Review: Bibleworks 9 vs. Accordance 9

Review By: Mike Meiser

My last blog on the topic of Bible software, found here, included a comparison of two powerhouse programs, BibleWorks 8 and Accordance 8. Since that blog, both BibleWorks and Accordance have released version 9 of their software.  So what exactly is new with these two programs?

I am in no way an expert on either one of these programs, but I have been using both of them quite extensively throughout my five year seminary career.  Both BibleWorks and Accordance have made some pretty neat changes to the functionality of their programs, and  I want to focus upon some of the more significant new features.

With Accordance, one of the biggest new features is its mobile device versions that are provided free-of-charge with the purchase of the software. In the recent years we have seen newer and more powerful mobile devices that have created a society constantly connected to technology no matter where they are.  Accordance understands this new craze in the mobile computing world, so they have released a mobile version of their program that works with the iPhone, the iPad, and the iPod touch. This mobile version began with a few bugs, but those have since been fixed. Overall this is an effective mobile Bible software tool. How cool is it that I can bust out my iPhone or iPad and have a good portion of my Biblical library searchable at my fingertips. (See a demo of this software in action here)   BibleWorks is yet to release something similar for the PC user, but hopefully there will be something on the horizon. Hopefully….

Also new with Accordance is the improved organization of workspaces.  In previous Accordance versions, you would open up different tools and before long could have quite a cluttered mess of tabs at the top of your workspace. Now, Accordance has improved this by allowing users to have multiple tools open in the same workspace with its new feature called Zones.  You can customize and re-size all of these zones into a paneled look that fits your own specifications. (See image below)

Finally, an extremely cool and convenient upgrade to Accordance 9 is the Easy Install feature. Before, when you wanted to order a new module for your software, you had to purchase the module online, or in a store, then wait to receive a code to unlock the feature on your software. Now you can receive more than 90% of Accordance’s library of tools instantly after purchase with their Easy Install feature. Simply buy the module online at Accordance’s website, then download it in your program via Easy Install. Its super easy and super convenient.

For a detailed video about the newest features in Accordance 9 check out the video here provided by Accordance.

BibleWorks has also added some cool features to its newest version.  One of the most obvious things you will notice different about BibleWorks 9 is its added fourth column. (See image below)

This fourth column allows for another group of analysis tools to be open at the same time as the others. You can customize these columns so that your two favorite tools are open simultaneously along with the Biblical passage you are studying. BibleWorks has also cleaned up its interface a bit with the introduction of newer and cleaner looking icons.  BibleWorks 9 still does not have the same aesthetic beauty or simplicity of a program like Accordance, but it has improved.

One of the biggest upgrades, and the thing that continues to separate BibleWorks from Accordance, is more added content.  BibleWorks is by far the better bang-for-your-buck software package when it comes to content. Newly added to BibleWorks 9 are the BibleWorks Manuscript Project, The Moody Atlas of the Bible, more Greek New Testaments, the ESV Study Bible, Systematic Theologies, and more English Bible translations.  All of these come along with the already stellar grouping of tools from BibleWorks 8 in the base BibleWorks package.  All of these modules are also available in Accordance 9, but you will pay a whole lot more for them. For a listing of the new features in BibleWorks 9 check out the link here.

Overall, I am pleased with the changes to both programs.  I personally am still a fan of Accordance and the work that they do, but BibleWorks continues to be a big competitor in the world of Bible software. One of my biggest critiques of BibleWorks is their lack of mobile functionality. I feel this is a huge oversight on their behalf. Other PC Bible Software packages like Logos offer this capability to its users. Hopefully BibleWorks will offer it as well soon.

BibleWorks 8 vs. Accordance 8

BibleWorks 8 vs. Accordance 8

Review by: Mike Meiser

There are two software packages that I would recommend for any scholar or serious student of the Biblical text to purchase.  These software packages are BibleWorks 8 and Accordance 8 Scholar’s Collection.  One of the common questions that we hear from students and customers in the store is “What is the difference between these two software packages?”  This is a very important question to ask due to the fact that both of these Bible software will be at or exceed the $150 mark.  Thus, it is imperative to make sure that you are buying the right program for you.

The primary difference between these two is the operating system for which each was built.  BibleWorks 8 is intended to be run on a Windows based system while Accordance 8 is built for Macs running OS X.  For most, this solves the issue.  If they own a PC, they buy BibleWorks.  If they own a Mac, they buy Accordance.  However, these software can be run across platforms with the help of emulators.  If this information settles the issue for you, feel free to stop reading now.  But if you are still interested in the differences between the two (either because you are just that curious or because your name is Richie Rich and you own both a PC and a Mac) I will elaborate upon them.  I will primarily focus upon cost, user-friendliness/aesthetics, functionality, and titles available.

I will begin with cost because, let’s face it, cost is typically the most important factor for almost all.  BibleWorks 8 will set you back $349.95.  This is quite a steep price, but one must take into account the amount of resources that you will receive with this package.  You can find the full contents of BibleWorks 8 here. Some resources of note included in this package are Dan Wallace’s Greek Grammar Beyond the Basics, Waltke and O’Connor’s Biblical Hebrew Syntax, Gesenius’s Hebrew Grammar, and customizable Atlases and Timelines.

Accordance 8 Scholar’s Collection comes in 3 different options.  These are the Introductory Level, Standard Level, and Premier Level.  A list of the full contents of each of these can be found here.  These levels increase the amount of resources you receive, but also increase in price.  They are $119.20, $199.00, and $349.00 respectively.  At first look, Accordance appears to be less expensive than BibleWorks, but for the cost, you receive a lot less than you do with BibleWorks.  If you are simply looking for a package that has a Greek New Testament and a Hebrew Bible with not a lot of extra resources, then the Intro. Level is for you.  If you go with the Premier Level, you receive more resources, but at $349.00 you still are not receiving as much as you would from comparably priced BibleWorks 8.  BibleWorks 8 might have more resources in its base package than you would ever need, but as far as bang-for-your-buck is concerned, it is the better of the two.  Not to mention, the comparable Accordance modules (or add-ons) are often more expensive than its BibleWorks counterparts, e.g. Metzger’s Textual Commentary for Accordance and for BibleWorks.

As far as user-friendliness and aesthetics are concerned, Accordance is far superior to BibleWorks.  Accordance has a much more intuitive user interface than does BibleWorks.  After using both programs, I found that it was much easier to jump right into using Accordance than BibleWorks.  You tend to get bogged down in the clutter of BibleWorks’s user-interface.  There are far too many buttons, functions, and search bars to keep track of.

Accordance has a much cleaner look to it, and is much less intimidating than BibleWorks. However, this simplicity does not take away from Accordance’s overall power in grammatical searches and in-depth exegetical research.  If looks are a big deal to you, or if you are more interested in only doing simple grammatical searches and reading original languages quickly and easily, Accordance is the better option.

With functionality in view, both BibleWorks and Accordance are on quite similar levels.  Both have fully functional grammatically tagged Greek New Testaments and Hebrew Old Testaments, command line grammatical searches, graphical search engines, and countless resources to aid in studying the Biblical text.  After using both quite extensively, I cannot say that one is better than the other in terms of functionality.  Both are able to do the same types of searches and deliver the same results.  The way one goes about retrieving those results are different due to the different layouts of each program; however, one is not handicapped by choosing one of these programs over the other.

Accordance has far more titles available for its software package.  While BibleWorks comes with more modules in its initial package, it cannot stand up to the number of resources that Accordance provides.  Most notable of the modules available for Accordance that are not available for BibleWorks are the Word Biblical Commentary set and the Anchor Yale Bible Dictionary set.  BibleWorks simply cannot compete with the number of resources that Accordance gives its users.  If you are looking to build more of an electronic library, Accordance is the way to go.

Ultimately, one’s software decision comes down to a matter of preference.  What are your interests and what are you going to be doing with your software?  I personally prefer the simplicity of Accordance over the complexities of BibleWorks.  However, I used BibleWorks quite extensively and found it to meet almost every one of my needs.  You really cannot go wrong with either one of these software packages.

 

For an Update on the newest features of both BibleWorks and Accordance, check out the link here.