References vs Box Inventory & Tracker
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
References
Browse and interact with your BibTeX libraries on your mobile device. View references, follow links, and access file attachments like PDFs. Supports both classic BibTeX and BibLaTeX formats.
- Browse BibTeX libraries
- Search references
- Follow links (DOIs, URLs)
- View file attachments (PDFs)
- Supports BibLaTeX
- Group by keywords
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Carry your BibTeX libraries with you on your iPad and iPhone! A BibTeX library is a collection of bibliographic references (papers, books, reports, etc.), designed to work with the LaTeX typesetting system. Each library is stored in a specially-formatted text file (typically ending in .bib), which you can create with your favourite text editor. The References app gives you an easy way to browse through and interact with your BibTeX libraries. You can scroll, search, follow links, and view file attachments. In particular: - The app creates links from DOIs, MathSciNet references, ACM IDs, and of course URLs. - The app understands elementary LaTeX, so if your titles and/or abstracts contain markup or mathematics (and if your LaTeX is simple enough) then the app can display them nicely. - If you used BibDesk or JabRef to create your library, the app can view your file attachments (e.g., PDFs that you have attached to your references). - You can view references grouped by keywords, if you use the Keywords field in your BibTeX libraries. You can also view all of your smart/static groups from BibDesk, and your dynamic/static groups from JabRef. - The app supports BibLaTeX libraries as well as classic BibTeX. The References app can open BibTeX libraries from anywhere on your device. In particular, you can use iCloud Drive to keep them synchronised between your devices. This app is read-only, not an editor. It takes great care in helping you view and explore BibTeX libraries and their links and file attachments; however, it does not provide a way to modify your libraries. References is lovingly created by human hands. FILE ATTACHMENTS: To view file attachments (e.g., PDFs), the path to each file should be included in the corresponding entry in your BibTeX library. You can do this using the specially encoded Bdsk-File-* fields (as used by BibDesk), or the plain text File field (as used by JabRef). If you are writing your BibTeX files by hand, just add a File field giving the location of the attachment, such as File = {../PDFs/foo.pdf}. You can tell References where to find these attachments by linking folders in your app settings. The app will look for your attachments within these folders – for example, if you link your Documents folder then the app will be able to match the BibTeX field {../PDFs/foo.pdf} to a real location such as Documents/PDFs/foo.pdf or Documents/foo.pdf. The app is able to read attachments stored on your device, or on iCloud Drive, or on third-party providers including Box, Dropbox, Google Drive, Nextcloud or OneDrive. If you are having trouble viewing attachments from a third-party provider, please mail the References developer with the details. FURTHER INFORMATION: To learn more about BibTeX, see http://www.bibtex.org/ .
Box Inventory & Tracker
Catalog, locate, and organize your belongings with this smart box organizer. Add items by typing, speaking, or taking photos, and find them instantly with smart search and NFC tags. Share your inventory with others for free.
- Catalog items with text, voice, or photos
- NFC tag integration for instant box contents
- Smart search across all boxes
- Free sharing with family and friends
- Printable QR code labels
- Cloud sync across devices
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Stop losing track of your belongings. BOXY is a smart box organizer that helps you catalog, locate, and organize everything you own — and share it with others for free. Label your storage boxes with unique 4-character codes. Add your box contents by typing, speaking, or snapping a photo. Search across all boxes to find any item in seconds. BOXY turns packing and decluttering into a simple, satisfying process. WHAT MAKES BOXY DIFFERENT • NFC Tags: Tap a tag on any box to see what's inside instantly • Voice Input: Add items hands-free — just speak and BOXY listens • Siri & Shortcuts: Ask Siri where something is and hear the answer, or build your own automations from 20+ actions • AI Descriptions: Get smart summaries of each box's contents • Free Sharing: Invite family or friends to view and edit boxes at no cost • Print Labels: Create sticker labels with QR codes for your storage boxes KEY FEATURES • Quick Box Creation: Generate unique codes for easy identification • Smart Search: Find any item across all categories and boxes • Interactive Widgets: Access boxes from your home screen and lock screen • Code Scanning: Use your camera to open a box instantly • Customizable Categories: Organize boxes into groups that make sense to you • Cloud Sync: Access your inventory on all your devices • Spotlight Search: Find your items directly from iOS search • Control Center: Manage boxes with one tap Perfect for moving, seasonal storage, home organization, or anyone who wants to know exactly where their belongings are. Subscription and pricing: - Monthly: $2.99/month - Annual: $19.99/year (save 44%) - Lifetime: $49.99 one-time purchase - All plans unlock unlimited categories and boxes - New subscribers get a 3-day free trial on monthly and annual plans - Payment will be charged to iTunes Account at confirmation of purchase - Subscription automatically renews unless canceled at least 24 hours before the end of the current period - You can cancel anytime: https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT202039 - Privacy policy: https://boxy-app.com/privacy-policy.html - Terms of use: https://boxy-app.com/terms-of-use.html
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is review sentiment: References at 89% against Box Inventory & Tracker's 40%. References also leads on rating (4.9 vs 3.2) and in-app purchases (none vs 5). Box Inventory & Tracker's advantage is price (Free vs $4.99) and update cadence (weekly vs monthly). On ads 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
Box Inventory & Tracker is free to download; References costs $4.99 up front. Box Inventory & Tracker sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per 7 days. References asks for nothing beyond the download.
References holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 3.2. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 25 and 6 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 89% of References's written reviews are positive against 40% of Box Inventory & Tracker's.
References ships an update monthly, Box Inventory & Tracker weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 14, 2026 and October 7, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | References | Box Inventory & Tracker |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $4.99 | Free — better |
| Rating | 4.9 (25 ratings) — better | 3.2 (6 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 88.6% of reviews — better | 40.0% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 25 — better | 6 |
| Update frequency | Monthly | Weekly — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | Paid | Free with in-app purchases — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Mac, Vision Pro — better | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 26.0 | 26.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 87 MB | 63 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Benjamin Burton | David Collado Sela |
Customer experience
References
Box Inventory & Tracker
In-app purchases
References
No in-app purchases
Box Inventory & Tracker
- Boxy weekly$1.997 Days
- Boxy Monthly3 Days trial$2.991 Month
- Boxy Annual3 Days trial$19.991 Year
- Boxy Lifetime$4.99
- Boxy Lifetime$49.99
Questions
Is References free?
Is Box Inventory & Tracker free?
Which has better reviews, References or Box Inventory & Tracker?
Do References or Box Inventory & Tracker have ads?
Which is updated more often, References or Box Inventory & Tracker?
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