# References On Tap vs Flow

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Flow at none against References On Tap's 2. Flow also leads on update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 2 months) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.0). References On Tap's advantage is device support (4 vs 2). On price and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. References On Tap sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per year. Flow asks for nothing beyond the download.

References On Tap ships an update every 2 months, Flow every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 21, 2026 and October 25, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | References On Tap | Flow |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (304 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/references-on-tap/id1092709557/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **304** | — |
| Positive reviews | 50.0% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Size | 68 MB | 57 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | **13.0** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac** | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [ReferencesOnTap](https://appshunter.io/developer/301316543) | [Wing Sum LEE](https://appshunter.io/developer/1877149163) |

## What reviewers say

### References On Tap

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/references-on-tap/id1092709557)

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:** Family Sharing, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Premium | $4.99 | per year |
| Standard | $4.99 | one-time |


### Flow

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/flow-ai-focus-planner/id6761019011)

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is References On Tap free?

References On Tap is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Flow free?

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

### Do References On Tap or Flow have ads?

Neither References On Tap nor Flow shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, References On Tap or Flow?

References On Tap ships an update every 2 months, and Flow every 3 weeks. Most recently, References On Tap was updated on October 21, 2026 and Flow on October 25, 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.*