Skip to content
SPECIFICTION
Get listed

Top Hat

tophat.com

From $35/mo Free trial WebiOSAndroid
Visit tophat.com
Spec score 8.3 #42 of 118 in Audience Response Systems

What it is

Top Hat is a higher education student engagement and courseware platform for interactive learning in and beyond class. During lectures, educators can use polls, discussions, quizzes and instant feedback. For coursework, it supports interactive homework and readings, customizable digital textbooks and instructor-created materials. Instructors can create, schedule or upload tests and assignments, and use AI tools to generate questions from course content. Ace helps educators prepare classes and create interactive prompts; students can use it for personalized study and practice based on course materials. Top Hat turns attendance, participation, reading and assessment data into insights about student progress. It lists integrations with Canvas, Blackboard, D2L Brightspace, Moodle and Sakai; LTI 1.3 integrations for Canvas and D2L Brightspace can provide roster sync, grade sync, deep links and single sign-on. Students can use a browser or iOS and Android apps. Student access plans are $35, paid once for four months, $58, paid once for 12 months, or $96, paid once for 48 months. Eligible paid courses usually offer a five-day free trial.

Spec sheet

Product
Top Hat is a higher education student engagement and courseware platform for interactive, personalized learning in and beyond class.Read 7 Oct 2026 · tophat.com
Audience
Top Hat is designed for higher education, with tailored plans available for departments and institutions.Read 7 Oct 2026 · tophat.com
Paid from
35Read 19 Sep 2026 · tophat.com
Security
Top Hat says it holds ISO/IEC 27001:2022 certification and encrypts data in transit and data at rest.Read 7 Oct 2026 · tophat.com
Privacy
Top Hat says it stores information on servers in the United States and Canada and follows FERPA rules to keep school information confidential.Read 7 Oct 2026 · tophat.com
Support
Top Hat lists support by phone, email, and live chat for instructors and students, with support hours of Monday to Friday, 9 AM–9 PM ET.Read 7 Oct 2026 · tophat.com
Headquarters
Toronto, Ontario, CanadaRead 28 Sep 2026 · tophat.com
Founded
2009Read 28 Sep 2026 · tophat.com
Access and trial
Students can use Top Hat in a browser or its iOS and Android apps, and eligible paid courses usually offer a five-day free trial.Read 7 Oct 2026 · tophat.com
AI assistant
Ace helps educators prepare classes and create interactive prompts, and gives students 24/7 personalized study and practice support based on course materials.Read 7 Oct 2026 · tophat.com
Assessments
Instructors can create, schedule, or upload tests and assignments, and use AI tools to generate questions from course content.Read 7 Oct 2026 · tophat.com
Course content
The platform supports interactive homework and readings, customizable digital textbooks, and instructor-created materials.Read 7 Oct 2026 · tophat.com
Live Q&A
YesRead 19 Sep 2026 · tophat.com
Live teaching
Educators can use interactive polls, discussions, quizzes, and instant feedback to involve students during lectures.Read 7 Oct 2026 · tophat.com
LMS functions
Its LMS integrations can provide roster sync, grade sync, deep links, and single sign-on; Top Hat states its LTI 1.3 tool is 1EdTech-certified.Read 7 Oct 2026 · tophat.com
LMS integrations
Top Hat lists integrations with Canvas, Blackboard, D2L Brightspace, Moodle, and Sakai, with LTI 1.3 integrations released for Canvas and D2L Brightspace.Read 7 Oct 2026 · tophat.com
Student insights
Top Hat turns attendance, class participation, readings, and assessment data into insights about student progress.Read 7 Oct 2026 · tophat.com

Plans and prices

1 Term $35 a month Student access for one 4-month term Read 19 Sep 2026 · tophat.com
1 Year $58 a month Student access for 12 months Read 19 Sep 2026 · tophat.com
4 Years $96 a month Student access for 48 months Read 19 Sep 2026 · tophat.com
Department or Institution-Wide Price not published Custom pricing Read 19 Sep 2026 · tophat.com
1 Term (4 months) $35, paid once 4 months of access Student access Read 7 Oct 2026 · tophat.com
1 Year (12 months) $58, paid once 12 months of access Student access Read 7 Oct 2026 · tophat.com
4 Years (48 months) $96, paid once 4 years of access Student access Read 7 Oct 2026 · tophat.com
Department or Institution-Wide Solutions Priced on request Custom pricing Tailored department or institution-wide plans Read 7 Oct 2026 · tophat.com

Every Top Hat plan and price →

Strong points and limits

Strong points

  • Supports live polls, discussions, quizzes and instant feedback.
  • Includes digital textbooks and interactive readings.
  • AI tools generate assessment questions from course content.
  • Integrates with five named learning management systems.
  • Available through web, iOS and Android.

Limits

  • Student access plans start at $35, paid once.
  • Department or institution-wide pricing is custom.
  • Support hours are Monday to Friday, 9 AM–9 PM ET.

Who it suits

Top Hat suits higher education instructors who want interactive class activities and course materials, along with students using course-based study support. Departments and institutions can request tailored plans.

Verdict

Top Hat combines classroom engagement, courseware and student study support, with integrations to several learning management systems. Its student access terms and custom institutional pricing should be checked against the intended course or deployment.

Where Specifiction places it

Alternatives to Top HatAll alternatives →