# ResearchGate vs Mastodon

The clearest difference is ads: Mastodon at none against ResearchGate's shown. Mastodon also leads on monetization model (free vs free with in-app purchases). ResearchGate's advantage is rating (4.8 vs 4.5) and iOS requirement (16.0 vs 18.6). On price, review sentiment, ratings volume and update cadence there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ResearchGate holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.5. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 15K and 13K respectively. Written reviews complicate that: 46% of ResearchGate's written reviews are positive against 48% of Mastodon's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

ResearchGate ships an update every 5 weeks, Mastodon monthly. Both last shipped on September 24, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | ResearchGate | Mastodon |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (15K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/researchgate/id1208163937/reviews)** | [4.5 (13K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mastodon/id1571998974/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **15K** | 13K |
| Positive reviews | 46.0% of reviews | **48.3% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 5 weeks | **Monthly** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 31 MB | 110 MB |
| Requires iOS | **16.0** | 18.6 |
| Devices | iPhone | **iPhone, iPad** |
| Age rating | 12+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [ResearchGate GmbH](https://appshunter.io/developer/1098614371) | [Mastodon GmbH](https://appshunter.io/developer/1571998976) |

## What reviewers say

### ResearchGate

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/researchgate/id1208163937)

Access over 150 million scientific publications and connect with millions of researchers worldwide. Stay updated on new research in your field, track your academic stats, and download full-text articles for offline reading.

**Highlights:** Access 150+ million publications, Connect with 20+ million researchers, Stay updated on new research, Track academic stats and reports, Download full-texts for offline reading

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Useful for research and collaboration
- 👍 Great for tracking citations and impact
- 🔍 Helpful for discovering relevant research
- 💡 Valuable platform for sharing work
- 🌟 Excellent resource for researchers

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Crashes and stability issues
- 📱 Not optimized for iPad/tablet use
- 🔍 Poor search functionality
- 🔒 Restrictive registration process
- 🤖 Inconsistencies between app and website

**Reported bugs**

- Notifications not working properly
- Inconsistent data between app and website
- Login issues with Facebook and LinkedIn
- Crashes when opening certain content
- UI elements overlapping on iPhone X/newer

**Requested features**

- Add iPad/tablet support
- Improve search and filtering options
- Streamline registration and account management
- Integrate question/answer functionality in app
- Provide more customization and personalization


### Mastodon

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mastodon/id1571998974)

Connect with others on a decentralized social network. Share posts, images, and videos in chronological order without algorithms or ads. Discover new content and participate in conversations across the fediverse.

**Highlights:** Chronological feed, No algorithms or ads, Discover new users and topics, Post with images, videos, and polls, Create custom lists, Filter content, Cross-platform communication

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Friendly and welcoming community
- 🚀 Decentralized and free from corporate control
- 🔒 No data collection or ads
- 🤖 Good alternative to Twitter
- 💡 Ability to self-host servers

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Crashes and stability issues
- 🤔 Confusing onboarding and server selection
- 📱 Limited functionality compared to web version
- 🔍 Difficulty finding and following people
- 🕰️ Slow or delayed notifications

**Reported bugs**

- Can't log in or create account
- Keyboard freezes during editing
- Inconsistent behavior when switching accounts
- Notifications not working as expected

**Requested features**

- Add local and federated timelines
- Improve search and discovery features
- Implement edit and delete post functionality
- Add support for animated GIFs
- Provide better accessibility options


## Frequently asked questions

### Is ResearchGate free?

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

### Is Mastodon free?

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

### Which has better reviews, ResearchGate or Mastodon?

ResearchGate is rated higher. ResearchGate averages 4.8 out of 5 from 15K ratings, while Mastodon averages 4.5 from 13K ratings.

### Do ResearchGate or Mastodon have ads?

ResearchGate shows ads; Mastodon does not.

### Which is updated more often, ResearchGate or Mastodon?

ResearchGate ships an update every 5 weeks, and Mastodon monthly. Most recently, ResearchGate was updated on September 24, 2026 and Mastodon on September 24, 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.*