# Top Hat vs Pearson+ | Study Prep & eTexts

The clearest difference is monetization model: Top Hat at free against Pearson+ | Study Prep & eTexts's free with in-app purchases. Pearson+ | Study Prep & eTexts's advantage is review sentiment (30% vs 14%) and rating (4.8 vs 4.6). On price, ratings volume, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Pearson+ | Study Prep & eTexts holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.6. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 23K and 62K respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 14% of Top Hat's written reviews are positive against 30% of Pearson+ | Study Prep & eTexts's.

Top Hat ships an update fortnightly, Pearson+ | Study Prep & eTexts every 2 weeks. Both last shipped on September 30, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Top Hat | Pearson+ | Study Prep & eTexts |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.6 (23K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/top-hat-better-learning/id674069291/reviews) | **[4.8 (62K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pearson-plus-study-prep-and-etexts/id1571362338/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 23K | **62K** |
| Positive reviews | 14.4% of reviews | **30.4% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Fortnightly | **Every 2 weeks** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | #118 | **#113** |
| Size | 162 MB | 552 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **16.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Top Hat Monocle](https://appshunter.io/developer/411098284) | [Pearson Education, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/329060244) |

## What reviewers say

### Top Hat

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/top-hat-better-learning/id674069291)

**Currently charting:** #118 Top Free · Education (US App Store)

Enhance your learning experience with interactive resources, in-class participation tools, and dynamic digital textbooks. Engage with professors and peers, and test your knowledge with quizzes and polls to improve comprehension and retention.

**Highlights:** Follow lecture slides on your device, In-class response system, In-app discussions with peers and professors, Dynamic, interactive digital textbooks, Take polls and quizzes, Access graded and non-graded homework

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Smooth and intuitive interface
- 👍 Useful for attendance and in-class quizzes
- 💡 Potential for interactive learning

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes and bugs
- 🔋 High battery consumption
- 💰 Expensive subscription fees
- 🔒 Privacy concerns with location tracking

**Reported bugs**

- Answers not registering correctly
- Slides not loading properly on mobile devices
- Inconsistent performance across platforms

**Requested features**

- Add page numbers and search functionality to ebooks
- Improve syncing between mobile and web versions
- Allow more flexible location settings for attendance


### Pearson+ | Study Prep & eTexts

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pearson-plus-study-prep-and-etexts/id1571362338)

**Currently charting:** #113 Top Free · Education (US App Store)

Access your Pearson eTextbooks and supplementary learning materials in one app. Watch short video explanations of complex topics and utilize study tools like notes, highlights, and flashcards. The app also offers an audiobook feature for most eTextbooks and powerful search functionality.

**Highlights:** eTextbook access, Video explanations, Notes and highlights, Audiobook feature, Searchable content, Flashcard creation

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Convenient access to textbooks
- 🎧 Useful audio feature
- 📚 Helpful study tools (flashcards, quizzes)

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Buggy highlighting and page navigation
- 📱 Poor usability on mobile devices
- 🔍 Lack of search and page number features
- 💰 Expensive for limited functionality

**Reported bugs**

- Textbooks failing to load or display properly
- Audio playback issues and lack of syncing
- Inconsistent behavior when switching apps or rotating devices

**Requested features**

- Improved highlighting and annotation tools
- Better syncing between devices and web version
- Page number support
- Split-screen and landscape mode on tablets


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Top Hat free?

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

### Is Pearson+ | Study Prep & eTexts free?

Pearson+ | Study Prep & eTexts is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Top Hat or Pearson+ | Study Prep & eTexts?

Pearson+ | Study Prep & eTexts is rated higher. Top Hat averages 4.6 out of 5 from 23K ratings, while Pearson+ | Study Prep & eTexts averages 4.8 from 62K ratings.

### Do Top Hat or Pearson+ | Study Prep & eTexts have ads?

Neither Top Hat nor Pearson+ | Study Prep & eTexts shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Top Hat or Pearson+ | Study Prep & eTexts?

Top Hat ships an update fortnightly, and Pearson+ | Study Prep & eTexts every 2 weeks. Most recently, Top Hat was updated on September 30, 2026 and Pearson+ | Study Prep & eTexts on September 30, 2026.

### Which is more popular, Top Hat or Pearson+ | Study Prep & eTexts?

Top Hat currently peaks at #118 in the App Store charts, and Pearson+ | Study Prep & eTexts at #113. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

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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.*