Comparison

Elsevier eBooks on VitalSource vs AST Study Guide 4th Edition

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

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.

Highlights
  • Download books for offline reading
  • Search entire library
  • Create notes and highlights
  • Sync across devices
  • Pinch to zoom figures
Features
Read full description

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+

About

AST Study Guide 4th Edition

Prepare for your Surgical Technology certification exam with a comprehensive study guide. Review essential concepts, practice with over 2,000 realistic questions, and build confidence for exam day through flexible study options.

Highlights
  • Detailed content review of core curriculum
  • Over 2,000 practice questions
  • 5 certifying practice exams
  • Focused or randomized study modes
  • Easy-to-use format for efficient studying
  • Familiarity with exam question formats
Features
Read full description

Ace Your Surgical Technology Exam with Confidence Preparing for your Surgical Technology certification exam? AST's Surgical Technologists Certification Exam Study Guide is designed to help you review essential concepts, strengthen your knowledge, and approach exam day with confidence. Whether you want to focus on specific study areas or take randomized exams for broader review, this app gives you flexible study options to match your needs. Features: - Detailed Content Review - Covers key areas of the AST Core Curriculum and NBSTSA exam content outline, including surgical procedures, sterile technique, pharmacology, anatomy and physiology, instrumentation, and patient care. - Practice Questions and Answers - Study with more than 2,000 realistic exam-style questions and 5 certifying practice exams. - Focused or Randomized Study - Choose exams by topic or take random exams to build overall knowledge and confidence. - Easy-to-Use Format - Organized for efficient studying, quick review, and better retention. - Helpful Exam Preparation - Build familiarity with question formats and strengthen your readiness for exam day. Whether you are a student, a practicing professional reviewing key concepts, or preparing for the CST exam for the first time, this study guide is a reliable companion for your exam preparation.

Screenshots

Elsevier eBooks on VitalSource4 screens
AST Study Guide 4th Edition4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: Elsevier eBooks on VitalSource at Free against AST Study Guide 4th Edition's $65.00. Elsevier eBooks on VitalSource also leads on review sentiment (16% vs 0%). AST Study Guide 4th Edition's advantage is update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 3 months) and iOS requirement (15.6 vs 17.6). On 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Elsevier eBooks on VitalSource is free to download; AST Study Guide 4th Edition costs $65.00 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Elsevier eBooks on VitalSource ships an update every 3 months, AST Study Guide 4th Edition every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 26, 2026 and October 16, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
Elsevier eBooks on VitalSource versus AST Study Guide 4th Edition: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterElsevier eBooks on VitalSourceAST Study Guide 4th Edition
PriceFree — better$65.00
Rating4.7 (9.4K ratings) — better—
Positive reviews16.3% of reviews — better0.0% of reviews
Number of ratings9.4K — better—
Update frequencyEvery 3 monthsEvery 2 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFree — betterPaid
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS17.615.6 — better
Further details — not scored
Size188 MB27 MB
Age rating4+17+
DeveloperElsevier Inc.Association of Surgical Techologists

Customer experience

Elsevier eBooks on VitalSource

All ratings9,336 ratings
Positive92.4%
Neutral2.2%
Negative5.4%
Written reviews153 reviews
Positive16.3%
Neutral6.5%
Negative77.1%

AST Study Guide 4th Edition

Written reviews2 reviews
Positive0.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative100.0%

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)

AST Study Guide 4th Edition

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

None

Elsevier eBooks on VitalSource

No in-app purchases

None

AST Study Guide 4th Edition

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Elsevier eBooks on VitalSource free?
Elsevier eBooks on VitalSource is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is AST Study Guide 4th Edition free?
AST Study Guide 4th Edition costs $65.00, with no in-app purchases.
Do Elsevier eBooks on VitalSource or AST Study Guide 4th Edition have ads?
Neither Elsevier eBooks on VitalSource nor AST Study Guide 4th Edition shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Elsevier eBooks on VitalSource or AST Study Guide 4th Edition?
Elsevier eBooks on VitalSource ships an update every 3 months, and AST Study Guide 4th Edition every 2 weeks. Most recently, Elsevier eBooks on VitalSource was updated on October 26, 2026 and AST Study Guide 4th Edition on October 16, 2026.

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