Elsevier eBooks on VitalSource vs CTX SAFE
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Elsevier eBooks on VitalSource
Access and read Elsevier textbooks on your iOS device. Download books for offline study, search your entire library, and add notes and highlights. Sync your progress across devices for a seamless learning experience.
- Download books for offline reading
- Search entire library
- Create notes and highlights
- Sync across devices
- Pinch to zoom figures
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Use Elsevier® eBooks to download and access Elsevier textbooks on your iPad, iPhone or iPod Touch. Read your books online or offline, search across your full library, and create notes and highlights to help you study. Elsevier eBooks Features: • Download books to your iOS device for easy online or offline reading. • Simple, user-friendly navigation and a clean reading experience. • Search inside your current book or across your full library. • Select text to create notes or highlights from your mobile device. • Tap to open figures, view captions and pinch to zoom. • Sync your bookmarks, last page read and all of your notes and highlights between your iOS device and our desktop or web-based Elsevier eBooks apps. Requirements: • Elsevier eBooks account • Access to one or more Elsevier textbooks • iOS 17+
CTX SAFE
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CTX SAFE is the official safety app of Concordia University Texas. It is the only app that integrates with Concordia University Texas's safety and security systems. Campus Police has worked to develop a unique app that provides students, faculty and staff with added safety on the Concordia University Texas campus. The app will send you important safety alerts and provide instant access to campus safety resources. CTX SAFE features include: - Mobile Bluelight: Send your location to Concordia University Texas security in real-time in case of a crisis - Friend Walk: Send your location to a friend, who can watch you walk home in real-time. - Emergency Contacts: Contact the correct services for the Concordia University Texas area in case of an emergency or a non-emergency concern - Tip Reporting: Multiple ways to report a safety/security concern directly to Concordia University Texas security. - Safety notifications: Receive instant notifications and instructions from campus safety when on-campus emergencies occur. - Emergency Plans: Learn what to do in case of an emergency - Chat with Security: Communicate live with safety staff at Concordia University Texas via chat. - Campus safety resources: access all important safety resources in one convenient app. Download today and ensure that you’re prepared in the event of an emergency.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is update cadence: Elsevier eBooks on VitalSource at every 3 months against CTX SAFE's every 20 months. CTX SAFE's advantage is iOS requirement (9.0 vs 17.6). On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
Elsevier eBooks on VitalSource ships an update every 3 months, CTX SAFE every 20 months. The most recent releases landed on November 11, 2026 and October 26, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Elsevier eBooks on VitalSource | CTX SAFE |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.7 (9.4K ratings) — better | — |
| Positive reviews | 16.3% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 9.4K — better | — |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months — better | Every 20 months |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better |
| Requires iOS | 17.6 | 9.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 188 MB | 11 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Elsevier Inc. | Concordia University Texas |
Bugs and requests
Elsevier eBooks on VitalSource
Reported bugs
3 issues- Repeated sentence/paragraph playback
- Highlighted text disappearing across devices
- Inability to download or access purchased books
Requested features
5 requests- Allow handwritten notes and annotations
- Improve page-turning and scrolling functionality
- Enhance diagram and image viewing experience
- Integrate seamless cross-device synchronization
- Provide more customization options (e.g., font, layout)
CTX SAFE
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
Elsevier eBooks on VitalSource
No in-app purchases
CTX SAFE
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Elsevier eBooks on VitalSource free?
Is CTX SAFE free?
Do Elsevier eBooks on VitalSource or CTX SAFE have ads?
Which is updated more often, Elsevier eBooks on VitalSource or CTX SAFE?
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