# PaperShelf — Explore the Academic World > Mobile app for searching, reading, and organizing academic research papers. (iPhone/iPad app by Trung Dang.) - Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/papershelf/id1557908171 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`) - Developer: [Trung Dang](https://appshunter.io/developer/1557908173) - Category: Productivity - Price: Free - Rating: 5.00/5 from 2 App Store ratings · 2 written reviews indexed - Age rating: 4+ - Requires: iOS 13.0 · 35 MB - Languages: English - Released: 2021-09-23 - Data updated: 2026-06-10 - Monetization: free - User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/papershelf/id1557908171/reviews.md ## What is PaperShelf? Welcome to PaperShelf! If you're a student, researcher, or just someone who wants to stay up to date with the latest academic research, this app is for you. With PaperShelf, you can search, browse, read, and save scientific papers conveniently on your device. PaperShelf relies on a number of open access APIs to retrieve papers and their latest updates, so you can get every information about a paper with just a few clicks. We aim to support multiple platforms. Your library will be backed up and synced between devices when you log in. An account is not required if you want to keep your library locally. Main features: - Search papers and gather information from various sources (currently support ArXiv, Semantic Scholar, CrossRef, OpenReview) - Create collections or assign tags to organize your library - Sync your library across platforms & devices (account required) - Save papers locally for offline access. - Add & sync notes (experimental) - Browse papers in public collections (groups of similar papers provided by our users) - ... Request new features by sending email to us: contact@papershelf.app With active development underway, you can expect even more features and functionality from PaperShelf in the future. Please support the app with reviews and ratings if you find it useful. Feel free to contact us with any feedback or feature requests you have. ## Key features - Search academic papers - Organize papers with collections/tags - Sync library across devices - Offline paper access - Add and sync notes - Browse public paper collections ## Recent user reviews (2 of 2) All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/papershelf/id1557908171/reviews.md ### 5/5 — Nice app! *2022-09-26* Simple app but super useful. This is the perfect app i need for my PhD. ### 5/5 — Recommend for managing papers *2021-09-26* Organizing papers is always a mess for me: downloading a paper from arxiv for example, I have to rename the file, go through my folders to look for a place to save it; while reading, I have to go to google scholar again to check the citations and references. For someone who has to read machine learning papers all the time, this app solves all the problems above. Absolutely recommend! ## Frequently asked questions about PaperShelf ### What academic sources does PaperShelf use? PaperShelf utilizes open access APIs from sources like ArXiv, Semantic Scholar, CrossRef, and OpenReview to retrieve academic papers and their latest updates. ### Can I use PaperShelf offline? Yes, PaperShelf allows you to save papers locally on your device, enabling offline access to your research library. ### How does PaperShelf sync my library? Your library can be backed up and synced between devices when you log in with an account. An account is not required if you prefer to keep your library local. ### What devices does PaperShelf support? PaperShelf is designed to support multiple platforms, including iPhone, iPad, and iPod devices. ### How often is PaperShelf updated? The app is actively developed, with the latest version being 1.7.1, last updated on January 18, 2023. Users can expect more features and functionality in the future. ### Is PaperShelf free to use? Yes, PaperShelf is available for free, with no in-app purchases or advertisements. ### What is the age rating for PaperShelf? PaperShelf has an age rating of 4+, making it suitable for a wide range of users. ### How can I request new features for PaperShelf? You can request new features or provide feedback by sending an email to contact@papershelf.app. ## Version history (last 5 releases) ### 1.7.1 — 2023-01-18 Bug fixes ### 1.7 — 2023-01-17 - Improved in-library search and web search. PaperShelf now can highlight keywords in title and abstract. - Improved notes functionality. You can add notes in text format. Annotations are currently not supported. - Experimental PDF viewer - Bug fixes & performance improvements ### 1.6.1 — 2022-12-23 Bug fixes ### 1.6 — 2022-12-21 - Features for public collections: saving a collection or individual papers to user's library, previewing a public collection - Viewing references and citations of a paper - Note taking features (pdf highlighter only supported in web app) - Offline access for downloaded papers ### 1.5 — 2022-11-02 - Support user login and sync across web app / devices - Public collections now available - Add OpenReview as a metadata source ## Apps similar to PaperShelf | App | Rating | Price | Category | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | [Glancer AI](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/glancer-ai/id6746958353) | — | Free | Productivity | | [Paper2Pod: research to podcast](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/paper2pod-research-to-podcast/id6744289130) | — | Free | Productivity | | [Airframe: Save & find later](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/airframe-save-and-find-later/id1587248624) | 5.0 (3) | Free | Productivity | | [Quirely - PDF Library Manager](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/quirely-pdf-library-manager/id6752550611) | 5.0 (7) | Free | Productivity | | [VNCtalk](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/vnctalk/id1400937435) | — | Free | Productivity | | [DevSnippets](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/devsnippets/id1483387513) | 4.0 (1) | Free | Productivity | --- *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 2026-06-10.*