Free

Details

Released
May 6, 2014
Updated
October 14, 2026

Features

Papers by ReadCube screenshot #1 for iPhone
Papers by ReadCube screenshot #2 for iPhone
Papers by ReadCube screenshot #3 for iPhone
Papers by ReadCube screenshot #4 for iPhone
Papers by ReadCube screenshot #5 for iPhone
Papers by ReadCube screenshot #6 for iPhone
Papers by ReadCube screenshot #7 for iPhone
iphone
ipad
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About

Manage, read, and discover research literature on your mobile devices. Annotate PDFs, organize your library with custom lists and tags, and receive personalized recommendations for new papers. Syncs seamlessly with desktop and web applications.

✓Read and manage research papers
✓Annotate PDFs with notes and highlights
✓Organize library with custom lists and tags
✓Discover new research with personalized recommendations
✓Search and download articles
✓Sync across devices
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What users say about Papers by ReadCube

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What's New in Papers by ReadCube

4.10

October 14, 2026

• Added support for Starred Searches. • Added support for Starred Libraries, Lists and Smartlists. • Added PDF exporting with or without annotations. • Quick filter for lists in the Library. • Introduced new Search Filters for full text search (*). • Improved Article Search with AI Assisted Query Builder (*). • New Research Assistant, ask a research question and get AI research-backed answers (*). • New AI Chat with Papers, ask questions and analyze list of PDFs (*). • Improved PDF Reader AI Assistant (*). • And other various small UI improvements and bugfixes. (*) for users with enabled features.

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User reviews

PDF export from app fixed

They’ve finally fixed PDF export when using the iOS iPhone app.

Cannot use Apple Pencil

Apple Pencil annotations looking mushy or hard to read—Readcube told me they were aware of this more than a year ago. But nothing changed. I emailed once again and am told they are working on this (maybe for more than years). I know this is not a note taking app but it’s important feature for the ipad. I have been using this app 10+ years. If I switch one day, kind of ignorance about use experience would be one of the biggest reason
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Keeps getting worse

Papers has now reached v 4.1, about 5 months after the first release, and none of the issues and bugs that I had listed in my original review have been addressed. But we got some AI paraphernalia because it’s cool and fashionable.

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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?
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Apple Pencil

I wonder if they fixed the Apple Pencil issue where in certain cases the text written with it disappears. Have mentioned it and supported it with examples but until now, no fix. Hopefully this update will fix it.

Keeps getting worse

About 4 months after release, none of the issues and bugs that I had listed in my review have been addressed by an update.

———-

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?
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Developer apps

User experience

🐞

Reported Bugs

5 issues

Frequent app crashes and freezes

Bug

Sync issues causing data loss and duplication

Bug

Unreliable PDF downloads and access

Bug

Inconsistent behavior of annotation tools

Bug

Compatibility problems with newer devices and OS versions

Bug
✨

Requested Features

5 requests

Add eraser tool for handwritten annotations

Feature

Improve PDF viewing and navigation experience

Feature

Implement better organization and folder management

Feature

Integrate citation and bibliography tools

Feature

Provide more customization options

Feature

FAQ

What does Papers by ReadCube do?

Papers by ReadCube is a mobile application designed to help users read, manage, and discover research literature. It allows you to organize your papers, annotate PDFs with notes and highlights, and find new relevant articles based on your existing library.

What are the key features of this app?

Key features include enhanced PDF viewing with inline citations, multi-color highlighting and note-taking tools, in-app search of Papers databases, personalized recommendations for new papers, custom list creation, and seamless syncing of your library and annotations across desktop, web, and mobile devices.

Is this app free to use?

Yes, the application is free to try on your iPhone, iPad, and computer. The provided description indicates it is free to use, with no mention of subscription fees or in-app purchases for core functionality.

What devices is Papers by ReadCube compatible with?

The app is available for iPhone and iPad, serving as a companion to the Papers desktop software. It is also mentioned to have a web app component, suggesting cross-platform compatibility for managing your research library.

How can I organize my research papers with this app?

You can organize your research papers by creating custom lists, sorting articles into one or multiple lists, and adding #tags for further customization. The app also allows you to quickly search your entire library, including all annotations, to find specific papers or information.