User Perceptions of a Faith & Prayer Mobile App
The largest published survey of faith-based app users, capturing real-world experience, motivations, and self-reported outcomes from over 1,000 PRAY.COM subscribers across the United States.
Published In
Journal of Religion and Health
Laird et al., 2024
Largest published sample
Use app for spiritual growth
Reported no improvement
Study Overview
The Challenge
Understanding how and why people use faith-based apps is essential to improving them. While experimental studies can test whether an app works, large-scale surveys reveal how people actually experience these tools in their daily lives — what motivates them, what they gain, and where they see room for growth.
This national cross-sectional survey captured the real-world experience of over 1,000 PRAY.COM subscribers, making it the largest published study of faith-based app users to date. The data provides a comprehensive picture of who uses PRAY.COM, why they use it, and what outcomes they report.
Methodology
Participants
1,031 PRAY.COM subscribers
National sample across the United States
Study Type
National Cross-Sectional Survey
Population
PRAY.COM subscribers nationally
Focus Areas
Usage patterns, motivations, satisfaction, health outcomes
Results
What We Found
The vast majority of PRAY.COM subscribers — 88% — reported using the app primarily for spiritual growth. Less than 6% of all respondents reported no improvement across the health and well-being measures assessed, meaning the overwhelming majority experienced meaningful benefits.
Subscribers reported improvements across key outcomes including stress, anxiety, depression, burnout, and mindfulness. Critically, more frequent use — measured in days per week — correlated with better outcomes across all measures. This dose-response pattern, now confirmed across multiple studies and populations, reinforces the value of consistent daily engagement with faith-based content.
Implications
What This Means
Real-World Validation at Scale
With over 1,000 participants, this is the largest published study of faith-based app users. The results confirm that PRAY.COM delivers meaningful benefits not just in controlled settings, but in the daily lives of real subscribers.
Spiritual Growth as Primary Driver
With 88% of users motivated by spiritual growth, the data confirms that PRAY.COM serves its core mission. Users come for faith and experience mental health benefits as a natural outcome of deepening their spiritual practice.
Dose-Response Confirmed
The dose-response pattern — more frequent use correlates with better outcomes — has now been observed across multiple studies, populations, and methodologies. This convergent evidence strengthens the case for daily faith-based practice as a reliable path to improved well-being.
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