# Papers by ReadCube — user reviews > 182 indexed App Store user reviews of Papers by ReadCube by Digital Science & Research Solutions Inc., rated 3.75/5 from 551 ratings. - Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/papers-by-readcube/id864042981/reviews - App overview in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/papers-by-readcube/id864042981.md - Rating breakdown: 5★ 256 · 4★ 109 · 3★ 55 · 2★ 50 · 1★ 78 ## What do users think of Papers by ReadCube? Overall sentiment: neutral **Pros** - 🚀 Seamless syncing across devices - 📚 Excellent for organizing and managing research papers - 🔍 Helpful search and discovery features - 💻 Good integration with desktop and web versions - 📝 Useful annotation and highlighting tools **Cons** - 🐛 Buggy annotation and handwriting tools - 🔍 Inconsistent search and metadata retrieval - 💾 Unreliable cloud sync and data loss issues - 🖍️ Limited annotation features compared to competitors - 🕰️ Slow development and lack of updates **Commonly reported bugs** - Frequent app crashes and freezes - Sync issues causing data loss and duplication - Unreliable PDF downloads and access - Inconsistent behavior of annotation tools - Compatibility problems with newer devices and OS versions **Most requested features** - Add eraser tool for handwritten annotations - Improve PDF viewing and navigation experience - Implement better organization and folder management - Integrate citation and bibliography tools - Provide more customization options ## Newest reviews (16 of 182) ### 3/5 — Very buggy pdf annotation *2026-03-29, version 4.00* Many bugs since the new update, including highlighted and underlined sections spontaneously disappearing, making PDF annotation a tedious and long process. I like the integrated AI on the desktop version, but I use my iPad for annotation so that I can take advantage of the Apple pen, but since new update, this is difficult because of all the bugs while using the Apple pen. Also lost the ability to easily access the synced PDF on computer, which is frustrating when you want to send and share PDFs. I’m likely moving back to Zotero soon. Better tags, organization of files, and fewer bugs for a fraction of the cost. ### 2/5 — Keeps getting worse *2026-03-10, version 4.00* 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 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? ### 2/5 — Sigh *2025-10-14, version 3.64* I want to love this app (and web app/chrome extension), but it’s been plagued by bugs at least a decade old that seem to never get fixed. ### 3/5 — AI needs improvement *2025-08-24, version 3.63* I’ve been using papers for a while now. In the app there re bugs but they don’t interfere that much with the reading experience. However AI needs an update. It’s so weak and should have access to outside scientific sources to answer questions. ### 3/5 — Nice app *2025-06-23, version 3.62* I use this app every day, and it’s my go-to for reading papers on the iPad. However, I’m giving it 3 stars because I feel the iPad-specific tools still need refinement and polish. ### 2/5 — Send to Papers broken *2025-05-03, version 3.62* The “Send to Papers” function in safari no longer works. It’s been broken for me for months - another user left a review about this five months ago! The reference popup appears above the safari page but it never makes it to the Papers library. Lots of other bugs that haven’t been fixed in years. Somehow Papers AI seems to be a priority over QoL issues. ### 3/5 — Eraser tool missing *2025-03-18, version 3.60* Good app, but the pencil needs an eraser tool. ### 4/5 — Problems with the reference chain *2024-10-22, version 3.51* I do love the desktop app, as I can move up a chain of evidence and grab every paper on my way. From the iOS app, I find the reference in the source paper (so far so good) then I select the automatic reference overview (cool feature) then I click on it and follow it to website for the journal and can review the PDF. BUT at that point I push the PDF to Firefox in order to share back to Papers for ingestion of new article… what??? Please fix that! I should be able to collect papers from selecting citations ### 4/5 — Needs more optimization for iPad and pencil *2024-09-16, version 3.44* Currently the whole working logic is still to use Apple Pencil as a mouse . It’s weird to have such kind of design at 2024 ### 3/5 — Needs dark mode icon. *2024-09-16, version 3.44* The icon options need to be updated so it’s not the only white thing on a dark mode screen. And hey - nice job fixing the App name after five years of nothing. It used to be ReadCube Pa… on the iPhone because the devs didn’t really care. Now it finally reads Papers. No more ellipsis. ### 1/5 — Clunky & slowly developed *2024-07-10, version 3.43* I'm stuck with Readcube Papers because they acqiored the original Papers and it's too painful to move to a new program. But man, is this app just badly administered. Bugs that were reported YEARS ago are acknowledged but never worked on - there's no ticket system - there's a gatekept discussion board where, when allowed, frustrated customers once in a while are allowed to have their issues posted. Papers manages to keep on keeping on - now a subscription where the money keeps coming in and no real development continues. ### 2/5 — Average app (with potential) *2024-07-03, version 3.43* If the app gets the same features of the desktop version, it would be much better. High potential. ### 1/5 — Should be a good app, but isn't. *2024-06-22, version 3.42* I've used ReadCube since it was in Beta in 2011-2012. It has such a good possibility to be a fanatic app. Infuriatingly the developer isn't putting the resources needed to maintain the tablet version. I've submitted multiple bug reports, and unfortunately nothing ever sends to get fixed. Tech support will just day they can't reproduce the errors and their are many. It's really disappointing seeing a good research tool go downhill. ### 1/5 — iPad version poor usability *2024-06-12, version 3.42* iPad app impossible to use. Cannot download pdf or sync pdf that’s already downloaded in desktop terminal ### 2/5 — Hand-drawing annotation is messed up *2024-05-22, version 3.42* It used to work well but after some recent updates the hand-writing annotation becomes a total disaster. It over-smooths your handwriting without asking. Now it is even more frustrating that the things you write just disappear by themselves. Please fix these very fundamental issues! ### 3/5 — A little bit more work. *2024-02-17, version 3.40* I started using papers back in 2007-8 and really enjoyed its flexibility and ease of use. It think read cubes does well on a laptop and on the iOS platform but it is a bit clunky. Searching databases not as easy as with Papers. Organising the papers into groups not as easy as Papers. I would like to adjust the colour of highlighting text. Does do a good job importing abstracts and PDFs. ## Most critical reviews (10 lowest-rated) ### 1/5 — Import papers function non-functional *2026-04-06, version 4.00* After this major update, I can no longer import papers from this app to my library. The safari plugin works, in that an article is added to the import section of this app, but there is no way to then take that item imported into the app and add it to the library. I can see where to do it, there is just no functionality to do it. ### 1/5 — Terrible update *2026-03-28, version 4.00* I used to love readcube, but now I’m considering canceling my subscription. The mobile app is almost unusable - there is no easy way to open a PDF and email out a copy for example (like you used to be able to). You have to log in to your desktop, open the PDF, download the PDF and then attach to an email. ### 1/5 — Please stop updating *2026-03-11, version 4.00* I normally welcome any app updates, but for the case of Readcube, please stop doing so. As a royal user since the Mac Papers era, I observed that Readcube has a reputation of breaking already-working things down and updating with useless/unnecessary updates. For this time, the new UI is extremely stupid and you need to click more buttons than what it needs before. Please stop doing stupid updates ### 1/5 — So not reliable *2026-03-11, version 4.00* The app does not work properly (cannot highlight text) and customer support was down. Not the first time it was down. Simple app but not reliable. Canceled my subscription. ### 1/5 — New review 2/2026 - iPhone app is longer useful for citation input *2026-02-10, version 3.67* I used Papers for years because the iPhone app was an excellent cloud interface to rapidly import papers I find online. Sadly this is no longer so. It seems impossible to share PDF references to the Papers iPhone app, and the items sent as web links don’t synchronize to the desktop versions. Can no longer input from bioRxiv. Since I rarely browse from my desktop, the system is effectively broken. The desktop app also doesn’t fully work, search is virtually impossible, and support links from both area no longer operational. Old Review: Best app for mobile users (previously 5 stars) There are several good citation managers that allow importing and annotating article PDFs from a PC. My work flow is that I like to add citations wherever I learn about them, and that means entering my iPhone, while reading and making notes on my iPad. I was a happy user of Mendeley until they terminated the iOS mobile app. Papers is outstanding for this use. I can add references and PDFs instantly from a pc browser add on or directly from the app. While reading an article, it’s easy to highlight, annotate, take notes. A side bar instantly grabs any cited papers that I might want, and another tab finds related articles. It’s easy to organize my library by tags and hierarchical lists. I’m sure there are other fine features but I’ve been too busy doing great research to find about them. ### 1/5 — buggy as always *2025-12-19, version 3.66* I’ve been using Papers for years and I’m sick of it. The software is consistently buggy and unreliable, with constant syncing issues that never seem to get fixed. This is completely unacceptable. ### 1/5 — Send to Papers broken *2025-09-09* The “Send to Papers” function in safari no longer works. It’s been broken for me for months - another user left a review about this five months ago! The reference popup appears above the safari page but it never makes it to the Papers library. Lots of other bugs that haven’t been fixed in years. Somehow Papers AI seems to be a priority over QoL issues. Also, I’ve emailed this to your team as a bug, but all I got was one email asking basically if I turned the phone off and on again (David asked if I was behind a firewall or not). I responded with more info (it happens both on university and personal networks) and then I never got a response to that. Ever. Follow up!!!!!! Don’t just say email the help team because they aren’t actually helping! **Developer response:** So sorry to hear about this! This is not expected behavior. Please reach out to us at support@papersapp.com so that we may help you resolve this. Thank you! ### 1/5 — Missing Functionalities *2025-06-12, version 3.62* I have been using Papers for years but I am surprised to find that some essential tools are still missing on the iPad client. Please implement erasers for the writing tools. Also the pen stroke recognition can be improved, it feels very weird at the moment. Update: While the developer has been fully invested in “AI” gimmicks that no real user asks for, the highlighting and handwriting tools are still buggy and clunky. Feels like they don’t use their own apps at all. Update in 2025: After years of waiting, I applaud the dev team for finally adding the undo/redo button. However, the handwriting tool is still buggy and unbearable. Once I start writing a couple of words, they will simply turn invisible, and I have to tap the undo button to reveal them. There is NO eraser or group selection tool, so good luck to the user if you want to move your handwritten notes to another place. There is also no automatic shape recognition (which is fine), but letters will be unnecessarily straightened for no good reason. I implore the dev team to try out GoodNotes and Notability to see and feel how smooth their handwriting tools are. ### 1/5 — Cannot seamlessly add a paper to library *2024-12-31, version 3.51* An essential task is missing — seamlessly add a paper to the library. What I hope: Get a paper from iPhone web browser -> Send it to -> Papers App -> Access to Papers library -> Add to a folder. What it does: Send it as “imported webpage” -> Add -> still a webpage. This is very annoying. In contrast, Zotero can easily make it happen. ### 1/5 — Missing Functionalities *2024-11-06, version 3.51* I have been using Papers for years but I am surprised to find that some essential tools are still missing on the iPad client. Please implement erasers, undo/redo buttons for the writing tools. Also the pen stroke recognition can be improved, it feels very weird at the moment. Update: While the developer has been fully invested in “AI” gimmicks that no real user asks for, the highlighting and handwriting tools are still buggy and clunky. Feels like they don’t use their own apps at all. ## Most praised reviews (10 highest-rated) ### 5/5 — best all ever! *2025-04-14, version 3.61* for real ### 5/5 — Best multi-device reference manager *2025-02-22, version 3.60* Perhaps the only reference manager you can use accross your phone, ipad, and PC seamlessly. Love to take notes and read in depth from my ipad so the ability to do annotations and highlighting is a fantastic feature, but always need the PC for deep searches, so its great I can share the library across all my devices. Tagging feature is very useful but could use some support on ipad as you can’t search tags and must scroll through a long list. Would like to see more features in regards to display/ordering of columns in main library spreadsheet view, as any changes aren’t permanent and reset when you leave the page. Could also use some work with finding and downloading papers from ipad, always works on PC but the institutional logins don’t seem to work when accessing from ipad often. ### 5/5 — I can’t work without it *2024-06-23, version 3.42* I have written more than a hundred papers mainly using EndNote. I love this app, its sleek interface and how I can manage, read and annotate papers. Everything is synced between my computer, iPad and phone. The safari plugin makes it that I can directly pull a paper to which I have access straight from the browser. The word plugin means that Endnote is no longer needed. I had so many issues with endnote libraries over the years that this is a welcome change. ### 5/5 — Best full feature multi platform app *2024-01-16, version 3.32* I tested about 8 different products and this was the only application that allowed me to work on a browser, Windows desktop, and iOS app. Unlike other apps it is easy to annotate documents and export the annotations. The free trainings and office hours are very useful and helped me understand the product more. Almost all the PDFs I imported were able to locate the sources and pull in the metadata allowing for easy citation. The searching is great as well letting me do database searches as well as in text searching. Clearly is the winner for academic research needs! ### 5/5 — Best app for mobile users *2023-12-12* There are several good citation managers that allow importing and annotating article PDFs from a PC. My work flow is that I like to add citations wherever I learn about them, and that means entering my iPhone, while reading and making notes on my iPad. I was a happy user of Mendeley until they terminated the iOS mobile app. Papers is outstanding for this use. I can add references and PDFs instantly from a pc browser add on or directly from the app. While reading an article, it’s easy to highlight, annotate, take notes. A side bar instantly grabs any cited papers that I might want, and another tab finds related articles. It’s easy to organize my library by tags and hierarchical lists. I’m sure there are other fine features but I’ve been too busy doing great research to find about them. ### 5/5 — A+ *2023-10-12, version 3.30* Great app, it’s always a bit tough reading papers on a phone but this works pretty well syncing to computer and all that, would highly recommend a read out/speak feature be added, I’m using Siri or speechify right now but an in house reader option would be phenomenal ### 5/5 — Superb *2023-07-30, version 3.26* Once you become used to it it works very well ### 5/5 — I love this app! *2023-07-24, version 3.26* I've been using this app for a very long time and I love it! It allows you to insert citations into your papers, but also to keep all of your PDFs organized. In the mobile versions you can annotate, highlight, etc. Newer PDFs will allow you to click on citations and download them to your library if you have access to them. It's an all in one app that works seamlessly. I've had a couple of small issues that I needed help with and customer support was super helpful and quick to respond. ### 5/5 — Great sync and share *2023-07-20, version 3.26* Hi - I find this so useful to be able use as an app. not only can i read anad anotate but also ### 5/5 — Great app for research paper organization *2023-06-13, version 3.26* I am a researcher in computer vision, and this app has saved me so many hours of pulling out and coordinating pdfs from various locations just to start reading. --- *Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-07-26.*