Comparison

ResearchGate vs IfI

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

ResearchGate

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
Read full description

Staying connected to the world of science is even easier with the ResearchGate app. ACCESS 150+ million publication pages Discover millions of publications right on your device, from anywhere. CONNECT with 20+ million researchers Discover other researchers and potential collaborators in your field. STAY UP TO DATE on new research in your field Get updates from the people you follow, and discover new and relevant research in your home feed. TRACK YOUR STATS and get weekly reports Keep track of your reads, citations, Research Interest Score, and more, and get notified when people interact with your work. DOWNLOAD full-texts to read anytime Discover interesting research while on the go, and save it to read whenever you want. To use the app, you need to have a registered ResearchGate account and be 18+ years old.

About

IfI

Features
Read full description

Meet "If I" - The Accountability App That Actually Works "If I" turns your goals into public commitments. You set the intention, share it with your circle, and let social accountability drive real-world follow-through. Simple, elegant, effective. Your commitments become visible. Your progress becomes trackable. And your habits finally become consistent. FEATURES Commitments are stronger when witnessed. Invite friends to verify your actions, cheer for your progress, and share in your wins. See what others are committing to in real time. Stay inspired by a community of people who follow through. Visualize your consistency over time. Every kept promise improves your reliability score. Share only what you want. Keep personal commitments private or let friends hold you accountable. A beautifully minimal design that makes staying accountable feel effortless. WHY IT WORKS Because when goals become commitments, and commitments become visible, your odds of success increase dramatically. If I makes your commitments matter - just enough pressure to push you forward, and enough community to make it fun.

Screenshots

ResearchGate4 screens
IfI4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is ads: IfI at none against ResearchGate's shown. IfI also leads on update cadence (every 3 days vs every 5 weeks) and device support (3 vs 1). On price, in-app purchases and iOS requirement 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

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

UpkeepUpdate frequency

ResearchGate ships an update every 5 weeks, IfI every 3 days. The most recent releases landed on November 11, 2026 and November 1, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
ResearchGate versus IfI: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterResearchGateIfI
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.8 (15K ratings) — better—
Positive reviews46.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings15K — better—
Update frequencyEvery 5 weeksEvery 3 days — better
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases—
DevicesiPhoneiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS16.015.1 — better
Further details — not scored
Size31 MB35 MB
Age rating12+17+
DeveloperResearchGate GmbHAnupama Rimal Devkota

Bugs and requests

ResearchGate

Reported bugs

5 issues
  • 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

5 requests
  • 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

IfI

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

None

ResearchGate

No in-app purchases

None

IfI

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is ResearchGate free?
ResearchGate is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is IfI free?
IfI is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do ResearchGate or IfI have ads?
ResearchGate shows ads; IfI does not.
Which is updated more often, ResearchGate or IfI?
ResearchGate ships an update every 5 weeks, and IfI every 3 days. Most recently, ResearchGate was updated on November 11, 2026 and IfI on November 1, 2026.

Other comparisons