(TL;DR: Logos Bible Software is expensive, but there are all kinds of ways to save money on it, including my own discount.)

If you’ve been reading this blog for a while, you know that there would be no overviewbible.com without Logos Bible Software. You may have read my (super-long) review of Logos. You may have read my case studies on how I used Logos to write one of my most-popular-of-all-time blog posts.

But whether you’ve read this blog for years or you’re just now showing up from a Google search, you probably know that Logos Bible Software isn’t exactly . . . cheap.

Aw, let’s be honest: Logos is expensive.

Like, expect-to-spend-$300ish-for-the-bottom-of-the-line expensive.

I know you believe me, but I just can’t resist the opportunity to screenshot this:

All standard Logos base packages, arranged from lowest price ($250) to highest ($10,800)

I’ve had a long relationship with Logos—one that has given me a pretty hefty library over the years. However, the Silver package takes care of what most people who want to do really deep Bible study need.

(Seriously. I’m a bit of a fanboy, and I never would have been able to afford it if I didn’t have that employee discount once upon a time!)

Logos is expensive. But take it from a guy who used to work there (and who is a current affiliate):

You can save some money on Logos Bible Software.

Granted, you’ll still spend (a lot of) money on Logos. It’s a for-profit company. You won’t get it for free unless you win a giveaway, or become really, really good friends with a current employee. Or become an employee.

But you do NOT have to pay full price.

In fact, Logos has created several ways to get their killer software (and Bible-study resources) at a discount—and in some cases, free.

6 ways to get a discount on Logos Bible Software

I’m going to walk you through a TON of ways to save money on either Logos base packages or add-on books.

1. You can use my partner link (up to 20% off)

I’ll be frank: I’m an affiliate of Logos.

They know that the kind of people who read this blog are likely the kind of people who would really get a kick out of using their tools. And so we have an agreement: I send fellow Bible geeks like you their way, and if you purchase, I get a modest kickback.

No, you don’t pay any extra—they’re essentially rewarding me for pointing awesome folks their way. ;-)

In fact, they’ve cut you a deal: any time you buy from them after using this link, you’ll get a discount on your purchase of a Logos base package. (It’s usually in the 10%–20% discount range.) You’ll also get some free books. ;-)

You can get that deal right here.

You can use this discount on base packages.

2. You can buy a feature set (and save a few hundred dollars)

Time for some more honesty. When you purchase Logos, you’re not just buying the software. You’re buying a few things:

  • The features and datasets: all the software-y things that make the tool do what it does.
  • Hundreds of books.

Some of those books are helpful. After all, you need some resources in order to pull off any amazing feats of Logosmanship.

For example, I found out how long the books of the Bible are using the Word Lists feature. That feature lets me make a spreadsheet of every word in the Bible. Nifty, right? But that only works if I have some Hebrew and Greek Bibles on hand to pull the words from. ;-)

Logos sells the software and the books together in what’s called a “base package.” Those Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum products? They’re base packages. They “package” the software with lots of resources to use the software on.

But here’s the thing: I’m currently using Logos 7 Diamond, which has more than 1,000 resources included. And that’s atop my Logos 4 and 5 and 6 Gold packages. I own about 4,700 resources in Logos format.

But you know how many I regularly use? Maybe 20. 

Here’s the deal. With a Logos base package, you’ll get “hundreds of books for pennies on the dollar.” And unless you’re a hardcore librophile,  you’ll also get hundreds of books you will probably never open.

That’s why I often recommend the feature sets. 

What’s a feature set? It’s basically the software functionality plus the bare minimum books you need to use it. It’s a starting point for building your own Logos library with only the books you want, not a mammoth stack of books you’ll never reference.

Is it less expensive? That depends on the prices of the books you choose to add! But while Gold (the middle of the road base package) is about $1,500, the most expensive feature set is about $800.

In fact:

Now you’re probably thinking, “Hey! What if I go with the feature sets—can I save any money on those books?”

You bet!

3. Pre-order books with the Pre-Pub program

Logos tries to cover their costs ahead of time before taking on the task of integrating new titles into their system. They do this by first making sure that there are enough people out there who even want a given book (or collection of books).

It’s called the Pre-Publication program, or “Pre-Pub,” for short.

It’s a win-win scenario with Pre-Pub. You win because you get a low price—in fact, the rule is that Logos can’t ever offer a product below its final Pre-Pub price. And Logos wins because they know that there’s enough demand to cover the cost of putting new books in their system.

It’s a cool model. In fact, back in the day, I wrote a video script to explain it:

4. Bid on Community Pricing resources

For even more obscure (or high-involvement) books, Logos has the Community Pricing program. This is kind of like an auction: Logos gets the word out that there’s a book they’re considering for their format. But they don’t set a price.

Instead, they turn pricing over to the Logos users. People bid on the book at various prices—as soon as enough bids are made at a certain price point to cover the cost of producing the book in Logos, the price is set, and the resource moves into Pre-Pub (which we just covered).

It’s a heady process, so . . . here’s another video explaining it. =)

5. Join the Academic Discount Program

Are you in seminary, Bible college, or taking any higher-ed course on theology? You may want to see if you qualify for Logos’ Academic Discount Program. If you’re accepted to the program, you get a percentage off certain products.

You can kick off that process here.

6. Get a free book every month

And then, there’s always the free book you can get every month. Sometimes these books are top-notch. Other times, meh. (It depends on who’s calling the shots on the given month there.)

Want a discount on Logos? Go get it!

Again, Logos Bible Software isn’t cheap. I stand by the metaphor that it’s like the Batmobile: It’s expensive, it’s not easy to use, and few people need it. But if you’re the kind of person who needs it, there’s no substitute.

So, if you’re the kind of person who could really use Logos, now you know how to get your hands on it without paying full price. =)

Enjoy!

(You can go to this page on Logos.com to use my discount, if you like.)