# ResearchGate vs Sandbox Events

The clearest difference is ads: Sandbox Events at none against ResearchGate's shown. Sandbox Events also leads on device support (3 vs 1). ResearchGate's advantage is update cadence (every 5 weeks vs every 22 months). On price, in-app purchases and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

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

ResearchGate ships an update every 5 weeks, Sandbox Events every 22 months. The most recent releases landed on October 16, 2026 and October 5, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | ResearchGate | Sandbox Events |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (15K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/researchgate/id1208163937/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **15K** | — |
| Positive reviews | 46.0% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Every 5 weeks** | Every 22 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Size | 31 MB | 34 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | **15.6** |
| Devices | iPhone | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 12+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [ResearchGate GmbH](https://appshunter.io/developer/1098614371) | [12222078 Canada Inc](https://appshunter.io/developer/1674169842) |

## 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


### Sandbox Events

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sandbox-events/id6445847317)

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is ResearchGate free?

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

### Is Sandbox Events free?

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

### Do ResearchGate or Sandbox Events have ads?

ResearchGate shows ads; Sandbox Events does not.

### Which is updated more often, ResearchGate or Sandbox Events?

ResearchGate ships an update every 5 weeks, and Sandbox Events every 22 months. Most recently, ResearchGate was updated on October 16, 2026 and Sandbox Events on October 5, 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.*