Reader+ vs Pearson+ | Study Prep & eTexts
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Reader+
This application allows users to read books, take notes, and save bookmarks with seamless online and offline functionality. It features an updated bookshelf, a new interface for easy navigation, and interactive multimedia to enhance the learning experience.
- Book navigation
- Note-taking
- Bookmark saving
- Offline reading
- Integrated multimedia
- Interactive activities
- Updated bookshelf
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With Reader+, you can quickly navigate through your books, read them, take notes and save bookmarks. Built to work seamlessly online and offline, Reader+ lets you focus on your reading and activities and not worry about connectivity. Integrated multimedia and interactive activities enhance and extend your learning experience! Is Reader+ the right app for you? Check your courseware platform on your web browser to confirm. Here’s what’s waiting for you: - An updated bookshelf to make it easier for you to find the book that you are looking for - A new interface that makes navigation a breeze - A new card view in the Resource Panel to give you a more visual way of finding and interacting with supplemental resources - Better support for accessibility - Bug fixes
Pearson+ | Study Prep & eTexts
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.
- eTextbook access
- Video explanations
- Notes and highlights
- Audiobook feature
- Searchable content
- Flashcard creation
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The Pearson+ mobile app provides you access to all your Pearson eTextbooks in one place, as well as curated bite-sized video explanations of complex topics for your toughest college courses. Get started by logging in with the same username and password you created via the web-based version of Pearson+. Feature highlights: -- Anytime, anywhere access to eTextbook content and embedded media assets -- Short video explanations of complex topics to help you succeed in the classroom -- Ability to easily create and refer to your notes and highlights within the eTextbook -- Have your eTextbook read aloud to you with our audiobook feature (available for most eTextbooks) -- Search across all the content in the eTextbook to easily find exactly what you need -- Create your own flashcards or use pre-built ones to help you study -- Personalize the reading experience to best meet your needs For bug reports or general feedback, please reach out to us at PearsonPlusFeedback@pearson.com.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is ads: Pearson+ | Study Prep & eTexts at none against Reader+'s shown. Pearson+ | Study Prep & eTexts also leads on ratings volume (62K vs 1.1K) and update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 2 months). Reader+'s advantage is monetization model (ad-supported vs free with in-app purchases). On price, rating, review sentiment and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS
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 Reader+ against 4.8 for Pearson+ | Study Prep & eTexts. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Pearson+ | Study Prep & eTexts has 62K ratings behind it against 1.1K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 23% of Reader+'s written reviews are positive against 30% of Pearson+ | Study Prep & eTexts's.
Reader+ ships an update every 2 months, Pearson+ | Study Prep & eTexts every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 22, 2026 and September 26, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Reader+ | Pearson+ | Study Prep & eTexts |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.8 (1.1K ratings) | 4.8 (62K ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 22.7% of reviews | 30.4% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 1.1K | 62K — better |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | Every 2 weeks — better |
| Ads | Yes | No — better |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Ad-supported — better | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | — | #141 — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | 16.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 525 MB | 552 MB |
| Age rating | 9+ | 12+ |
| Developer | Pearson Education, Inc. | Pearson Education, Inc. |
Customer experience
Reader+
Pearson+ | Study Prep & eTexts
User reviews
Reader+
From 1.1K App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 👍 Useful app for accessing textbooks
- 🚀 Easy to download and access books
- 💡 Helpful for studies and reading
Room to improve
- 🐛 Frequent crashes and glitches
- 🔒 Issues with login and account management
- 🔋 Books need to be redownloaded frequently
- 👎 Buggy and unreliable performance
Pearson+ | Study Prep & eTexts
From 62K App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 🚀 Convenient access to textbooks
- 🎧 Useful audio feature
- 📚 Helpful study tools (flashcards, quizzes)
Room to improve
- 🐛 Buggy highlighting and page navigation
- 📱 Poor usability on mobile devices
- 🔍 Lack of search and page number features
- 💰 Expensive for limited functionality
Bugs and requests
Reader+
Reported bugs
3 issues- Books not showing up in the app
- Inability to sign in or create an account
- Frequent crashes when opening or using the app
Requested features
3 requests- Add annotation and note-taking capabilities
- Improve offline access and caching of books
- Enhance user interface and navigation
Pearson+ | Study Prep & eTexts
Reported bugs
3 issues- Textbooks failing to load or display properly
- Audio playback issues and lack of syncing
- Inconsistent behavior when switching apps or rotating devices
Requested features
4 requests- Improved highlighting and annotation tools
- Better syncing between devices and web version
- Page number support
- Split-screen and landscape mode on tablets
In-app purchases
Reader+
No in-app purchases
Pearson+ | Study Prep & eTexts
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Reader+ free?
Is Pearson+ | Study Prep & eTexts free?
Which has better reviews, Reader+ or Pearson+ | Study Prep & eTexts?
Do Reader+ or Pearson+ | Study Prep & eTexts have ads?
Which is updated more often, Reader+ or Pearson+ | Study Prep & eTexts?
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