# BrainScope vs Helium

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Helium at none against BrainScope's 4. Helium also leads on update cadence (every 2 days vs every 2 months). On price, ads, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. BrainScope sells 4 one-off in-app purchases. Helium asks for nothing beyond the download.

BrainScope ships an update every 2 months, Helium every 2 days. The most recent releases landed on October 30, 2026 and November 9, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | BrainScope | Helium |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | — | **[5.0 (7 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/helium-student-planner/id6758323154/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | — | **7** |
| Positive reviews | — | 100.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Every 2 days** |
| Monetization | — | Free |
| Size | 25 MB | 56 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.1 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [ZST](https://appshunter.io/developer/1274473128) | [Helium Edu, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1872281093) |

## What reviewers say

### BrainScope

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/brainscope/id6749882036)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Tip $1.99 | $1.99 | one-time |
| Tip $2.99 | $2.99 | one-time |
| Tip $4.99 | $4.99 | one-time |
| Tip $9.99 | $9.99 | one-time |


### Helium

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/helium-student-planner/id6758323154)

This app helps students manage their academic life by organizing classes, assignments, grades, and notes. It features smart calendars, a live grade tracker, and a rich notebook to keep all essential academic information in one place.

**Highlights:** Smart calendar with multiple views, Live grade tracker and calculator, Rich note-taking with linking, Assignment planner with details, Focused todos checklist, Customizable reminders

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is BrainScope free?

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

### Is Helium free?

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

### Do BrainScope or Helium have ads?

Neither BrainScope nor Helium shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, BrainScope or Helium?

BrainScope ships an update every 2 months, and Helium every 2 days. Most recently, BrainScope was updated on October 30, 2026 and Helium on November 9, 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.*