# IU Mobile vs Top Hat

The clearest difference is rating: Top Hat at 4.6 against IU Mobile's 3.9. Top Hat also leads on ratings volume (23K vs 187) and chart position (#106 vs unranked). IU Mobile's advantage is review sentiment (36% vs 14%). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Top Hat holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 3.9. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Top Hat has 23K ratings behind it against 187, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 36% of IU Mobile's written reviews are positive against 14% of Top Hat's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

IU Mobile ships an update monthly, Top Hat fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on September 5, 2026 and September 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | IU Mobile | Top Hat |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.9 (187 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/iu-mobile/id383456985/reviews) | **[4.6 (23K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/top-hat-better-learning/id674069291/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 187 | **23K** |
| Positive reviews | **35.6% of reviews** | 14.4% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Monthly | **Fortnightly** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Best chart rank | — | **#106** |
| Size | 63 MB | 162 MB |
| Requires iOS | **16.0** | 17.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Indiana University](https://appshunter.io/developer/383456988) | [Top Hat Monocle](https://appshunter.io/developer/411098284) |

## What reviewers say

### IU Mobile

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/iu-mobile/id383456985)

This app serves as a central hub for Indiana University students, consolidating essential information and services from various university systems. It provides a personalized experience to help students navigate their academic journey, access updates, and find support.

**Highlights:** University message center, Access to updates and services, Search for support, Content from Knowledge base, People, One.IU, Personalized student experience

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Apple Wallet, Apple Watch app, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy navigation and user-friendly interface
- ⚡ Quick access to essential campus resources
- 🎓 Helpful for new students finding classes and campus
- 🚌 Useful bus tracking and schedule features
- 💳 Convenient digital Crimson Card access

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes and app freezes
- 🔐 Constant forced re-authentication and logouts
- ⏳ Slow loading times and unresponsive performance
- 🌐 Functions as a web wrapper rather than native app
- 📵 Poor mobile optimization and screen compatibility

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes on startup or during use
- Login loops - requires re-authentication constantly
- Update required message with no available update
- Incompatibility with newer iOS versions
- Screen rotation issues on iPad

**Requested features**

- Save username and password securely
- Biometric login (Face ID/fingerprint)
- Grade book access
- Reply to class messages functionality
- Faculty-specific features for instructors


### Top Hat

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/top-hat-better-learning/id674069291)

**Currently charting:** #106 Top Free · Education (US App Store)

Enhance your learning experience with interactive resources, in-class participation tools, and dynamic digital textbooks. Engage with professors and peers, and test your knowledge with quizzes and polls to improve comprehension and retention.

**Highlights:** Follow lecture slides on your device, In-class response system, In-app discussions with peers and professors, Dynamic, interactive digital textbooks, Take polls and quizzes, Access graded and non-graded homework

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Smooth and intuitive interface
- 👍 Useful for attendance and in-class quizzes
- 💡 Potential for interactive learning

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes and bugs
- 🔋 High battery consumption
- 💰 Expensive subscription fees
- 🔒 Privacy concerns with location tracking

**Reported bugs**

- Answers not registering correctly
- Slides not loading properly on mobile devices
- Inconsistent performance across platforms

**Requested features**

- Add page numbers and search functionality to ebooks
- Improve syncing between mobile and web versions
- Allow more flexible location settings for attendance


## Frequently asked questions

### Is IU Mobile free?

IU Mobile is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Top Hat free?

Top Hat is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, IU Mobile or Top Hat?

Top Hat is rated higher. IU Mobile averages 3.9 out of 5 from 187 ratings, while Top Hat averages 4.6 from 23K ratings.

### Do IU Mobile or Top Hat have ads?

Neither IU Mobile nor Top Hat shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, IU Mobile or Top Hat?

IU Mobile ships an update monthly, and Top Hat fortnightly. Most recently, IU Mobile was updated on September 5, 2026 and Top Hat on September 24, 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.*