# Elsevier eBooks on VitalSource vs AST Study Guide 4th Edition

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.

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.

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.

## The numbers

| Metric | Elsevier eBooks on VitalSource | AST Study Guide 4th Edition |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **Free** | $65.00 |
| 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** | 0.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | **Every 2 weeks** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Paid |
| Size | 188 MB | 27 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.6 | **15.6** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Elsevier Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/367031326) | [Association of Surgical Techologists](https://appshunter.io/developer/645664784) |

## 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)


### AST Study Guide 4th Edition

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ast-study-guide-4th-edition/id6745573067)

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:** 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 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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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*