VitalSource Technologies Reviews 

Genuinely terrible software. Logs out very often, does not work with Apple sign-in, randomly deletes highlighted text, does not show math formulas on the app... I hope institutions can stop using this platform until it addresses such issues which make studying a pain.

I'm a Regent Student and I accessed my eBook one time with so much trouble. And now, I cannot access it at all. Even after communicating with a chat technician, go figure. And nothing. Please do not use VitalSource. It's a scam.

Doesn't tell you how long you have the book for after purchase. Has a 1.7 star review score, not surprised

I paid $899 for course materials delivered via VitalSource Bookshelf and then got locked out. That means zero access to paid content.

Support was worse than the bug. The agent repeatedly sent the same scripted responses (“engineering will fix within 24h / Tier 2 will respond”) and kept trying to close the chat (“Is there anything else?”) while I still had no access. I asked multiple times for a clear SLA/timeline and for the complaints procedure/contact so I could escalate properly — instead I was told to just wait.

This is time-critical exam study material. Being locked out is bad enough, but being stonewalled when asking for basic escalation details is unacceptable.

No issues with my e-book purchase. Do just be aware that "lifetime access" is 5 years and "permanent download to a supported device" is misleading, as a support agent has just confirmed to me today that "by design, the books can't be downloaded to your device". Don't be caught unawares.

This platform is hopeless. The printing capability is hopeless, and overall is about as user-unfriendly as you can get. Publishers who direct customers to Vital Source will alienate customers instantly

I had a TERRIBLE experience with Vital Source. I purchased a textbook for my course, verified my email for my account, accessed my readings, and started my assignment due the next day. The following morning, when I went to finish my reading and assignment, I was asked to again log in and verify my email a second time. No email was sent/no email came through. I contacted the Help Desk because at this point my assignment was due in just over 30 minutes. The Help Desk sent me an email to verify my email once again, it came through, and I replied to verify. The Help Desk said they fixed the problem, but when I went to log in I got the same error asking me to again verify my email but no email came through. I asked the Help Desk if they could fix the problem. They said they could not and asked why I was typing in all caps. I said because no refund is going to make right the fact that my first class assignment is now going to be marked down as late/incomplete because their platform is broken, they can't fix it, and all they are doing is offering my a refund. DO NOT USE THIS SERVICE if you need to be able to access the materials you paid for.

I have been forced to use this as a student for years. The pages do not match the actual paper text. The AI reads like 1996. The AI chatbox is also awful. For the amount we pay for book rental in digital format. My book should work
No one answers the phones. The "agent" is not a person it is a computer too. Nothing beats being lied to by a forced academic platform. Bravo.

Their app does not work; when I opened it, it wouldn't download the books I paid for. When I contacted support, I was met with an AI chatbot. After I convinced the chatbot that I was indeed connected to the internet (otherwise how would I be communicating with it) and that I was signed in, it forwarded me to what it calls a 'team member.' This team member has to be AI too, because they are literally copying and pasting information from the website and not looking at the pictures I'm sending. They kept insisting I should 'please kindly download the Bookshelf application' even though I had already sent them a picture of the application running on my machine. They literally have to be AI to be this stupid; they talk about buttons that don't exist and don't respond to anything you write. The only reason a company as abhorrent as this one can exist is because of corruption and copyright laws.

Awful app
Refuses to allow print or save. UI is dreadful and has hastily been put together. Has impeded my studies and will now move platforms to accommodate.

Finally got a representative who really listened to me and she helped me with my refund! I’m very very grateful because I’d been working on this since August. Ty

Terrible App
Constantly Have to refresh

Cannot find the books I purchase
No specific contact information aside from their equally terrible chatbot

Our school recently signed on with VitalSource. I requested Connect access for 2 of my classes, and Perusall textbook access for another. Despite assuring us that would be fine prior to using VitalSource, it's end of the first week of class and NONE of my students can access any course materials. I have repeatedly emailed VitalSource asking about it, and got back a short note with a link to FAQs that had nothing to do with my question. I would absolutely not recommend using Vital Source.

Suprised but received the product the same day as ordered and they actually refunded when i bought the wrong product a week later.

"Lifetime licence"-but for them is 5 years.You can find somewhere with tiny letters.Then you are clicking on details.You are paying for empty cloud. SCAM

I bought one book for the vitalsource app. First time using the app, I am presented with a "looping login issue."
Customer support says I have to wait 24 hours before I can access the book, because their engineers need to fix it.
That is just ridiculous...

Total failure. We will be way better off without them.

If I can give a zero.
I purchased an ebook for my class due to the lowest price online ( TextbookX.com ), this site, which is the child company of VitalSource.

The URL they provided SSO to VitalSource site, and in the bookshelf shows a ebook but unable to access.

I opened tickets to both companies, along with online chat, no one seems to know what's going on.

Ultimately, I contacted my credit card company to resolve the issue. Both companies seem like a scam.

Vital Source "Day One Access" is predatory in the way you are signed up automatically, and they make it difficult to un-enroll.

The "Want to opt out?" button does not function because upon using it, an error message is shown saying "our team is working on it" and to "come back tomorrow to try again". This is slimy because even after emailing their customer support directly, they have told me they can't un-enroll me for the service, despite the fact that I never actually signed up for it and that the deadline to un-enroll has not actually passed.

TLDR: They enroll you automatically and make it very difficult to un-enroll, in the hopes that you give up and pay the fee. Very slimy.

I purchased a non-expiring 'Psychology of Learning for Instruction' online book via Vital Source for $44. Once I paid for the book I was given an access code and directed to the Pearson+ website. There I found the online book was for 4 months. To top it all of the access code did not work. I opened a support ticket and was unable to get assistance before my class started. I had to spend more money to quickly order a hardcover book via Amazon. I got it just in time for my class. My experience with Vital Source was awful. I wasted $44 and was almost without a book for my Graduate Level class. Their website also does not allow you to leave poor reviews.