# Research Hive vs Research Notes

The clearest difference is rating: Research Hive at 4.5 against Research Notes's 4.0. Research Hive also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 3) and ads (none vs shown). Research Notes's advantage is update cadence (weekly vs every 2 months). On price, ratings volume, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Research Notes sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $7.49 per 6 months. Research Hive asks for nothing beyond the download.

Research Hive holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 4.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 8 and 4 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 100% of Research Hive's written reviews are positive against 71% of Research Notes's.

Research Hive ships an update every 2 months, Research Notes weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 8, 2026 and October 3, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Research Hive | Research Notes |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.5 (8 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/research-hive/id1040112330/reviews)** | [4.0 (4 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/research-notes/id1472037622/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **8** | 4 |
| Positive reviews | **100.0% of reviews** | 71.4% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Weekly** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 52 MB | 26 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.6 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Research Hive, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1040112329) | [Omelette, Inc](https://appshunter.io/developer/984352813) |

## What reviewers say

### Research Hive

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/research-hive/id1040112330)

This application streamlines clinical trial recruitment for research sites, physicians, and pharmaceutical companies. It provides quick access to study information, simplifies referral tracking, and enhances communication among study teams. The app prioritizes data security and HIPAA compliance.

**Highlights:** Access study information, Track referrals efficiently, Improve candidate quality, Enhance team communication, Secure and HIPAA compliant

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### Research Notes

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/research-notes/id1472037622)

Access RSS feeds from hundreds of scientific journals across various subject categories. Download PDFs and utilize a text-to-speech feature for articles. Organize your favorite journals and discover new ones.

**Highlights:** Hundreds of journal RSS feeds, Subject category filtering, PDF download functionality, Text-to-speech for articles, Favorite journals section, New journal additions

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| PDF to Audio for 6 months | $7.49 | per 6 months |
| PDF to Audio for 12 Months | $11.99 | per year |
| Research Notes | $4.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Research Hive free?

Research Hive is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Research Notes free?

Research Notes is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Research Hive or Research Notes?

Research Hive is rated higher. Research Hive averages 4.5 out of 5 from 8 ratings, while Research Notes averages 4.0 from 4 ratings.

### Do Research Hive or Research Notes have ads?

Research Notes shows ads; Research Hive does not.

### Which is updated more often, Research Hive or Research Notes?

Research Hive ships an update every 2 months, and Research Notes weekly. Most recently, Research Hive was updated on October 8, 2026 and Research Notes on October 3, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*