# Top Hat vs Badger Connect

The clearest difference is ratings volume: Top Hat at 23K against Badger Connect's 13. Top Hat also leads on update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 2 months). Badger Connect's advantage is review sentiment (33% vs 15%) and iOS requirement (11.0 vs 17.0). On price, rating, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

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

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.6 for Top Hat against 4.5 for Badger Connect. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Top Hat has 23K ratings behind it against 13, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 15% of Top Hat's written reviews are positive against 33% of Badger Connect's.

Top Hat ships an update every 2 weeks, Badger Connect every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 18, 2026 and October 14, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Top Hat | Badger Connect |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.6 (23K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/top-hat-better-learning/id674069291/reviews)** | [4.5 (13 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/badger-connect/id1470628626/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **23K** | 13 |
| Positive reviews | 14.6% of reviews | **33.3% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 weeks** | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 152 MB | 37 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **11.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Top Hat Monocle](https://appshunter.io/developer/411098284) | [University of Wisconsin-Madison Shared Apps](https://appshunter.io/developer/908478605) |

## What reviewers say

### Top Hat

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

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


### Badger Connect

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/badger-connect/id1470628626)

This exclusive community connects generations of student-athletes and letterwinners for personal development. Engage in live broadcasts, message alumni, access exclusive content, and RSVP for events to prepare for life beyond sports.

**Highlights:** Build relationships with athletes, Participate in live broadcasts, Access exclusive content, RSVP for events, Get recommended connections

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Top Hat free?

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

### Is Badger Connect free?

Badger Connect is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Top Hat or Badger Connect?

Top Hat is rated higher. Top Hat averages 4.6 out of 5 from 23K ratings, while Badger Connect averages 4.5 from 13 ratings.

### Do Top Hat or Badger Connect have ads?

Neither Top Hat nor Badger Connect shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Top Hat or Badger Connect?

Top Hat ships an update every 2 weeks, and Badger Connect every 2 months. Most recently, Top Hat was updated on October 18, 2026 and Badger Connect on October 14, 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.*