Top Hat vs VitalSource Bookshelf
Top Hat
tophat.comVitalSource Bookshelf
vitalsource.comSide by side
| Figure | Top Hat | VitalSource Bookshelf |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | $35/mo | Free |
| Free plan | — | Yes |
| Free trial | Yes | — |
| Open source | — | — |
| Web | Yes | Yes |
| Windows | — | Yes |
| macOS | — | Yes |
| iOS | Yes | Yes |
| Android | Yes | Yes |
| Plans published | 8 | 2 |
| Spec score · Digital Textbook Platforms | 7.9 (#12) | 8.3 (#7) |
| Founded | 2009 | 1994 |
| Headquarters | Toronto, Ontario, Canada | Raleigh, North Carolina, United States |
| Privacy | Top Hat says it stores information on servers in the United States and Canada and follows FERPA rules to keep school information confidential. | VitalSource says it does not share or sell user or partner data and builds its technologies to function without personal information. |
| Security | Top Hat says it holds ISO/IEC 27001:2022 certification and encrypts data in transit and data at rest. | VitalSource says Bookshelf infrastructure is covered by SOC 2 Type 2 security controls, disaster-recovery sites, Google Cloud hosting, and more than 500 global endpoints. |
| 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. | VitalSource advertises 24x7x365 Tier 1 support in English and Spanish and maintains separate learner, educator, partner, and Bookshelf support portals. |
Plans
Top Hat
- 1 Term$35 a month
- 1 Year$58 a month
- 4 Years$96 a month
- Department or Institution-WidePrice not published
- 1 Term (4 months)$35, paid once
- 1 Year (12 months)$58, paid once
- 4 Years (48 months)$96, paid once
- Department or Institution-Wide SolutionsPriced on request
In their own words
Top Hat
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.
VitalSource Bookshelf
VitalSource Bookshelf is an app for reading and studying eTextbooks and other digital learning materials on Android, iOS, macOS, web, and Windows. Its study tools include highlighting, notes, flashcards, bookmarks, citations, search, and read-aloud. Users can download titles in desktop or mobile apps for offline reading and study, and notes and highlights sync across registered devices. VitalSource says the app supports assistive technologies for people with visual, hearing, or mobility impairments. It can be installed on up to two computers and two mobile devices at a time. Integrations support learning management system access, single sign-on, roster sync, and grade pass-back. The app is free to install at free, while eTextbook content may require purchase or an active license; pricing is also listed on request. For offline access to a lifetime-access eTextbook, download it within 180 days of purchase. VitalSource says assignments and library filters are being deprecated as part of a Bookshelf experience update.