# Brightspace Pulse vs Pearson+ | Study Prep & eTexts

The clearest difference is monetization model: Brightspace Pulse at free against Pearson+ | Study Prep & eTexts's free with in-app purchases. Brightspace Pulse also leads on ratings volume (271K vs 63K). On price, rating, review sentiment and update cadence there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.8 for Brightspace Pulse against 4.8 for Pearson+ | Study Prep & eTexts. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 271K and 63K respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 36% of Brightspace Pulse's written reviews are positive against 31% of Pearson+ | Study Prep & eTexts's.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly fortnightly. Both last shipped on October 15, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Brightspace Pulse | Pearson+ | Study Prep & eTexts |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.8 (271K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/brightspace-pulse/id1001688546/reviews) | [4.8 (63K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pearson-plus-study-prep-and-etexts/id1571362338/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **271K** | 63K |
| Positive reviews | **36.5% of reviews** | 30.9% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Fortnightly | Fortnightly |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | **#60** | #149 |
| Size | 55 MB | 552 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.1** | 16.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [D2L Corporation](https://appshunter.io/developer/422392651) | [Pearson Education, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/329060244) |

## What reviewers say

### Brightspace Pulse

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/brightspace-pulse/id1001688546)

**Currently charting:** #60 Top Free · Education (US App Store)

Stay connected with your courses on the go. Visualize upcoming deadlines, manage your time effectively, and receive real-time updates on course activities. Access course content offline and participate in discussions.

**Highlights:** Visualize upcoming dates and deadlines, Receive push notifications for course updates, Offline access to course content, Participate in Activity Feed discussions, Seamless browser login to D2L Brightspace, Apple Continuity support

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Makes taking online courses easier
- 👍 Easy to access course content
- 👍 Convenient for studying on the go
- 🚀 Helpful for staying organized

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Constant log-out issues
- 🐛 Unreliable notifications and content loading
- 🔍 Limited functionality compared to website
- 🔍 Lacks key features like file downloads

**Reported bugs**

- Frequent log-out problems
- Inability to load course content
- Notifications not working as expected
- Compatibility issues with older devices

**Requested features**

- Allow file downloads and exports
- Improve notification reliability
- Optimize for tablet/iPad use
- Add more customization options


### Pearson+ | Study Prep & eTexts

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pearson-plus-study-prep-and-etexts/id1571362338)

**Currently charting:** #149 Top Free · Education (US App Store)

Access your Pearson eTextbooks and supplementary learning materials in one app. Watch short video explanations of complex topics and utilize study tools like notes, highlights, and flashcards. The app also offers an audiobook feature for most eTextbooks and powerful search functionality.

**Highlights:** eTextbook access, Video explanations, Notes and highlights, Audiobook feature, Searchable content, Flashcard creation

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Convenient access to textbooks
- 🎧 Useful audio feature
- 📚 Helpful study tools (flashcards, quizzes)

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Buggy highlighting and page navigation
- 📱 Poor usability on mobile devices
- 🔍 Lack of search and page number features
- 💰 Expensive for limited functionality

**Reported bugs**

- Textbooks failing to load or display properly
- Audio playback issues and lack of syncing
- Inconsistent behavior when switching apps or rotating devices

**Requested features**

- Improved highlighting and annotation tools
- Better syncing between devices and web version
- Page number support
- Split-screen and landscape mode on tablets


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Brightspace Pulse free?

Brightspace Pulse is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Pearson+ | Study Prep & eTexts free?

Pearson+ | Study Prep & eTexts is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Brightspace Pulse or Pearson+ | Study Prep & eTexts?

Brightspace Pulse and Pearson+ | Study Prep & eTexts are both rated 4.8 out of 5 on the App Store, from 271K and 63K ratings respectively.

### Do Brightspace Pulse or Pearson+ | Study Prep & eTexts have ads?

Neither Brightspace Pulse nor Pearson+ | Study Prep & eTexts shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Brightspace Pulse or Pearson+ | Study Prep & eTexts?

Brightspace Pulse ships an update fortnightly, and Pearson+ | Study Prep & eTexts fortnightly. Most recently, Brightspace Pulse was updated on October 15, 2026 and Pearson+ | Study Prep & eTexts on October 15, 2026.

### Which is more popular, Brightspace Pulse or Pearson+ | Study Prep & eTexts?

Brightspace Pulse currently peaks at #60 in the App Store charts, and Pearson+ | Study Prep & eTexts at #149. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*