |
| Sync across devices | No. Manual backup file only | Yes, own cloud | No. Local storage, manual backup | No. Dropbox backup | Yes, with Pro |
| Official app | Yes | No | No | No | No |
* Reference market: United States. Check the final price for your country and store in the app.
JW Library
JW Library is free, has no ads and is developed by the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of New York. It is the essential app: publications, Bible translations, videos and audio in over 1,000 languages, all available offline. Its notes are highlights and comments attached to publication text and organized with tags, which works well for personal study. It has no freeform note editor and, as of August 2026, notes cannot be synchronized across devices, only exported as a manual backup file.
JW Notes
JW Notes is a third-party note app for the web, Android and iOS. It detects Bible references as you type and shows the verse in the note, works offline and syncs in real time through its own cloud. It is free: the in-app purchases are voluntary donations, not locked features. Its web app is free, while JWrite's is part of Pro.
TheoPad
TheoPad is a free third-party app for Android and iOS that keeps everything on the device: no account, no tracking, manual backups. It recognizes scripture references and shows the verse, but for copyright reasons it ships without Bible text, so you first import the Bible from jw.org. A good choice if you want strictly local notes and do not need sync.
JW Smart Notes
JW Smart Notes is available only on the Amazon Appstore for 0.99 dollars, was last released in 2017 and is not distributed on Google Play or the App Store. It bundles assembly programs and a Bible, with backups via Dropbox. Given its age it is hard to recommend today. It is listed here because it still appears in searches.
JWrite
JWrite is built for taking notes at meetings, assemblies and conventions. It detects Bible references as you type. First download a Bible translation in the app, then tap a reference to read the verse offline. It adds a Study tab with the daily text, convention and assembly programs, and a conversation mode for the ministry. The app is free with ads. JWrite Pro at $22.99 per year adds cloud sync across devices and custom categories and removes ads. JWrite Web, in the computer's browser, is included in Pro. Being independent, it is not an official app. Reference market: United States. Check the final price for your country and store in the app.
Which app should you choose
- You want the official app for publications and personal study: JW Library. It is free and every feature of it is the baseline everyone already has.
- You also take notes from a browser: JW Notes for free, JWrite with Pro.
- You want notes stored only on your device, with no account: TheoPad.
- You want meeting and convention notes with instant scripture lookup, included Bible translations and cloud sync: JWrite.
Better meeting notes start today.
Free on iOS and Android. In the browser with Pro.
For JWrite Pro subscribers, in your computer's browser. Nothing to install.
How this comparison was made
Published by BerviFix, developer of JWrite. This is our comparison, not an independent review. On October 1, 2026 we rechecked only the JW Notes language claim against its Google Play listing. The other entries retain earlier information and have not all been reverified for this update. Prices and availability can vary by country and change over time. Report an error to jwrite.info@gmail.com.
JWrite is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania.