# Brainscape vs Thinkific

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Brainscape at 82% against Thinkific's 13%. Brainscape also leads on rating (4.8 vs 1.8) and ratings volume (21K vs 104). Thinkific's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 4) and update cadence (weekly vs every 3 weeks). On price, ads, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Brainscape sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $19.99 per month. Thinkific asks for nothing beyond the download.

Brainscape holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 1.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Brainscape has 21K ratings behind it against 104, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 82% of Brainscape's written reviews are positive against 13% of Thinkific's.

Brainscape ships an update every 3 weeks, Thinkific weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 15, 2026 and October 10, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Brainscape | Thinkific |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (21K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/brainscape-study-flashcards/id442415567/reviews)** | [1.8 (104 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/thinkific/id1557573471/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **21K** | 104 |
| Positive reviews | **82.1% of reviews** | 12.9% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | **Weekly** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Best chart rank | **#198** | — |
| Size | 42 MB | 79 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.6 | **15.1** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Brainscape](https://appshunter.io/developer/380833754) | [Thinkific](https://appshunter.io/developer/1557573473) |

## What reviewers say

### Brainscape

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/brainscape-study-flashcards/id442415567)

**Currently charting:** #198 Top Grossing · Education (US App Store)

This app uses AI and spaced repetition to help you learn faster and remember longer. Create your own multimedia flashcards or access a vast marketplace of expert-curated content for various subjects and exams. It's designed for serious learners who want to optimize their study time.

**Highlights:** AI-powered flashcard maker, Spaced repetition algorithm, Expert-curated flashcard marketplace, Create multimedia flashcards, Collaborative content creation, Active recall and self-assessment

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Brainscape Pro | $19.99 | per month |
| Brainscape Pro | $59.99 | per 6 months |
| Brainscape Pro | $95.99 | per year |
| Brainscape Pro Lifetime | $199.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Amazing flashcard app
- 👍 Great for studying and learning
- 👍 Helpful for passing exams and tests
- 👍 Convenient to use on mobile devices
- 👍 Effective spaced repetition algorithm

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Expensive subscription
- 🐛 Buggy app with crashes and syncing issues
- 🔒 Limited functionality in free version
- 👎 Difficult to edit and organize cards
- 👎 Inaccuracies in some pre-made decks

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes when switching between cards
- Syncing issues causing data loss
- Difficulty importing and organizing custom cards
- Inconsistent performance on different devices

**Requested features**

- Allow more customization of cards (e.g., adding images, audio)
- Improve search and browsing functionality
- Provide more detailed progress tracking and statistics
- Offer family/group subscription plans
- Add support for more languages


### Thinkific

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/thinkific/id1557573471)

Access courses and communities on your schedule, from anywhere. Learn with various lesson formats optimized for mobile and track your progress seamlessly. Stay connected with instructors and peers through integrated communities and activity feeds.

**Highlights:** Mobile course access, Progress tracking, Community interaction, Multiple lesson formats, Push notifications, On-the-go learning

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Simple and clean interface design
- 🚀 Fast performance when working properly
- 📱 Convenient on-the-go learning capability
- 💡 Branded app option available
- 🎓 Good for course content delivery when functional

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent app crashes and freezing
- 🔐 Persistent login and authentication issues
- 📵 Poor customer support and unresponsive team
- 📱 Severe iPad/tablet compatibility problems
- 🎬 Video playback issues and constant buffering

**Reported bugs**

- Login failures and constant sign-outs
- App crashes on startup or when searching for courses
- Gray/blank screen appearing on launch
- Video playback freezing and buffering
- Complete button missing or not clickable

**Requested features**

- Unified dashboard for multiple courses from different creators
- Ability to manage multiple courses without logging out
- AirPlay and casting support for videos
- Offline download capability
- PDF annotation and highlighting tools


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Brainscape free?

Brainscape is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Thinkific free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Brainscape or Thinkific?

Brainscape is rated higher. Brainscape averages 4.8 out of 5 from 21K ratings, while Thinkific averages 1.8 from 104 ratings.

### Do Brainscape or Thinkific have ads?

Neither Brainscape nor Thinkific shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Brainscape or Thinkific?

Brainscape ships an update every 3 weeks, and Thinkific weekly. Most recently, Brainscape was updated on October 15, 2026 and Thinkific on October 10, 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.*