References On Tap vs Scrib
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
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.
- 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
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••• 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/
Scrib
Effortlessly generate perfect APA 7th Edition citations for various sources like books, articles, and videos. This tool offers a clean interface, smart search, and cloud sync for seamless reference management.
- APA 7th Edition formatting
- ISBN book search
- YouTube video citations
- Cloud sync
- Offline functionality
- One-tap copy and share
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Meet Scrib, your intelligent companion for perfect APA citations. Transform the way you create references with our sleek, modern citation generator designed for today's academic needs. WHY SCRIB: Lightning-fast APA citation generation Clean, minimalist interface Smart ISBN book search Instant YouTube video citations Cloud sync for your references One-tap copy and share Perfect APA 7th Edition formatting Works offline CREATE CITATIONS FOR: Books (instant ISBN lookup) Journal Articles Academic Papers Websites YouTube Videos Wikipedia Articles Theses & Dissertations POWERFUL FEATURES: Latest APA 7th Edition guidelines Smart author name formatting Automatic date formatting Proper title capitalization Journal volume & issue handling DOI & URL optimization Instant preview Quick share options PERFECT FOR: Students & Researchers Academic Writers Graduate Students Professors & Teachers Journal Authors Stop wrestling with APA formatting and let Scrib handle your citations with style. Whether you're writing a research paper, thesis, or academic article, Scrib delivers perfectly formatted citations every time. Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/
Screenshots
Verdict
References On Tap and Scrib both sit at 4.7 stars, but that hides the real split: 100% of Scrib's written reviews are positive against 50% of References On Tap's. References On Tap's advantage is device support (4 vs 2) and iOS requirement (15.0 vs 17). On price, rating, ratings volume and update cadence 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
Both are free to download. References On Tap sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per year and Scrib sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.7 for References On Tap against 4.8 for Scrib. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 304 and 178 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 50% of References On Tap's written reviews are positive against 100% of Scrib's.
References On Tap ships an update every 2 months, Scrib every 6 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 2, 2026 and October 30, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | References On Tap | Scrib |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.7 (304 ratings) | 4.8 (178 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 50.0% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 304 — better | 178 |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | Every 6 weeks — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac — better | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 — better | 17 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 68 MB | 179 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | ReferencesOnTap | Swish Investments LLC |
Customer experience
References On Tap
Scrib
In-app purchases
References On Tap
- Premium$4.991 Year
- Standard$4.99
Scrib
- APA Citation Generator Pro$4.997 Days
- APA Citation Generator Pro1 Month trial$8.991 Month
- APA Citation Generator Pro$19.991 Year
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- APA Citation Generator Pro1 Year trial$29.991 Year
- APA Citation Generator Pro$34.99
Questions
Is References On Tap free?
Is Scrib free?
Which has better reviews, References On Tap or Scrib?
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Which is updated more often, References On Tap or Scrib?
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