Comparison

Rayyan vs ChatPDF

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

Head to head
About

Rayyan

This app streamlines systematic literature reviews for researchers, enabling quick article screening and decision-making on mobile devices. It supports offline work and real-time collaboration, significantly reducing review time.

Highlights
  • Offline article screening
  • Real-time collaboration
  • Quick inclusion decisions
  • Reference labeling
  • Article filtering
  • Configurable settings
Features
Read full description

The Most Advanced Systematic Literature Review App If you conduct research, Rayyan is the app for you. It accelerates systematic literature reviews in support of all types of evidence-based research. Developed by researchers, for researchers, Rayyan offers a quick and easy way to screen articles on the go, and it even works offline! Key Features: - Work online for real-time collaboration. - Download your reviews to work on the go or offline. - Swipe left or right to make inclusion decisions quickly. - Label references by selecting or adding labels. - Filter references with the touch of a button. - Configure and save your settings to work however you like. Save Your Valuable Time, Reduce Your Frustration, and Increase Your Productivity Rayyan is designed to guide you through article screening by enabling quick decisions and label applications on each article. You won’t believe how easy it is to use! Researchers report reducing the time spent on their reviews by 50%-80% or more using Rayyan. Enjoying real-time collaboration with fellow researchers has never been easier. Rayyan records every decision for you. The app even functions when you’re offline, so you can always rely on Rayyan to make the most of your valuable time. We welcome your feedback about the app. You can contact us anytime via email at support@rayyan.ai or on Twitter @rayyanapp. Terms of Use: https://www.rayyan.ai/terms-of-service Privacy Policy: https://www.rayyan.ai/privacy_policy/

About

ChatPDF

This AI-powered tool allows you to ask questions and get summaries directly from your PDF documents. It supports multiple files, OCR, and multilingual interactions, making complex information easily accessible.

Highlights
  • Instant answers from PDFs
  • Quick document summaries
  • Chat with multiple PDFs
  • OCR for scanned documents
  • Multilingual support
  • Cross-device access
Features
Read full description

ChatPDF lets you ask questions, request summaries, or quickly find the information you need—powered by advanced AI that understands your documents. Simply upload your PDF and start chatting. Ideal for students, researchers, and professionals, ChatPDF helps you effortlessly grasp complex research papers, academic articles, or any document you care about. Key Features: • Instant Answers: Ask questions directly to your PDFs and receive accurate responses based entirely on your document's content. • Quick Summaries: Save time and boost your understanding with concise, clear summaries of lengthy texts. • Multi-PDF Chat: Manage multiple documents seamlessly by chatting with several PDFs at once. • OCR Support: Easily extract text from scanned documents or images, making even printed PDFs fully searchable. • Multilingual Support: Engage with your documents in any language, simplifying global research and collaboration. • Robust Data Security: Your privacy matters. ChatPDF keeps your documents confidential with advanced data protection measures. • Cross-Device Access: ChatPDF runs smoothly on phones, tablets, and desktops, providing seamless document interactions wherever you are. • Trusted by Experts: Used and trusted by researchers from renowned institutions such as Stanford and Harvard for reliable, swift document analysis. • Multiple File Formats: Beyond PDFs, ChatPDF supports a variety of file formats, giving you flexible document management options. https://chat-pdf.notion.site/ChatPDF-Terms-of-Service-6a422751d9b74ad8893dea50fd970270ChatPDF is your essential tool for smarter document engagement. Whether you're studying, preparing presentations, or simply trying to make sense of complex material, ChatPDF turns your documents into clear, insightful conversations. Download now and revolutionize the way you work with PDFs! Terms of service & privacy policy: https://chat-pdf.notion.site/ChatPDF-Privacy-Policy-45fa3cf8bac8483896eb09b108f0c0f2 https://chat-pdf.notion.site/ChatPDF-Terms-of-Service-6a422751d9b74ad8893dea50fd970270

Screenshots

Rayyan4 screens
ChatPDF3 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: ChatPDF at 4.6 against Rayyan's 3.8. ChatPDF also leads on update cadence (every 4 days vs every 5 weeks) and ratings volume (91 vs 23). Rayyan's advantage is review sentiment (37% vs 0%) and ads (none vs shown). On price, in-app purchases, monetization model and device support 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. Rayyan sells 13 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month and ChatPDF sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $14.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

ChatPDF holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 3.8. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 23 and 91 respectively. Written reviews complicate that: 37% of Rayyan's written reviews are positive against 0% of ChatPDF's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Rayyan ships an update every 5 weeks, ChatPDF every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on September 25, 2026 and September 27, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
Rayyan versus ChatPDF: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterRayyanChatPDF
PriceFreeFree
Rating3.8 (23 ratings)4.6 (91 ratings) — better
Positive reviews37.1% of reviews — better0.0% of reviews
Number of ratings2391 — better
Update frequencyEvery 5 weeksEvery 4 days — better
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS15.1 — better15.6
Further details — not scored
Size36 MB41 MB
Age rating17+4+
DeveloperRayyan Systems, Inc.ChatPDF GmbH

Customer experience

Rayyan

All ratings23 ratings
Positive73.9%
Neutral0.0%
Negative26.1%
Written reviews35 reviews
Positive37.1%
Neutral14.3%
Negative48.6%

ChatPDF

All ratings91 ratings
Positive89.0%
Neutral1.1%
Negative9.9%
Written reviews5 reviews
Positive0.0%
Neutral20.0%
Negative80.0%

In-app purchases

13 purchases

Rayyan

Subscriptions13
  • Student Monthly$9.991 Month
  • Professional Monthly$14.991 Month
  • Student Quarterly$24.993 Months
Show 10 more
  • Essential Quarterly$24.993 Months
  • Professional Quarterly$39.993 Months
  • Advanced Quarterly$39.993 Months
  • Student Annual$59.991 Year
  • Essential Annual$59.991 Year
  • Advanced Quarterly 2 Seats$79.993 Months
  • Professional Annual$99.991 Year
  • Advanced Annual$99.991 Year
  • Advanced Quarterly 4 Seats$159.993 Months
  • Advanced Annual 5 Seats$499.991 Year
2 purchases

ChatPDF

Subscriptions2
  • Monthly Plus Subscription$14.991 Month
  • ChatPDF Yearly Plus Plan$89.991 Year

Questions

Is Rayyan free?
Rayyan is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is ChatPDF free?
ChatPDF is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Rayyan or ChatPDF?
ChatPDF is rated higher. Rayyan averages 3.8 out of 5 from 23 ratings, while ChatPDF averages 4.6 from 91 ratings.
Do Rayyan or ChatPDF have ads?
ChatPDF shows ads; Rayyan does not.
Which is updated more often, Rayyan or ChatPDF?
Rayyan ships an update every 5 weeks, and ChatPDF every 4 days. Most recently, Rayyan was updated on September 25, 2026 and ChatPDF on September 27, 2026.

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