# Bookshelf vs Pearson+ | Study Prep & eTexts

The clearest difference is monetization model: Bookshelf at free against Pearson+ | Study Prep & eTexts's free with in-app purchases. Pearson+ | Study Prep & eTexts's advantage is update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 6 weeks) and review sentiment (31% vs 21%). On price, rating, ratings volume and ads 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 — 4.7 for Bookshelf against 4.8 for Pearson+ | Study Prep & eTexts. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 78K and 61K respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 21% of Bookshelf's written reviews are positive against 31% of Pearson+ | Study Prep & eTexts's.

Bookshelf ships an update every 6 weeks, Pearson+ | Study Prep & eTexts every 2 weeks. Both last shipped on September 24, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Bookshelf | Pearson+ | Study Prep & eTexts |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.7 (78K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bookshelf/id389359495/reviews) | **[4.8 (61K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pearson-plus-study-prep-and-etexts/id1571362338/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **78K** | 61K |
| Positive reviews | 21.4% of reviews | **30.5% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 6 weeks | **Every 2 weeks** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | **#74** | #112 |
| Size | 185 MB | 501 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.6 | **16.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [VitalSource Technologies, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/333263745) | [Pearson Education, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/329060244) |

## What reviewers say

### Bookshelf

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bookshelf/id389359495)

**Currently charting:** #74 Top Free · Education (US App Store)

Access and study your digital textbooks on your iPad or iPhone. This app allows for offline reading, note-taking, flashcard creation, and customizable reading settings. Sync your progress across devices for a seamless study experience.

**Highlights:** Offline reading, Customizable highlighters and notes, Flashcard creation, Personalized reading settings, Read Aloud feature, Cross-device syncing

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 📚 Convenient access to textbooks
- 🔍 Useful search functionality
- 📚 Offline reading capability
- 🔖 Bookmark and note-taking features
- 🔊 Text-to-speech option

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Buggy highlighting and annotation tools
- 🖋️ Lack of Apple Pencil support
- 📚 Restricted functionality compared to other e-book apps
- 🔍 Inconsistent search and navigation experience
- 🔋 High battery consumption

**Reported bugs**

- Frequent crashes and freezes
- Issues with page loading and scrolling
- Inconsistent behavior when switching between devices
- Unreliable text-to-speech functionality

**Requested features**

- Improved highlighting and annotation tools
- Apple Pencil support for note-taking
- More customization options (e.g., font, layout, night mode)
- Seamless cross-device synchronization
- Enhanced search and navigation features


### Pearson+ | Study Prep & eTexts

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

**Currently charting:** #112 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 Bookshelf free?

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

Pearson+ | Study Prep & eTexts is rated higher. Bookshelf averages 4.7 out of 5 from 78K ratings, while Pearson+ | Study Prep & eTexts averages 4.8 from 61K ratings.

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

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

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

Bookshelf ships an update every 6 weeks, and Pearson+ | Study Prep & eTexts every 2 weeks. Most recently, Bookshelf was updated on September 24, 2026 and Pearson+ | Study Prep & eTexts on September 24, 2026.

### Which is more popular, Bookshelf or Pearson+ | Study Prep & eTexts?

Bookshelf currently peaks at #74 in the App Store charts, and Pearson+ | Study Prep & eTexts at #112. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*