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VitalSource Bookshelf vs Perlego: catalog facts
VitalSource Bookshelf	Perlego
Free The reader app is free; textbooks are bought or provided by schools separately.	Paid Paid membership gives access to the whole library.
macOS, Android, iOS, Web	Android, iOS, Web
Offline reading of downloaded titles Notes and position sync across devices	Over 1.5 million academic and professional titles One membership instead of buying individual textbooks
Only reads titles from VitalSource Textbooks must be purchased or provided by an institution	Requires an ongoing paid subscription Books are accessed through the service rather than owned as files
Downloadable app, Web application	Downloadable app, Web application, Hosted service
Closed source	Closed source
License not stated	License not stated
Not stated if an account is needed	Account needed
Works offline	Not stated if it works offline
Official website Full listing and sources Checked October 2, 2026	Official website Full listing and sources Checked October 2, 2026

Catalog facts only. Anything “not stated” is unconfirmed. Check full listings for details.