# Brainscape vs cards.study

The clearest difference is ratings volume: Brainscape at 22K against cards.study's 8. cards.study's advantage is review sentiment (100% vs 82%) and rating (5.0 vs 4.8). On price, update cadence, 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 cards.study sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $5.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

cards.study holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Brainscape has 22K ratings behind it against 8, 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 100% of cards.study's.

Brainscape ships an update every 3 weeks, cards.study every 4 weeks. Both last shipped on October 24, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Brainscape | cards.study |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.8 (22K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/brainscape-study-flashcards/id442415567/reviews) | **[5.0 (8 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cardsstudy-trivia-flashcards/id6737521915/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **22K** | 8 |
| Positive reviews | 82.2% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 weeks** | Every 4 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 42 MB | 43 MB |
| Requires iOS | **16.6** | 17.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Brainscape](https://appshunter.io/developer/380833754) | [Ben Jenkins](https://appshunter.io/developer/1776903367) |

## What reviewers say

### Brainscape

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

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


### cards.study

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cardsstudy-trivia-flashcards/id6737521915)

Master subjects like languages and trivia with a spaced-repetition flashcard system. Create your own study materials or use pre-made courses. Gain insights into your learning progress with advanced statistics.

**Highlights:** Spaced-repetition algorithm, Pre-made courses, Custom card editor, Advanced statistics, Trivia and language learning

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| All Access | $5.99 | per month |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Brainscape free?

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

### Is cards.study free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Brainscape or cards.study?

cards.study is rated higher. Brainscape averages 4.8 out of 5 from 22K ratings, while cards.study averages 5.0 from 8 ratings.

### Do Brainscape or cards.study have ads?

Neither Brainscape nor cards.study shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Brainscape or cards.study?

Brainscape ships an update every 3 weeks, and cards.study every 4 weeks. Most recently, Brainscape was updated on October 24, 2026 and cards.study on October 24, 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.*