VERBA
Verba provides a modular SaaS platform for college and university campus bookstores, covering textbook adoption collection, inclusive access programs, pricing and sourcing optimization, and comparison shopping. Operated as a product line of VitalSource, it serves 350+ campus stores across the US.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2010
- HeadquartersSan Francisco, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingSoftware
What VERBA does
Verba is a campus store technology company founded in 2010 as a Harvard student government project with the mission of tackling textbook affordability through radical price transparency. The company provides a modular, cloud-based SaaS platform for college and university campus bookstores that connects each step of the course materials lifecycle from adoption collection through analytics. Its core product consists of four modules: Verba Collect for textbook adoption management, Verba Connect for inclusive access program orchestration, Verba Compete for sourcing, pricing, buyback, and rental optimization, and Verba Compare for consumer-facing comparison shopping. The platform integrates with learning management systems, publisher catalogs, and campus systems to coordinate enrollment data, billing, and materials delivery.
Verba operates as a wholly-owned product line of VitalSource Technologies LLC. It was acquired by VitalSource in March 2017 and has since been bundled with VitalSource's Bookshelf digital learning platform, Virtual Store managed services, and Day One Access programs. Verba reports 350+ campus store clients, 3.1M students served per term, $25M+ in annual student savings, and 150K inclusive access units in a single term. VitalSource itself was acquired by Francisco Partners in June 2021, and the parent entity has subsequently expanded through the acquisitions of Akademos (2023) and RedShelf (2025), the launch of VerbaOne for independent campus stores (2023), and the AI-native Bookshelf+ study partner (2025).
Verba runs a sales-led go-to-market with subscription-based recurring revenue from campus stores and higher education institutions, priced via quote rather than public rate cards, and serviced through dedicated support and sales lines in San Francisco. The company offers Self-Management, Collaborative Management, and Virtual Management service tiers to accommodate stores that want varying degrees of operational outsourcing. Distribution is significantly amplified through VitalSource's ecosystem, including integrations with Blackboard LMS and partnerships with major publishers (Cengage, McGraw-Hill, Macmillan, Hawkes Learning, Area9 Lyceum) and campus retail operators (Nebraska Book Company, Barnes & Noble Education). Verba is recognized by multiple industry awards, including EdTech Awards, SIIA CODiE, and 1EdTech Learning Impact awards, and operates alongside newer products such as Bookshelf+ that add AI-powered study capabilities to the broader platform.
VERBA firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- VERBA
- Legal name
- Verba
- Website
- https://verbasoftware.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2010
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Verba provides a modular SaaS platform for college and university campus bookstores, covering textbook adoption collection, inclusive access programs, pricing and sourcing optimization, and comparison shopping. Operated as a product line of VitalSource, it serves 350+ campus stores across the US.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
VERBA industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Educational Technology / Campus Store Software
- NAICS
- Information (51)
- SIC
- Services-Prepackaged Software (7372)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Parent/Student Portals, Communications & Consent Management (EDAFAEAK)
Keywords
Where VERBA is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- San Francisco
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
VERBA business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations
Revenue model
- Campus Store Software Subscriptions: Provides campus store technology solutions including Collect, Connect, Compete, and Compare modules. Revenue generated through software licensing and subscription services to campus bookstores and higher education institutions.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Monthly | Contact for pricing details |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels3 records
VERBA product offering
Product offeringCore offering
VERBA is a modular campus store technology platform that helps college and university bookstores manage textbook adoptions, inclusive access programs, sourcing and pricing, buyback and rental, and comparison shopping. The platform comprises four integrated modules—Collect, Connect, Compete, and Compare—that connect every step of the course materials lifecycle from discovery to analysis, aggregating offerings, integrating with campus systems, and handling transactions.
Product overview
Verba is a modular campus store technology platform acquired by VitalSource in 2017. The core Verba platform consists of four integrated modules: Collect (adoption management), Connect (inclusive access), Compete (marketplace/pricing tools), and Compare (comparison shopping). The platform connects the entire course materials lifecycle from discovery to analysis, aggregating offerings, integrating systems, handling transactions, and delivering materials. Verba operates alongside VitalSource's broader portfolio including Bookshelf (digital learning platform), Bookshelf+ (AI-powered study partner), Virtual Store (managed services), and Explore (library technology). Day One Access programs tie these solutions together, ensuring students receive materials on the first day of class through connected tools that coordinate enrollment, billing, and delivery.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Verba Collect: Tool for capturing textbook adoptions in record time
- Verba Connect
- Verba Compete
- Verba Compare
- VerbaOne
Products and services
- Verba Platform Modern campus store technology platform that connects each step of the course materials lifecycle from discovery to analysis, helping campus stores provide affordable access to learning resources for higher education institutions.
- Verba Collect Captures textbook adoptions in record time with intuitive workflows that keep every course aligned, enabling accurate adoption collection for campus stores.
- Verba Connect Powers Inclusive Access programs on campus, coordinating enrollment data, billing steps, delivery paths, and campus systems to enable students to receive required materials as part of tuition or fees.
- Verba Compete Marketplace tools that help campus stores cut costs, price right, and boost revenue through sourcing, pricing, buyback, and rental strategies.
- Verba Compare Comparison shopping tools that enable transparency for students and institutions, helping them make informed decisions about course materials.
- VerbaOne An innovative equitable access program specifically designed for independent campus stores to provide affordable course materials access to students.
- Day One Access Program ensuring every student has required learning tools on the first day of class without delays or last-minute workarounds, replacing unpredictable demand with reliable, convenient access through Verba Connect and supporting modules.
Quantifiable outcome
- 3.1M students served per term
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use VERBA
Customer profileNamed customers10 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
VERBA technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration1 record
AI capability3 records
Feature5 records
VERBA partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
16 partnerships are on record, tiered major and core.
- Open SyllabusmajorVitalSource announced strategic partnership with Open Syllabus to advance open data and course development innovation.
- RedShelfcoreVitalSource acquired RedShelf in April 2025, expanding its position as a leading curriculum delivery and learning platform provider.
- University of WolverhamptonmajorVitalSource announced partnership with the University of Wolverhampton to deliver digital learning solutions for UK institutions.
- Hawkes LearningmajorVitalSource announced partnership with Hawkes Learning to provide low-cost options for students through integrated content delivery.
- Area9 LyceummajorVitalSource and Area9 Lyceum collaborated to expand access to personalized learning globally, combining adaptive learning technology with VitalSource's content delivery platform.
- InsperamajorVitalSource and Inspera partnered to expand access to digital examination technology in higher education, integrating assessment capabilities.
- AkademoscoreVitalSource acquired Akademos in March 2023, a leader in building technology to create efficient, cost-effective course materials delivery solutions.
- Barnes & Noble EducationcoreBarnes & Noble Education partnered with VitalSource to strengthen BNC FirstDay Inclusive Access Platform, enhancing affordability and access solutions for colleges and universities.
- Macmillan LearningmajorVitalSource and Macmillan Learning teamed up to improve student access to course content through integrated digital solutions.
- AcrobatiqcoreVitalSource acquired Acrobatiq, the leading learning optimization platform built from Carnegie Mellon University's strengths in learning and data science.
- CengagemajorCengage and VitalSource expanded collaboration to include Cengage Unlimited subscription, integrating affordable subscription access through VitalSource's platform.
- McGraw-Hill EducationmajorVitalSource joined with McGraw-Hill Education to make digital course materials more affordable for college students through integrated content delivery.
- BlackboardcoreVitalSource and Blackboard announced collaboration to seamlessly power Inclusive Access model in the LMS, integrating course materials delivery directly into Blackboard Learn.
- Intrepid LearningmajorVitalSource acquired Intrepid Learning, a professional learning platform, expanding VitalSource's portfolio to support the online learner experience.
- Nebraska Book CompanycoreNebraska Book and VitalSource's Verba Software deepened collaboration to help independent college stores better compete in today's marketplace, combining Nebraska Book's inventory and fulfillment capabilities with Verba's technology.
- VitalSourcecoreVerba was acquired by VitalSource in March 2017. The acquisition joined Verba's campus store technology with VitalSource's digital content platform to further empower campus stores and institutions they serve. Verba operates as VitalSource's product for modern campus store technology.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
VERBA competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Chegg: Public EdTech company providing textbook rental, study help, and learning tools to college students. Competes with the student-facing side of Verba's inclusive-access and affordability mission at a much larger scale.
- Cengage: Major higher-ed publisher with Cengage Unlimited subscription and direct digital delivery. Both a VitalSource partner and an emerging competitor in delivering affordable course materials to students.
- McGraw-Hill Education: Large higher-ed publisher offering digital courseware and inclusive-access delivery. Partners with VitalSource/Verba but also delivers content directly, making it a partial peer in the inclusive-access workflow.
- Follett Higher Education: Largest operator of college bookstores in North America, offering its own inclusive access and digital course-materials programs. Competes with Verba for the same campus-store customers and contract RFPs.
- Macmillan Learning: Higher-ed publisher with digital courseware platforms and inclusive-access programs. Strategic partner of VitalSource/Verba while also competing in the same workflow layer around adoption and delivery.
- VitalSource (Bookshelf): Parent platform of Verba, providing the Bookshelf digital learning platform and Bookshelf+ AI study partner used by 4,500+ institutions globally. Operates one level above Verba in the same end-to-end course materials and inclusive access value chain.
Direct peers
- RedShelf: Digital textbook distribution and inclusive access platform serving higher education institutions. Direct overlap with Verba's Connect and Compare modules; acquired by VitalSource in 2025.
- Akademos: Provides online bookstore and course materials delivery technology for colleges and universities. Was an independent peer to Verba before being acquired by VitalSource in 2023, and competes head-to-head on inclusive access and store management.
- Nebraska Book Company: Operates campus stores and provides course-materials fulfillment for independent college retailers. A deep strategic partner of Verba/VitalSource but also a potential competitor in serving the same independent store customer base.
- Barnes & Noble Education (BNC FirstDay): Operates campus bookstores across U.S. higher education and runs the FirstDay Inclusive Access platform. Directly comparable to Verba in serving the same campus store customers with inclusive access and course-materials delivery solutions.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
VERBA social profiles
Digital presenceVERBA financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
VERBA leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
VERBA subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries4 records
VERBA funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
VERBA M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about VERBA
What does VERBA do?
VERBA is a modular campus store technology platform that helps college and university bookstores manage textbook adoptions, inclusive access programs, sourcing and pricing, buyback and rental, and comparison shopping. The platform comprises four integrated modules—Collect, Connect, Compete, and Compare—that connect every step of the course materials lifecycle from discovery to analysis, aggregating offerings, integrating with campus systems, and handling transactions.
Is VERBA a public or private company?
VERBA is a private company. It is classified as private equity controlled and is currently operating.
When was VERBA founded?
VERBA was founded in 2010. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is VERBA based?
VERBA is headquartered in San Francisco, United States, in the North America region.
How does VERBA make money?
One revenue line is on record: campus Store Software Subscriptions.
Who are VERBA's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Chegg, Cengage, McGraw-Hill Education, Follett Higher Education, Macmillan Learning and VitalSource (Bookshelf). Direct peers are RedShelf, Akademos, Nebraska Book Company and Barnes & Noble Education (BNC FirstDay).
Does VERBA have an API?
No public API is recorded for VERBA.
What industry is VERBA in?
VERBA's product category is Educational Technology / Campus Store Software. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAFAEAK, Parent/Student Portals, Communications & Consent Management. Its NAICS code is 51 and its SIC code is 7372.