# Top Hat vs NC State University Guides

The clearest difference is ratings volume: Top Hat at 23K against NC State University Guides's 20. Top Hat also leads on rating (4.6 vs 4.3) and update cadence (fortnightly vs every 2 months). 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 4.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Top Hat has 23K ratings behind it against 20, so its average is the more settled of the two.

Top Hat ships an update fortnightly, NC State University Guides every 2 months. Both last shipped on November 6, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Top Hat | NC State University Guides |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.6 (23K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/top-hat-better-learning/id674069291/reviews)** | [4.3 (20 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nc-state-university-guides/id890036414/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **23K** | 20 |
| Positive reviews | 15.0% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Fortnightly** | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Best chart rank | **#202** | — |
| Size | 152 MB | 53 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **16.6** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Top Hat Monocle](https://appshunter.io/developer/411098284) | [North Carolina State University](https://appshunter.io/developer/377191484) |

## What reviewers say

### Top Hat

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

**Currently charting:** #202 Top Free · Education (US App Store)

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.

**Highlights:** Interactive textbooks, In-class response system, Professor and peer discussions, Lecture slide following, Quizzes and polls, 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


### NC State University Guides

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nc-state-university-guides/id890036414)

Find essential information for NC State University, including orientation schedules, event details like Wolfpack Welcome Week, and resources for academic success and student leadership. Explore career fairs, conferences, and valuable links to support your university experience.

**Highlights:** Orientation schedules, Event details (Wolfpack Welcome Week, Packapalooza), Career fair information, Student leadership opportunities, Academic success suggestions, Links to valuable resources

**Features:** Apple Wallet

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Top Hat free?

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

### Is NC State University Guides free?

NC State University Guides is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Top Hat or NC State University Guides?

Top Hat is rated higher. Top Hat averages 4.6 out of 5 from 23K ratings, while NC State University Guides averages 4.3 from 20 ratings.

### Do Top Hat or NC State University Guides have ads?

Neither Top Hat nor NC State University Guides shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Top Hat or NC State University Guides?

Top Hat ships an update fortnightly, and NC State University Guides every 2 months. Most recently, Top Hat was updated on November 6, 2026 and NC State University Guides on November 6, 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.*