# Brainscape vs BrainDeck

The clearest difference is ratings volume: Brainscape at 21K against BrainDeck's 244. Brainscape also leads on review sentiment (82% vs 70%) and chart position (#168 vs unranked). BrainDeck's advantage is update cadence (every 6 days vs every 3 weeks). On price, rating, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Brainscape sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $19.99 per month and BrainDeck sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.8 for Brainscape against 4.7 for BrainDeck. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Brainscape has 21K ratings behind it against 244, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 82% of Brainscape's written reviews are positive against 70% of BrainDeck's.

Brainscape ships an update every 3 weeks, BrainDeck every 6 days. The most recent releases landed on October 3, 2026 and September 28, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Brainscape | BrainDeck |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (21K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/brainscape-study-flashcards/id442415567/reviews)** | [4.7 (244 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/braindeck-ai-flashcards/id6476791990/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **21K** | 244 |
| Positive reviews | **82.1% of reviews** | 70.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | **Every 6 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | **#168** | — |
| Size | 42 MB | 60 MB |
| Requires iOS | **16.6** | 17.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Brainscape](https://appshunter.io/developer/380833754) | [Home Cook Technologies Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/1717172351) |

## What reviewers say

### Brainscape

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

**Currently charting:** #168 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


### BrainDeck

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/braindeck-ai-flashcards/id6476791990)

This AI-powered flashcard app helps students study smarter and remember longer. Create custom flashcards with AI tools, schedule study sessions, and track your progress. Personalize your decks with custom covers to make learning more enjoyable and effective.

**Highlights:** AI-powered flashcard creation, Customizable flashcard decks, Smart study session scheduling, Progress tracking and insights, Personalized deck covers, Study reminders

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (6)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| BrainDeck Pro Weekly | $1.99 | per 7 days |
| BrainDeck Pro Monthly | $3.99 | per month |
| BrainDeck Pro Yearly | $19.99 | per year |
| BrainDeck Pro Yearly | $24.99 | per year |
| BrainDeck Pro Lifetime | $29.99 | one-time |
| BrainDeck Pro Lifetime | $49.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 💡 AI-powered flashcard creation
- 👍 Excellent UI/UX
- 🚀 Efficient flashcard generation
- 👍 Easy to use
- 💡 Spaced repetition tool

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 App flashes and closes
- 🐛 Image display too small
- 🐛 Limited image uploads (max 5)
- 🐛 Buggy and confusing
- 🐛 Functional flaw in file import

**Reported bugs**

- App flashes and closes unexpectedly
- Images and diagrams appear too small
- Cannot add more than 5 images at one time
- Security risk detected
- App lock issues

**Requested features**

- Allow iPad version on Mac
- Improve image/diagram size and visibility
- Add printing option for flashcards
- Reintroduce test-style practice exams
- Allow arrangement of cards during editing (up/down, back first)


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Brainscape free?

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

### Is BrainDeck free?

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

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

Brainscape is rated higher. Brainscape averages 4.8 out of 5 from 21K ratings, while BrainDeck averages 4.7 from 244 ratings.

### Do Brainscape or BrainDeck have ads?

Neither Brainscape nor BrainDeck shows ads.

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

Brainscape ships an update every 3 weeks, and BrainDeck every 6 days. Most recently, Brainscape was updated on October 3, 2026 and BrainDeck on September 28, 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.*