# ResearchGate vs APA Community

The clearest difference is rating: ResearchGate at 4.8 against APA Community's 3.0. ResearchGate also leads on ratings volume (15K vs 2). APA Community's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and monetization model (free vs free with in-app purchases). On price, review sentiment, update cadence and in-app purchases 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 3.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: ResearchGate has 15K ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 46% of ResearchGate's written reviews are positive against 50% of APA Community'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, APA Community every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 30, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | ResearchGate | APA Community |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (15K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/researchgate/id1208163937/reviews)** | [3.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/apa-community/id6478969792/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **15K** | 2 |
| Positive reviews | 46.0% of reviews | **50.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Every 5 weeks** | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 31 MB | 121 MB |
| Requires iOS | **16.0** | 16.4 |
| Devices | iPhone | iPhone |
| Age rating | 12+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [ResearchGate GmbH](https://appshunter.io/developer/1098614371) | [American Psychological Association](https://appshunter.io/developer/385919062) |

## 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


### APA Community

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/apa-community/id6478969792)

This app connects members of the American Psychological Association for professional networking and resource access. Engage in discussions, stay updated on events, and foster a collaborative environment within the association.

**Highlights:** Professional networking, Resource access, Discussion forums, Event updates, Collaborative experience

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is ResearchGate free?

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

### Is APA Community free?

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

### Which has better reviews, ResearchGate or APA Community?

ResearchGate is rated higher. ResearchGate averages 4.8 out of 5 from 15K ratings, while APA Community averages 3.0 from 2 ratings.

### Do ResearchGate or APA Community have ads?

ResearchGate shows ads; APA Community does not.

### Which is updated more often, ResearchGate or APA Community?

ResearchGate ships an update every 5 weeks, and APA Community every 2 months. Most recently, ResearchGate was updated on October 30, 2026 and APA Community on October 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.*