# RedShelf vs Pearson+ | Study Prep & eTexts

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Pearson+ | Study Prep & eTexts at 31% against RedShelf's 3%. Pearson+ | Study Prep & eTexts also leads on rating (4.8 vs 4.5) and update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 5 weeks). RedShelf's advantage is monetization model (free vs free with in-app purchases). On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

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

Pearson+ | Study Prep & eTexts holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Pearson+ | Study Prep & eTexts has 61K ratings behind it against 7.1K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 3% of RedShelf's written reviews are positive against 31% of Pearson+ | Study Prep & eTexts's.

RedShelf ships an update every 5 weeks, Pearson+ | Study Prep & eTexts every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 19, 2026 and September 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | RedShelf | Pearson+ | Study Prep & eTexts |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.5 (7.1K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/redshelf/id1511013608/reviews) | **[4.8 (61K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pearson-plus-study-prep-and-etexts/id1571362338/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 7.1K | **61K** |
| Positive reviews | 3.1% of reviews | **30.5% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 5 weeks | **Every 2 weeks** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | — | **#109** |
| Size | 26 MB | 501 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | 16.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [RedShelf](https://appshunter.io/developer/1511013606) | [Pearson Education, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/329060244) |

## What reviewers say

### RedShelf

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/redshelf/id1511013608)

Access and read your digital textbooks on any device. Highlight text, take notes, create flashcards, and have content read aloud. Your notes and highlights sync across all your devices.

**Highlights:** Access textbooks on any device, Highlight text and take notes, Create flashcards from content, Define unfamiliar words, Text-to-speech functionality, Sync notes and highlights across devices

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Convenient to access textbooks in one place
- 🚀 Decent overall performance

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes and glitches
- 💤 Slow loading and page turning
- 👎 Unreliable highlighting and note-taking features
- 🤖 Poor text-to-speech functionality
- 📵 Inability to access books offline

**Reported bugs**

- Books not loading or showing blank screens
- Highlighting issues (selecting wrong text, unable to edit)
- Sync issues between devices and web version

**Requested features**

- Improve highlighting and annotation tools
- Add support for split-screen mode
- Enhance text-to-speech capabilities
- Allow offline access to downloaded books


### Pearson+ | Study Prep & eTexts

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

**Currently charting:** #109 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 RedShelf free?

RedShelf 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, RedShelf or Pearson+ | Study Prep & eTexts?

Pearson+ | Study Prep & eTexts is rated higher. RedShelf averages 4.5 out of 5 from 7.1K ratings, while Pearson+ | Study Prep & eTexts averages 4.8 from 61K ratings.

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

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

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

RedShelf ships an update every 5 weeks, and Pearson+ | Study Prep & eTexts every 2 weeks. Most recently, RedShelf was updated on September 19, 2026 and Pearson+ | Study Prep & eTexts on September 24, 2026.

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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.*