Top Hat vs PolyCM Connect
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Top Hat
This app enhances your learning experience by providing interactive textbooks, in-class response systems, and discussion forums. Engage with course content and professors through dynamic resources and assessments, both inside and outside the classroom.
- Interactive textbooks
- In-class response system
- Professor and peer discussions
- Lecture slide following
- Quizzes and polls
- Graded and non-graded homework
Read full descriptionHide full description
Top Hat is the perfect companion app to our comprehensive assessment platform that helps you learn better before, during and after class. Top Hat makes learning fun and engaging (seriously!) and sets you up for success, helping you connect with your professors, your peers and the content you’re learning in and out of the classroom. Here’s what Top Hat offers you: Compelling resources, delivered on your smartphone or laptop: • Follow your prof’s lecture slides on your own device • Contribute in class with an easy-to-use response system that’s always with you • Participate with your profs and peers using in-app discussions Content tailored to your course: • Experience dynamic, interactive textbooks loaded up with images, videos, audio clips and more • Read your digital materials from anywhere and keep them forever Quizzes, tests and polls that improve learning comprehension: • Challenge yourself by taking polls and quizzes on your own devices • Improve your knowledge retention with interactive assessment elements • Check for gaps in your understanding with graded and non-graded homework and short quizzes Thanks for using Top Hat. As you experience the app, we’d love to get your feedback: support@tophat.com or follow us on Instagram, Twitter or Facebook @TopHat
PolyCM Connect
This app serves as an official hub for a university's construction management department, connecting students, faculty, and industry professionals. It streamlines communication and provides access to events, directories, and real-time notifications for academic and professional success.
- Event and calendar management
- Member directory with company profiles
- Faculty and club directory
- Info session registration
- Real-time notifications
- Unified platform for CM community
Read full descriptionHide full description
The Cal Poly Construction Management App is the official hub for students, faculty, and industry professionals in Cal Poly's Construction Management department. Designed to streamline communication and foster meaningful connections within the construction management community, this app brings together everything you need to succeed academically and professionally. Key Features: Event & Calendar Management: Stay updated with info sessions and club events in real-time. Member Directory: Connect with industry recruiters through searchable company profiles and contact information. Faculty & Club Directory: Access comprehensive faculty listings, office hours, expertise areas, and all CM-related clubs and organizations. Info Sessions: Register for and learn about company information sessions with complete event details. Real-Time Notifications: Receive instant updates on announcements, events, and opportunities that matter to you. Why Use This App? All-in-One Solution - Replace multiple apps and websites with one unified platform Always Connected - Notifications keep you informed about critical updates and opportunities Built for CM Community - Specifically designed for the unique needs of Cal Poly's Construction Management department Easy to Use - Intuitive interface makes navigating information easy Whether you're a student looking to advance your career, a faculty member engaging with students, or an industry partner connecting with talent, the Cal Poly Construction Management App is your gateway to opportunity. Download today and become part of the Cal Poly CM community.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: PolyCM Connect at 5.0 against Top Hat's 4.6. PolyCM Connect also leads on iOS requirement (13.0 vs 17.0). Top Hat's advantage is ratings volume (23K vs 2). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases 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
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
PolyCM Connect holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Top Hat has 23K ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two.
Top Hat ships an update fortnightly, PolyCM Connect every 10 days. The most recent releases landed on November 11, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Top Hat | PolyCM Connect |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.6 (23K ratings) | 5.0 (2 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 15.0% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 23K — better | 2 |
| Update frequency | Fortnightly | Every 10 days — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | 13.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 152 MB | 73 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Top Hat Monocle | Kelsey Ginori |
Customer experience
Top Hat
PolyCM Connect
Bugs and requests
Top Hat
Reported bugs
3 issues- Answers not registering correctly
- Slides not loading properly on mobile devices
- Inconsistent performance across platforms
Requested features
3 requests- Add page numbers and search functionality to ebooks
- Improve syncing between mobile and web versions
- Allow more flexible location settings for attendance
PolyCM Connect
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
Top Hat
No in-app purchases
PolyCM Connect
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Top Hat free?
Is PolyCM Connect free?
Which has better reviews, Top Hat or PolyCM Connect?
Do Top Hat or PolyCM Connect have ads?
Which is updated more often, Top Hat or PolyCM Connect?
Other comparisons















