Comparison

References On Tap vs ivySCI

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

References On Tap

This app helps you find, display, and import reference information and PDFs from various academic databases. Organize your references into groups, perform advanced searches, and sync your library across devices. It offers both a one-time purchase for core features and a subscription for cloud syncing.

Highlights
  • Search academic databases (arXiv, Google Scholar, PubMed, etc.)
  • Import reference information and PDFs
  • Organize references in static and smart groups
  • Advanced boolean and full-text search options
  • Sync libraries across iOS and macOS devices via iCloud
  • Share references for reading or import
Features
Read full description

••• Check out Bookends - References' big brother ••• References searches arXiv, Google Books, Google Scholar, JSTOR, the Library of Congress, PubMed, PubMed Central, and Semantic Scholar to find, display, and import reference information and pdfs of the full article (if you have access privileges). You can search your personal reference library, organize your references in groups (static and smart), and share references in a form suitable for reading or importing into desktop reference management applications. Many features are optimized for reference retrieval and management (advanced boolean searches, search for Full Text or Free Full text, recall recent searches, etc.). Use iCloud to sync all your libraries and attachments across iOS and macOS devices, and have full access to your references and sources when you're on the go. Standard, one-time purchase ($4.99): • No limit on searches or importing. Premium, yearly subscription ($4.99). Requires a Standard purchase. • Cloud sync with all your iOS and macOS devices. Subscription is for one year and can be auto-renewable. The subscription can be managed in iOS -> Settings > iTunes & App Store > Subscriptions. The subscription might renew if it wasn't canceled more than 24 hours before the renewal date. If the subscription is not renewed, Premium will be disabled. Terms of Service: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

About

ivySCI

This app helps researchers manage and read scientific papers efficiently. It automatically extracts metadata, offers AI-assisted reading and proofreading, and allows for easy note-taking and citation integration with word processors.

Highlights
  • Automatic PDF metadata identification
  • AI-assisted reading and Q&A
  • Built-in translation and dictionary
  • Reference extraction and download
  • Image extraction and side-by-side viewing
  • Cloud-synced notes across devices
  • Word processor citation plugin
Features
Read full description

ivySCI is dedicated to providing thoughtful and intelligent literature reading and management tools for researchers, helping them save valuable time and focus more effectively on their research, rather than getting bogged down in time-consuming literature management, especially the tedious task of formatting references for graduate theses. As your helpful assistant, ivySCI offers a comprehensive range of services from the outset, including: 1. After you import PDF documents, we automatically identify the metadata of each paper, including titles, authors, abstracts, DOIs, journals, and important journal impact factors (CiteScore). 2. For each document, we provide built-in translation and dictionary lookup to overcome language barriers. 3. We offer AI-assisted reading for each document, providing quick answers to your questions. In the Mac version, we also provide AI proofreading and translation functions. 4. We analyze each document so that you can access references directly when needed, without flipping to the end of the paper. After viewing the references, you can decide whether to download them. You can customize the download engine to provide more channels to help you find the required literature faster. 5. We extract images from papers and provide side-by-side text and image viewing when necessary. You can zoom in or out on images to focus on specific details. 6. We analyze the PDF structure and present it in an outline format. Thumbnails are also available for viewing. 7. You can create notes on any device, and these notes are shared via the cloud for easy access anytime, anywhere. 8. Your literature and notes are associated with your account, so you can use them on any device (including iPhone, iPad, and Mac) after logging in. 9. When writing in Word or WPS, you can cite literature and notes at any time using the ivyCite plugin provided by ivySCI. This ensures that your thought process remains uninterrupted. ivySCI offers various client options tailored to research needs, including Mac and PC, iPad, and iPhone. Each device serves a different purpose, with desktop versions offering comprehensive management capabilities, iPad versions focused on reading and basic operations, and iPhone versions providing basic information access. Depending on the intelligence analysis capabilities and the limitations of different PDF formats, some features may not be available, but we continuously optimize the engine.

Screenshots

References On Tap4 screens
ivySCI4 screens

Verdict

The call

References On Tap and ivySCI both sit at 4.7 stars, but that hides the real split: 80% of ivySCI's written reviews are positive against 50% of References On Tap's. ivySCI also leads on update cadence (fortnightly vs every 2 months). References On Tap's advantage is ratings volume (304 vs 9). On price, rating, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. References On Tap sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per year and ivySCI sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.7 for References On Tap against 4.6 for ivySCI. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: References On Tap has 304 ratings behind it against 9, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 50% of References On Tap's written reviews are positive against 80% of ivySCI's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

References On Tap ships an update every 2 months, ivySCI fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on October 21, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
References On Tap versus ivySCI: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterReferences On TapivySCI
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.7 (304 ratings) — better4.6 (9 ratings)
Positive reviews50.0% of reviews80.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings304 — better9
Update frequencyEvery 2 monthsFortnightly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFreemium
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac — betteriPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS15.0 — better15.5
Further details — not scored
Size68 MB66 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperReferencesOnTapNanjing IvyScience Information Technology Co., Ltd.

Customer experience

References On Tap

All ratings304 ratings
Positive93.1%
Neutral4.9%
Negative2.0%
Written reviews12 reviews
Positive50.0%
Neutral8.3%
Negative41.7%

ivySCI

All ratings9 ratings
Positive88.9%
Neutral11.1%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews5 reviews
Positive80.0%
Neutral20.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

2 purchases

References On Tap

Subscriptions1
  • Premium$4.991 Year
One-time1
  • Standard$4.99
3 purchases

ivySCI

Subscriptions3
  • ivySCI VIP Monthly Service$2.991 Month
  • Annual VIP Subscription$29.991 Year
  • Annual AI Pro Subscription$39.991 Year

Questions

Is References On Tap free?
References On Tap is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is ivySCI free?
ivySCI is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, References On Tap or ivySCI?
References On Tap is rated higher. References On Tap averages 4.7 out of 5 from 304 ratings, while ivySCI averages 4.6 from 9 ratings.
Do References On Tap or ivySCI have ads?
Neither References On Tap nor ivySCI shows ads.
Which is updated more often, References On Tap or ivySCI?
References On Tap ships an update every 2 months, and ivySCI fortnightly. Most recently, References On Tap was updated on October 21, 2026 and ivySCI on October 24, 2026.

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