Express Licensing FAQs
What is Express Licensing?
Express Licensing is API.Bible's streamlined licensing process that allows eligible apps to access many copyrighted Bible translations without negotiating separate agreements with each publisher. Traditional licensing involves negotiating intellectual property rights directly with publishers — a process that can take weeks or months. Learn more at How to Use an Express License.
What does Express Licensing cost?
The price varies based on your app's use, monthly end users, and whether your use is commercial or non-commercial:
- Starter (Non-commercial) — Up to three eligible copyrighted Bibles at no additional cost.
- Pro (Non-commercial) — $29 USD/month with access to all eligible copyrighted Bibles.
- Pro (Commercial) — Starts at $29 USD/month plus licensing fees based on monthly active users and selected translations.
How do I get access to more copyrighted Bibles?
The Pro plan expands your access to copyrighted translations. Keep in mind:
- Not every translation is available through Express Licensing — availability depends on each publisher's terms.
- Commercial use involves additional fees based on monthly active users and the translations you select.
Can I use non-English Bibles?
API.Bible has Bibles in many languages beyond English. See the current list of available Bibles.
Does Express Licensing allow caching?
Caching is allowed and recommended. Cached content must be refreshed every 30 days to remain compliant with publisher licensing requirements.
Is there a limit on consecutive verses?
Yes. To prevent apps from reproducing the entire Bible, licenses limit display to 500 consecutive verses at a time.
What are the requirements for copyright attribution?
The standard requirement is a notice on your app's "About" or "Settings" page, plus a brief citation (e.g., "NASB") immediately following any quoted text. For more details, see the Copyright Recognition section of the API.Bible Terms of Use.
Can I modify the Bible text for my UI?
You can change the font or layout, but you are strictly prohibited from altering the content itself — for example, removing "thee/thou" or changing punctuation — without a separate agreement negotiated directly with the copyright holder. Contact the Bible's rights holder directly to inquire about a unique license.
Does Express Licensing allow use with artificial intelligence (AI)?
AI use with API.Bible content is permitted in limited cases:
- Public domain texts (e.g., KJV) can be used for display, caching, and runtime LLM prompts.
- Non-textual metadata (boundaries, references) can be used in prompts.
The following uses are strictly prohibited for any copyrighted content — including Creative Commons licensed content — accessed via API.Bible:
- Using API.Bible content to train or fine-tune AI models.
- Sending copyrighted text to LLMs as prompt context.
- AI-driven text-to-speech or speech-to-text, which may constitute a derivative work and a copyright infringement.
See Section 9.1 of the Terms and Conditions for more details.
Why isn't the NIV available for commercial licensing through API.Bible?
See Commercial Licensing for the NIV.
Why is the ESV not available through API.Bible?
The ESV is not currently available through API.Bible — the only official way to access it is through Crossway's own ESV API.