# RedShelf vs BARBRI

The clearest difference is monetization model: RedShelf at free against BARBRI's free with in-app purchases. BARBRI's advantage is review sentiment (17% vs 3%). On price, rating, ratings volume 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 — 4.5 for RedShelf against 4.6 for BARBRI. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 7.1K and 2.9K respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 3% of RedShelf's written reviews are positive against 17% of BARBRI's.

RedShelf ships an update every 5 weeks, BARBRI every 2 months. Both last shipped on October 16, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | RedShelf | BARBRI |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.5 (7.1K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/redshelf/id1511013608/reviews) | **[4.6 (2.9K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/barbri/id1594886450/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **7.1K** | 2.9K |
| Positive reviews | 3.1% of reviews | **16.7% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 5 weeks** | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 26 MB | 63 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [RedShelf](https://appshunter.io/developer/1511013606) | [BARBRI, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/507282204) |

## 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


### BARBRI

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/barbri/id1594886450)

This app offers comprehensive legal education resources for students and professionals. It provides tools for LSAT prep, law school success, bar exam preparation, and continuing legal education. Access video lectures, customized study plans, and performance tracking to advance your legal career.

**Highlights:** LSAT prep courses, 1L law school material, Customized study calendars, Downloadable video lectures, Bar exam review modules, SQE preparation tools, Mini MBA for lawyers

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Convenient and knowledgeable
- 👍 Great content

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Buggy and poorly designed
- 🔋 Drains battery and disconnects
- 👎 Unreliable and frequently crashes
- 💤 Video player issues (freezing, losing place)

**Reported bugs**

- Frequent login issues and lost progress
- Compatibility problems with newer devices
- Lectures and content not loading properly
- Offline mode not functioning as expected

**Requested features**

- Improve video player and offline experience
- Add progress tracking and schedule features
- Optimize app for mobile devices


## Frequently asked questions

### Is RedShelf free?

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

### Is BARBRI free?

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

### Which has better reviews, RedShelf or BARBRI?

BARBRI is rated higher. RedShelf averages 4.5 out of 5 from 7.1K ratings, while BARBRI averages 4.6 from 2.9K ratings.

### Do RedShelf or BARBRI have ads?

Neither RedShelf nor BARBRI shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, RedShelf or BARBRI?

RedShelf ships an update every 5 weeks, and BARBRI every 2 months. Most recently, RedShelf was updated on October 16, 2026 and BARBRI on October 16, 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.*