Bookshelf vs DeVry University
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Bookshelf
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.
- Offline reading
- Customizable highlighters and notes
- Flashcard creation
- Personalized reading settings
- Read Aloud feature
- Cross-device syncing
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With Bookshelf, you can enjoy a digital-first, comprehensive study experience from the convenience of your iPad or iPhone. Access all of your VitalSource textbooks and study anytime, anywhere. Bookshelf Features: • Download books to your iOS device for 100% offline reading. • Customize highlighters and add notes for a rich study experience. • Create flashcards with text and images to learn concepts faster. • Personalize font, font size, and background colors to make reading easier. • Listen to your books and learn on the go with Read Aloud. • Sync your current reading position and all your work across devices so you can easily pick up where you left off. • Built with accessibility in mind. Requirements: • VitalSource Bookshelf account • Access to one or more VitalSource textbooks • iOS 17+
DeVry University
Access your courses, grades, financial information, and academic support on the go. This app allows students to participate in coursework, stay connected with instructors and classmates, and manage their education from anywhere.
- Access courses and grades
- Manage student finances
- Connect with instructors and advisors
- Utilize eBooks for reading
- Access 24/7 support services
- Receive notifications and reminders
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We know you’re on-the-go – and now your education is, too. Through our mobile app, students of both DeVry University and Keller Graduate School of Management can access their courses, grades, financial information, academic support and more. This complimentary app helps you participate in your coursework and stay connected to your classmates, when and where you want. Manage School From Anywhere • Stay connected with your instructors and advisors • Easy access to your schedule and academic progress • Manage your student finances and make payments Learn On-the-Go • Check-in on your class progress, assignments and grades in a secure environment • Quick-and-easy access to discussion posts, course work, and feedback from professors* • Utilize your eBooks to catch up on reading on-the-go Student Outreach and Support Services • Stay connected to your Student Support and Career Advisors for guidance and assistance • Access 24/7 support services, such as tutoring and library resources¹ • Join our Community by GetSet to find motivation and peer support Personalized Material and Messaging • Receive Advisor and Professor notifications and reminders • Review student finance updates and take action • Access to in-app email, course announcements and University notifications *DeVry recommends using a personal laptop with administrative privileges to install Office 365 and other specialized software required for select courses. Chromebooks, tablets, and smartphones will allow some course work to be completed but may not be able to accommodate all academic technologies. ¹Each student is allotted a set number of hours of tutoring per academic session through www.tutor.com (available 24/7). Additional tutoring services are also available through www.DevryTutors.com
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is ratings volume: Bookshelf at 78K against DeVry University's 3. Bookshelf also leads on chart position (#74 vs unranked) and update cadence (every 6 weeks vs every 3 months). DeVry University's advantage is rating (5.0 vs 4.7) and iOS requirement (15.5 vs 17.6). On price, review sentiment, ads 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
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
DeVry University holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Bookshelf has 78K ratings behind it against 3, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 21% of Bookshelf's written reviews are positive against 27% of DeVry University's.
Bookshelf ships an update every 6 weeks, DeVry University every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on September 24, 2026 and September 21, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Bookshelf | DeVry University |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.7 (78K ratings) | 5.0 (3 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 21.4% of reviews | 27.0% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 78K — better | 3 |
| Update frequency | Every 6 weeks — better | Every 3 months |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Best chart rank | #74 — better | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better |
| Requires iOS | 17.6 | 15.5 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 185 MB | 29 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | VitalSource Technologies, Inc. | DeVry University |
Customer experience
Bookshelf
DeVry University
Bugs and requests
Bookshelf
Reported bugs
4 issues- Frequent crashes and freezes
- Issues with page loading and scrolling
- Inconsistent behavior when switching between devices
- Unreliable text-to-speech functionality
Requested features
5 requests- 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
DeVry University
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
Bookshelf
No in-app purchases
DeVry University
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Bookshelf free?
Is DeVry University free?
Which has better reviews, Bookshelf or DeVry University?
Do Bookshelf or DeVry University have ads?
Which is updated more often, Bookshelf or DeVry University?
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