Answer
Offline Tamil Bible app: how it works without internet, and where your data goes
The தமிழ் வேதாகமம் (Tamil Vedhagamam) app carries the entire Tamil Bible inside the app — all 31,102 verses, about 12.5 MB of text — so nothing is downloaded when you read and it works with no internet at all. Your bookmarks, notes and reading progress are saved only on your phone. There is no account, no advertising, no analytics, and the app’s only network requests are for a small schedule file from tamilvedhagamam.com (which verse to show on which day) and, for days given a photo, that photo; it sends no personal data and uses its built-in list and backdrops when there is no connection.
Why the whole Bible fits on a phone
Text is small. The complete Tamil Old Version — 66 books, 1,189 chapters, 31,102 verses — is about 12.5 MB, less than a three-minute song. Many Bible apps download books on demand or stream verses from a server; this one ships every verse in the install so that a chapter opens instantly on a flight, in a village with no signal, or in a church basement. The photographs behind the verse of the day are the bulk of the download, not the scripture.
Search is offline too. The first time you search, the app builds an index of every verse on the device (about a fifth of a second); after that, results appear as you type.
What is stored on your phone
- Bookmarks and notes — the verses you save and anything you write about them.
- Reading progress — which chapters you have finished, the days you read, your streak and the badges you have earned. See how streaks and badges work.
- Settings — Tamil or Tanglish mode, text size, theme, last position.
All of it lives in the app's private storage on the device. It survives app updates: progress is stored append-only and versioned, so a new release can add to it but never wipe it, and a badge once earned is never taken away. If you delete the app, the data is deleted with it. There is no cloud sync, so notes do not follow you to a new phone unless your operating system's own backup restores them.
What leaves your phone
Nothing, unless you send it. The one moment data goes anywhere is when you tap Share on a verse: the app renders an image card and hands it to WhatsApp or whichever app you choose. That image contains the verse and the app's web address, and nothing about you.
The app has no login, collects no analytics, shows no ads and uses no third-party SDKs that track you. The only thing it contacts is this site, for the verse of the day and its photo, and it is given nothing about you. It does not ask for location, contacts, camera, microphone or storage permissions.
Why it can be free without ads
Two reasons. The Tamil Old Version is public domain, so there is no licence fee to pay per user. And an app that runs entirely on the device has no server bill to cover. With nothing to recoup, there is no reason to sell your attention or your data. The app is a personal project offered free, and it will stay that way.
Updates
New versions come through Google Play and the App Store like any other app, and that is the only time the app touches the internet — through the store, not on its own. Updates keep your bookmarks, notes, streak and badges exactly as they were.
Frequently asked questions
Does the Tamil Bible app work without internet?
Yes, completely. Every verse is inside the app, search runs on the device and the app’s only network requests are for a small schedule file from tamilvedhagamam.com (which verse to show on which day) and, for days given a photo, that photo; it sends no personal data and uses its built-in list and backdrops when there is no connection, so it works in airplane mode and in places with no signal.
How much space does the Bible text take?
The complete Tamil Old Version — 31,102 verses — is about 12.5 MB of text. The photographic backgrounds for the verse of the day make up most of the rest of the download.
Where are my notes and bookmarks stored?
Only on your phone, in the app's private storage. There is no account and no cloud sync. Deleting the app deletes them.
Does the app collect any data or show ads?
No. There is no login, no analytics, no advertising and no tracking. Nothing about you leaves the phone: your bookmarks, notes, streak and reading history stay on the device. The app fetches the daily verse and its photo; the only thing you ever send is a verse image you choose to share.
Will an update erase my reading progress?
No. Progress, streaks and badges are stored so that updates can only add to them. A badge once earned is never revoked.
Is the offline Tamil Bible app available for iPhone and Android?
Yes. It is a free download on the App Store for iPhone and iPad (iOS 15.1 or later) and on Google Play for Android 7 and later. There is no PC or web version.