Comparison

Reader+ vs Pearson+ | Study Prep & eTexts

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

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.

Highlights
  • Book navigation
  • Note-taking
  • Bookmark saving
  • Offline reading
  • Integrated multimedia
  • Interactive activities
  • Updated bookshelf
Features
Read full description

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

About

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.

Highlights
  • eTextbook access
  • Video explanations
  • Notes and highlights
  • Audiobook feature
  • Searchable content
  • Flashcard creation
Features
Currently charting
Read full description

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

Reader+4 screens
Pearson+ | Study Prep & eTexts4 screens

Verdict

The call

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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

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

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

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.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

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.

Scorecard5 real differences · 6 level
Reader+ versus Pearson+ | Study Prep & eTexts: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterReader+Pearson+ | Study Prep & eTexts
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.8 (1.1K ratings)4.8 (62K ratings)
Positive reviews22.7% of reviews30.4% of reviews — better
Number of ratings1.1K62K — better
Update frequencyEvery 2 monthsEvery 2 weeks — better
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationAd-supported — betterFree with in-app purchases
Best chart rank—#141 — better
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS16.016.0
Further details — not scored
Size525 MB552 MB
Age rating9+12+
DeveloperPearson Education, Inc.Pearson Education, Inc.

Customer experience

Reader+

All ratings1,081 ratings
Positive95.7%
Neutral1.8%
Negative2.5%
Written reviews88 reviews
Positive22.7%
Neutral5.7%
Negative71.6%

Pearson+ | Study Prep & eTexts

All ratings61,975 ratings
Positive96.6%
Neutral1.7%
Negative1.6%
Written reviews398 reviews
Positive30.4%
Neutral13.6%
Negative56.0%

User reviews

Reader+

From 1.1K App Store ratings

What 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 ratings

What 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

None

Reader+

No in-app purchases

None

Pearson+ | Study Prep & eTexts

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Reader+ free?
Reader+ 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, Reader+ or Pearson+ | Study Prep & eTexts?
Reader+ and Pearson+ | Study Prep & eTexts are both rated 4.8 out of 5 on the App Store, from 1.1K and 62K ratings respectively.
Do Reader+ or Pearson+ | Study Prep & eTexts have ads?
Reader+ shows ads; Pearson+ | Study Prep & eTexts does not.
Which is updated more often, Reader+ or Pearson+ | Study Prep & eTexts?
Reader+ ships an update every 2 months, and Pearson+ | Study Prep & eTexts every 2 weeks. Most recently, Reader+ was updated on September 22, 2026 and Pearson+ | Study Prep & eTexts on September 26, 2026.

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