# Elsevier eBooks on VitalSource vs CTX SAFE

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.

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.

## The numbers

| Metric | Elsevier eBooks on VitalSource | CTX SAFE |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (9.4K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/elsevier-ebooks-on-vitalsource/id1147791956/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **9.4K** | — |
| Positive reviews | 16.3% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 months** | Every 20 months |
| Monetization | Free | — |
| Size | 188 MB | 11 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.6 | **9.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Elsevier Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/367031326) | [Concordia University Texas](https://appshunter.io/developer/544452825) |

## What reviewers say

### Elsevier eBooks on VitalSource

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/elsevier-ebooks-on-vitalsource/id1147791956)

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.

**Highlights:** Download books for offline reading, Search entire library, Create notes and highlights, Sync across devices, Pinch to zoom figures

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Convenient digital access
- 📚 Helpful study tools (e.g., flashcards)
- 👍 User-friendly interface

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent login issues
- 📱 Poor mobile app experience
- 🔍 Difficult navigation and book access
- 🔊 Subpar text-to-speech quality
- 💻 Compatibility problems across devices

**Reported bugs**

- Repeated sentence/paragraph playback
- Highlighted text disappearing across devices
- Inability to download or access purchased books

**Requested features**

- 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

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ctx-safe/id1446327810)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Elsevier eBooks on VitalSource free?

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

### Is CTX SAFE free?

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

### Do Elsevier eBooks on VitalSource or CTX SAFE have ads?

Neither Elsevier eBooks on VitalSource nor CTX SAFE shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Elsevier eBooks on VitalSource or CTX SAFE?

Elsevier eBooks on VitalSource ships an update every 3 months, and CTX SAFE every 20 months. Most recently, Elsevier eBooks on VitalSource was updated on November 11, 2026 and CTX SAFE on October 26, 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.*