Comparison

Kaplan Schweser vs Be Studious

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

Head to head
About

Kaplan Schweser

Access essential study tools for finance certification exams on your mobile device. Review notes, practice questions, and flashcards anytime, anywhere, with offline capabilities. Optimize your learning experience and stay on track with your studies.

Highlights
  • QBank access
  • SchweserNotes access
  • Flashcards
  • Secret Sauce
  • Online and offline access
  • Mobile study tools
Features
Read full description

This mobile application supports the Kaplan Schweser CFA and FRM exam review products by offering you QBank, SchweserNotes, Flashcards, and Secret Sauce on the go. While our web-based learning experience offers you the robust tools you need for your longer study sessions, the mobile application can help you study on the go by giving you both online and offline access to the key tools that will help you keep your studying on track when you are away from your desk. This mobile app is in heavy development and we love hearing from our learners as we work hard to optimize your learning experience. Please feel free to reach out to us at online@kaplan.com to pass along your feedback! Access to these study tools is based on what products you have purchased through Kaplan Schweser's website, customer service, or authorized partners.

About

Be Studious

This AI-powered study tool breaks down complex exam material into manageable lessons. It personalizes your learning by identifying weak areas and reinforcing retention with spaced repetition. Designed for busy professionals, it ensures efficient study sessions and tracks your progress effortlessly.

Highlights
  • AI-powered personalized learning
  • Bite-sized, mobile-optimized lessons
  • Adaptive algorithms for weak area identification
  • Spaced repetition for retention
  • Intuitive progress tracking
  • Daily challenges and quizzes
Read full description

Studious: AI-Powered CFA® Exam Prep for Today’s CFA Candidates Studious revolutionizes CFA® Level I exam prep by breaking complex material into manageable chunks, focusing only on what you need to learn. No more note-taking or tracking progress—Studious keeps priorities clear and your study sessions efficient. AI within the app learns from your mistakes and gives you credit for what you already know. No more reading pages of text with scant review at the end. Studious delivers bite-sized, mobile-optimized lessons that test your recall frequently. This is the way memories are formed. Designed for professionals with demanding schedules, it ensures every moment spent studying counts. Unlike outdated, linear study methods like dense textbooks, Studious’ advanced AI personalizes your learning. It identifies your weak areas, guides you to mastery step by step, and reinforces retention with tools like spaced repetition. With its intuitive tracking, you can monitor progress effortlessly—no extra effort required. Backed by cognitive science, Studious blends rigorous content with real-life examples, making every lesson feel like working with a personal tutor. Engaging daily challenges keep you motivated, and adaptive algorithms ensure you're always studying what matters most. As Giles shared: "Studious has been a game-changer for my CFA exam prep. The adaptive algorithm pinpointed my weak spots, helping me improve quickly. I felt confident going into the exam." Now’s the perfect time to see the difference personalized learning can make. Experience it for yourself. Do the innovative Suggested Lessons for as long as you want. Unlock all features – Daily Quizzes, Targeted Review, and Sudden Death with an enhanced free trial—cancel anytime! After your trial, enjoy full access to Studious for just $29/month, complete with a success guarantee. Study smarter, not harder. Download Studious now and take the first step toward CFA success! Terms of Use: https://bestudious.io/terms/

Screenshots

Kaplan Schweser4 screens
Be Studious4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Be Studious at 50% against Kaplan Schweser's 6%. Be Studious also leads on rating (4.5 vs 1.7). Kaplan Schweser's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 2) and ratings volume (39 vs 6). On price, update cadence, ads and device support 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. Be Studious sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $29.99 per month. Kaplan Schweser asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Be Studious holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 1.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Kaplan Schweser has 39 ratings behind it against 6, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 6% of Kaplan Schweser's written reviews are positive against 50% of Be Studious's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 14, 2026 and September 15, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
Kaplan Schweser versus Be Studious: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterKaplan SchweserBe Studious
PriceFreeFree
Rating1.7 (39 ratings)4.5 (6 ratings) — better
Positive reviews5.8% of reviews50.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings39 — better6
Update frequencyEvery 2 monthsEvery 2 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree — betterFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPod
Requires iOS15.115.1
Further details — not scored
Size35 MB48 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperKU PACEWorm.so

Customer experience

Kaplan Schweser

All ratings39 ratings
Positive15.4%
Neutral2.6%
Negative82.1%
Written reviews120 reviews
Positive5.8%
Neutral2.5%
Negative91.7%

Be Studious

All ratings6 ratings
Positive83.3%
Neutral0.0%
Negative16.7%
Written reviews2 reviews
Positive50.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative50.0%

Bugs and requests

Kaplan Schweser

Reported bugs

24 issues
  • App crashes on startup or when accessing notes
  • Black screen after login
  • Content fails to load or displays blank
  • Freezing when navigating between pages
  • Video download function non-functional
Show 19 more
  • Downloaded videos cannot be watched offline
  • Video audio not working without headphones/Bluetooth
  • Video playback issues (black screens, no sound)
  • Q-Bank questions cannot be answered or answers cannot be changed
  • Q-Bank tables and graphs not displaying
  • Quiz progress not saving between sessions
  • Downloaded videos disappear after app closes
  • Unexpected error messages on login
  • App incompatible with iPad Air and iPad Pro
  • Landscape mode menu bar cannot be dismissed
  • Videos cut out when rotating device orientation
  • Video lectures not available for certain levels (Level 2, Level 3)
  • Audio notes missing for CFA Level 1
  • Courses not displaying in app despite being purchased
  • App requires internet to view downloaded content list
  • Slow transitions and performance lag
  • Server outages during peak study times
  • Sync errors causing loss of quiz progress
  • Login credentials work on website but not app

Requested features

16 requests
  • Dark mode/night mode for studying
  • Search function for videos
  • Organize videos by topic/category
  • Batch download multiple videos simultaneously
  • Persistent login/biometric authentication (Face ID/Touch ID)
Show 11 more
  • Full iPad Pro optimization and support
  • Landscape mode support
  • Split-screen multitasking capability
  • Closed captions for video lessons
  • Sync quiz progress between app and website
  • Video rewind and fast-forward controls
  • Flashcard functionality in app
  • Offline access to written materials
  • Offline video playback without internet
  • Progress tracking and completion indicators
  • Select all topics feature for custom quizzes

Be Studious

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

None

Kaplan Schweser

No in-app purchases

2 purchases

Be Studious

Subscriptions2
  • CFA Level I Monthly$29.991 Month
  • CFA Level I Annual$199.991 Year

Questions

Is Kaplan Schweser free?
Kaplan Schweser is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Be Studious free?
Be Studious is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Kaplan Schweser or Be Studious?
Be Studious is rated higher. Kaplan Schweser averages 1.7 out of 5 from 39 ratings, while Be Studious averages 4.5 from 6 ratings.
Do Kaplan Schweser or Be Studious have ads?
Neither Kaplan Schweser nor Be Studious shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Kaplan Schweser or Be Studious?
Kaplan Schweser ships an update every 2 months, and Be Studious every 2 months. Most recently, Kaplan Schweser was updated on October 14, 2026 and Be Studious on September 15, 2026.

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