# Thalamus vs Elsevier eBooks+

The clearest difference is rating: Elsevier eBooks+ at 4.7 against Thalamus's 3.8. Elsevier eBooks+ also leads on review sentiment (43% vs 6%) and ratings volume (1.9K vs 492). Thalamus's advantage is monetization model (free vs freemium) and iOS requirement (15.1 vs 17.6). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

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

Elsevier eBooks+ holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 3.8. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 492 and 1.9K respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 6% of Thalamus's written reviews are positive against 43% of Elsevier eBooks+'s.

Thalamus ships an update every 3 months, Elsevier eBooks+ every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and November 4, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Thalamus | Elsevier eBooks+ |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.8 (492 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/thalamus/id918406174/reviews) | **[4.7 (1.9K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/elsevier-ebooks-plus/id1643980050/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 492 | **1.9K** |
| Positive reviews | 6.0% of reviews | **42.9% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | **Every 2 months** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Freemium |
| Size | 122 MB | 183 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.1** | 17.6 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [SJ MedConnect, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/918406173) | [Elsevier Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/367031326) |

## What reviewers say

### Thalamus

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/thalamus/id918406174)

This app offers a real-time system for scheduling interviews and coordinating travel for medical residency and fellowship applicants. It streamlines communication and allows applicants to self-schedule, manage confirmations, cancellations, and waitlists, giving them control over their interview dates.

**Highlights:** Real-time interview scheduling, Travel coordination, Self-scheduling for applicants, Automated confirmations and cancellations, Waitlist management, Streamlined communication

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- ⭐ Great app
- 🗓️ Helps organize interviews
- 🔔 Timely notifications

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Constant crashes and bugs
- 🔒 Difficulty staying logged in
- 📱 Poor mobile experience
- ⏱️ Slow and unresponsive
- 🤯 Frustrating user interface

**Reported bugs**

- App won't load or open
- Frequent logout issues
- Compatibility problems with newer OS versions
- Unreliable notification system

**Requested features**

- Allow access via mobile browser
- Improve login persistence
- Add more calendar and scheduling features
- Provide better visibility into interview details


### Elsevier eBooks+

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/elsevier-ebooks-plus/id1643980050)

Access your medical textbooks offline and enhance your learning with tools for note-taking, highlighting, and flashcard creation. Sync your progress and annotations across devices for a seamless study experience.

**Highlights:** Offline book access, Note-taking and highlighting, Flashcard creation, Cross-device syncing, In-book search, Figure viewing and zooming

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Student / Study friendly
- 🚀 Enhances content
- 👍 Ebooks from Elsevier
- 👍 Great app

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Unable to view images/tables
- 🐛 Useless for medical textbooks
- 🐛 Positioning issues
- 🐛 Scrolling and zooming problems
- 🐛 Slow loading times

**Reported bugs**

- Figures placed at the end of chapters
- Search function only works for single words
- Inability to clear search history
- Freezing and crashing issues
- Incompatibility with older devices

**Requested features**

- More highlighting and note-taking options
- Ability to write, draw, or paste images on pages
- Separate flashcard option integration with Anki/Quizlet
- More font size options
- Streamlined text selection for voiceover


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Thalamus free?

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

### Is Elsevier eBooks+ free?

Elsevier eBooks+ is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Thalamus or Elsevier eBooks+?

Elsevier eBooks+ is rated higher. Thalamus averages 3.8 out of 5 from 492 ratings, while Elsevier eBooks+ averages 4.7 from 1.9K ratings.

### Do Thalamus or Elsevier eBooks+ have ads?

Neither Thalamus nor Elsevier eBooks+ shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Thalamus or Elsevier eBooks+?

Thalamus ships an update every 3 months, and Elsevier eBooks+ every 2 months. Most recently, Thalamus was updated on November 1, 2026 and Elsevier eBooks+ on November 4, 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.*