Logos 7 Buyers' Guide, Part 2: Starter

Begin with the introduction…

Starter ($294.95, or $145+membership)

Starter is the only package that doesn't include the full set of Logos tools when you buy it outright. You will get the full tools with membership, but I don't recommend that because Bronze with membership is only $35 more. Starter includes several English Bibles (though it's missing the NKJV and GNT), reverse interlinears, lectionaries, devotionals, maps, images, interactive resources, and a handful of dictionaries — including the 4-volume Baker Encyclopedia of the Bible [$139.99], a few older one-volume commentaries and a MobileEd course. Tools include only limited Bible Word Study, Passage Guide and Exegetical Guide functionality. It's very light on lexicons and commentaries.

Suitable for: Those looking for an entry-level package, who aren't working with the original languages.

Also available:

• Anglican Starter also adds several dozen books on theological topics, mostly written by Anglicans or about Anglicanism. The most valuable addition is undoubtedly N.T. Wright's New Testament for Everyone Series ($199.99), and John Goldingay's Old Testament for Everyone ($139.99) which are far superior to the one-volume commentaries they replace. There's no NIV or NASB or The Message, most of the media (images) are gone, and it's lacking several of Starter's Bible Dictionaries, including BEB. Welcome additions include SPCK's 6-volume Exploring the Old and New Testaments ($114.99), the 7-volume John Stott Collection ($79.99), and more than a dozen volumes on the Prayer Book.
• Baptist Starter swaps out many resources for equivalents more in the Baptist tradition. In come the ASV, GNB, HCSB and NKJV, and out go the NIV, Message, RSV and NRSV. Most of the one-volume commentaries are replaced by the Founders' Press Study Guide Commentaries ($43.99) which covers only 8 NT books. Several dictionaries have also gone (again including BEB) as has most of the media. On the plus side is Schürer's 5-volume A History of the Jewish People in the Time of Jesus Christ ($119.99), James Leo Garrett's Systematic Theology ($99.99), and a dozen or so theological books from across the centuries.
• Lutheran Starter  also loses the NIV, Message, and RSV, whilst gaining the NKJV. Again, most of the dictionaries (included BEB) are excluded, though the Eerdmans Bible Dictionary ($32.99) comes in. As you'd expect, there are several small collections of Luther's works, and books about Luther and his theology (as there is for Bonhoeffer). The Book of Concord ($35.99) is also included, but there's little in the way of media.
• Methodist and Wesleyan Starter loses NASB and The Message, whilst gaining the CEB and NKJV. Commentaries are well servered for this level, with the addition of the 10-volume Socio-Rhetorical Commentary ($199.95) and Wesley's Explanatory Notes upon the Old and New Testaments ($29.95). Half of the John Wesley Collection $249.99) is added, although BEB is dropped, along with most of the Media.
• Pentecostal & Charismatic Starter adds the NKJV and MEV at the expensive of NIV, Message, NASB, RSV and NRSV. Most of the one-volume commentaries are gone, but strangely, a few academic books on Bible background make it in. P&C's strengths are in its author collections: Dutch Sheets (7 volumes, $69.99), A.B. Simpson (11 volumes, $99.99), John and Lisa Bevere (8 volumes, $104.99), and Bill Hamon (13 volumes, $149.99).
• Reformed Starter is very short on Bibles — it only has the ESV, LEB, KJV and ASV. The one-volume commentaries are replaced with a short selection of Calvin's comments, the Reformation Study Bible Notes ($27.99), and the 3 NT volumes of the useful Bible Knowledge Background Commentary ($83.99). There's no BEB, but a number of theological and biblical works are added, include 7 volumes from both Meredith Kline ($149.99) and John Stott ($79.99). Systematic Theologies fair well, including McNeil's translation of Calvin's Institutes ($69.99), Berkhof ($29.99), Strong ($35.99) and Hodge ($29.99). The works of puritans Jeremiah Burroughs (7 volumes, $99.99) and Thomas Brooks (6 volumes, $99.99) are also in.

Verdict:

As you'd expect, Starter provides the best balance, and BEB is a big advantage. But if you prefer simple commentaries to dictionaries, then Anglican Starter is a better bet. If you want a set of more academic NT commentaries, then consider Methodist and Weslyan Starter. Neither Baptist Starter nor Lutheran Starter have much to offer those not 100% committed to those traditions. Pentecostal & Charismatic Starter has very little to offer in the way of Bible study, but if you want some fairly simple books from that tradition, it might be worthwhile. Reformed Starter is good for Reformed Systematic Theologies, but again doesn't have much for actual Bible Study.