Overview

Features & Capabilities

Papers by ReadCube makes reading, organizing, and discovering research literature simple across iPhone, iPad, and desktop.

Annotate PDFs, search databases, auto-resolve metadata, create custom lists and tags, and sync papers, notes, and highlights across devices.

User Growth & Download Statistics

By:
Digital Science & Research Solutions Inc.
Rating:
3.70
(554)
Version:
4.01 Last updated: 2026-04-16
Version code:
884582888
Creation date:
2014-05-06
Compatible devices:
Size:
77.09MB
URLs:
Website ,Privacy policy
Full description:
See detailed description
Source:
Apple Apps Store
Data ingested on:
2026-08-27
Compare stats and ranking:

Other platforms

Chrome
ReadCube (v6.13.0)
50,000 4.07 (44)
Android
ReadCube (v3.64)
96,467 3.65 (726)
Firefox
ReadCube (v6.13.0)
2,641 3.79 (19)
Edge
ReadCube (v6.13.0)
20,006 3.40 (5)

Contact the developer

Chrome-Stats does not own this Apple app. Please use these information below to contact the Apple app developer.
Developed by:
Digital Science & Research Solutions Inc.
Apple Apps Store
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/papers-by-readcube/id864042981
Website:
https://www.papersapp.com

User Reviews

Reviewers praise Papers for cross-device use, annotation, metadata, and robust search, but repeatedly report bugs in annotation tools, broken import/sync workflows, and regressions after updates that hurt usability—indicating strong potential but unstable performance.
Pros
  • Cross-device seamless library and annotation across iPhone, iPad, and PC with easy sharing.
  • Strong annotation and highlighting capabilities on mobile, including notes.
  • Metadata extraction from imported PDFs enabling easy citation.
  • Powerful search functionality (database and in-text search).
  • Tagging and organization features that help manage and find papers.
Cons
  • Annotation/handwriting tools are buggy and unreliable (disappearing highlights, pen strokes issues; missing eraser and undo).
  • Importing into the library and cross-device syncing are frequently broken (inability to add imported items to the library; syncing issues between devices).
  • Major updates regress features and degrade UX (new UI adds extra taps; several bugs after updates; bookmarking missing).
Recent reviews
One star for not being able to open local available pdf file while being offline. This is the most ridiculous thing ever.
by Ad*****, 2026-05-04

Papers 4.0 continues its tradition of getting worse than the previous iteration. After a few days of daily usage, here is a list of observations: (1) the main issue with this version is that the underline feature on iOS has become buggy to the point of being unusable, as the cursors jumps left and right whenever I drag it across the page; (2) we are now at version 4.0, and still no bookmarking feature. Simply unbelievable; (3) there is still the issue that if you tap the top of the screen, you are sent to p. 1 of the PDF. The issue needs to be fixed ASAP, see Apple Books for reference; (4) the annotation tools have been redesigned, and now any action I take requires more taps than in Papers 3; (5) the GUI looks nicer. Lipstick on a pig?
by to*****, 2026-05-02
View all user reviews ›

Best Papers by ReadCube Alternatives

Here are some Apple apps that are similar to Papers by ReadCube: