# Brainscape vs Guru

The clearest difference is update cadence: Guru at every 3 days against Brainscape's every 3 weeks. Brainscape's advantage is ratings volume (22K vs 3). 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 Guru sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 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 Guru. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Brainscape has 22K ratings behind it against 3, so its average is the more settled of the two.

Brainscape ships an update every 3 weeks, Guru every 3 days. The most recent releases landed on October 21, 2026 and October 8, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Brainscape | Guru |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (22K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/brainscape-study-flashcards/id442415567/reviews)** | [4.7 (3 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/guru-flashcard-study-coach/id6757980593/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **22K** | 3 |
| Positive reviews | 82.2% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | **Every 3 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Freemium |
| Size | 42 MB | 113 MB |
| Requires iOS | **16.6** | 17.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 9+ |
| Developer | [Brainscape](https://appshunter.io/developer/380833754) | [剑 肖](https://appshunter.io/developer/1815181687) |

## 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


### Guru

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/guru-flashcard-study-coach/id6757980593)

This app helps students import existing flashcard decks, review them using an AI-powered spaced repetition system, and even generate new cards from PDFs and notes. It includes a study lock feature to minimize distractions during review sessions.

**Highlights:** Import existing flashcard decks, AI-powered spaced repetition (FSRS), Generate flashcards from PDFs and notes, Study Lock to block distracting apps, Controller support for reviews, Organized deck management

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

**In-app purchases (5)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Flashcard Guru Pro Weekly | $2.99 | per 7 days |
| Flashcard Guru Pro Monthly | $4.99 | per month |
| Flashcard Guru Pro Yearly | $39.99 | per year |
| 500 AI Credits | $4.99 | one-time |
| Lifetime Pro | $24.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Brainscape free?

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

### Is Guru free?

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

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

Brainscape is rated higher. Brainscape averages 4.8 out of 5 from 22K ratings, while Guru averages 4.7 from 3 ratings.

### Do Brainscape or Guru have ads?

Neither Brainscape nor Guru shows ads.

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

Brainscape ships an update every 3 weeks, and Guru every 3 days. Most recently, Brainscape was updated on October 21, 2026 and Guru on October 8, 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.*