Comparison

EndNote vs Plasmids X

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

Head to head
About

EndNote

Manage your research from anywhere with this popular tool. Organize, search, and share academic papers and bibliographies seamlessly across devices. Sync your library and annotate PDFs on the go.

Highlights
  • Sync research library across devices
  • Search academic databases
  • Annotate PDFs
  • Import reference file formats
  • Share references with collaborators
  • Attach files from cloud storage
Features
Read full description

Collect, collaborate, create from anywhere with the EndNote app - the world's most popular research management tool. With flexible tools for searching, organizing, sharing research, and creating bibliographies, the EndNote app extends your ability to stay on top of cutting edge research and connect with your EndNote library on the go. EndNote enables you to easily view, edit, organize, and share research material on your iOS device. By syncing your research library across iOS, online, and desktop, you increase the power of EndNote by gaining seamless access to your reference library from multiple devices and platforms. The EndNote app includes: - Sign up for a free, EndNote online account or sign in to an existing account - Synchronize your library references, attachments, and PDF annotations to your online account and EndNote desktop - Built in web browser to search Clarivate Analytics Web of Science, PubMed, Google Scholar, your library catalog, or any other database you choose - Built in PDF viewer with wide range of annotation features. Annotations made can be synced and edited online and on the EndNote desktop - Importing capabilities for .ris, .nbib, and other popular reference file formats - Email and copy options for sharing references and file attachments with collaborators - EndNote “temporary citation” format support - Attach files from Dropbox, OneDrive or Google Drive to your references (accounts available separately) - Viewing and editing options for references and file attachments - Sorting, searching, and grouping options for references and file attachments - Getting Started Guide documentation

About

Plasmids X

Edit and visualize molecular constructs with detailed circular and linear maps. Plan restriction digests, analyze sequences, and manage primers. Offers advanced editing and cloning features with a Pro subscription.

Highlights
  • Circular and linear plasmid maps
  • Sequence view with translations
  • Primer library and management
  • Restriction analysis and virtual gel
  • Import/export GenBank, FASTA, SnapGene
  • Sequence editing (Pro)
  • Cloning simulations (Pro)
Features
Read full description

Plasmids X is a plasmid editor for iPhone, iPad and Mac. Open your constructs, see them as clear circular and linear maps, read every base with its annotations, and plan restriction digests, all on your device. MAPS AND SEQUENCE • Circular and linear plasmid maps with features, primers and restriction sites. Tap any feature to see its details. • A sequence view with both strands, translations, feature tracks and enzyme sites • Find sequences, select a range by its coordinates and copy exactly what you need ANNOTATE AND ANALYZE • Add, edit, sort and search features and primers • A primer library shared by all your plasmids • Find open reading frames • Restriction analysis with the commercially available enzymes from REBASE, aware of Dam, Dcm and CpG methylation • Digest & Gel: pick enzymes and see the fragments on a virtual agarose gel • Saved versions of every plasmid, so you can go back YOUR LIBRARY • Import GenBank, FASTA, SnapGene (.dna) and ApE files from Files, Mail or any other app • Export FASTA and images of the map and the sequence, or print them • A Home Screen widget with your recent and favorite plasmids • Built for iPhone, iPad and Mac, with keyboard shortcuts, pointer support, Dark Mode, Dynamic Type and VoiceOver PLASMIDS X PRO Viewing, importing, annotating and analyzing are free. A Plasmids X Pro subscription adds: • Sequence editing: type, paste, cut and delete bases, reverse complement, set the origin • Cloning: restriction and ligation, Gibson Assembly, Golden Gate, Gateway and PCR • Alignment of sequencing reads to your plasmid • BLAST searches and sequence downloads from NCBI • In-silico PCR: every product of a primer pair, on the map and a virtual gel • GenBank and SnapGene export Plasmids X Pro is an auto-renewing subscription, billed monthly or yearly. Payment is charged to your Apple Account when you confirm the purchase. The subscription renews automatically unless you cancel it at least 24 hours before the end of the current period, and your account is charged for the renewal within the 24 hours before the period ends. You can manage or cancel your subscription in your Apple Account settings. PRIVACY Plasmids X has no account, no ads and no tracking. Your plasmids stay on your device. Data leaves your device only when you ask: a BLAST search sends your query sequence and contact email to NCBI, and a download from NCBI sends the accession number, your contact email and, if you set one, your NCBI API key. Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy: https://aminmahpour.com/privacy_plasmids.html

Screenshots

EndNote4 screens
Plasmids X4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Plasmids X at 3.4 against EndNote's 2.6. Plasmids X also leads on update cadence (monthly vs every 4 months). EndNote's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 10) and ratings volume (165 vs 7). On price, review sentiment, ads and monetization model 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. Plasmids X sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. EndNote asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Plasmids X holds the better App Store score, 3.4 against 2.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: EndNote has 165 ratings behind it against 7, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 28% of EndNote's written reviews are positive against 33% of Plasmids X's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

EndNote ships an update every 4 months, Plasmids X monthly. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and November 3, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
EndNote versus Plasmids X: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterEndNotePlasmids X
PriceFreeFree
Rating2.6 (165 ratings)3.4 (7 ratings) — better
Positive reviews27.8% of reviews33.3% of reviews — better
Number of ratings165 — better7
Update frequencyEvery 4 monthsMonthly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFreemium
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS15.0 — better26.0
Further details — not scored
Size91 MB19 MB
Age rating17+4+
DeveloperClarivate Analytics (US) LLCAmin Mahpour

Customer experience

EndNote

All ratings165 ratings
Positive32.7%
Neutral14.5%
Negative52.7%
Written reviews370 reviews
Positive27.8%
Neutral11.9%
Negative60.3%

Plasmids X

All ratings7 ratings
Positive57.1%
Neutral14.3%
Negative28.6%
Written reviews3 reviews
Positive33.3%
Neutral0.0%
Negative66.7%

Bugs and requests

EndNote

Reported bugs

5 issues
  • Crashes when editing references
  • Indexing issues and lost library data
  • Compatibility problems with iOS updates
  • PDF viewer issues (e.g. no rotation, lost page position)
  • Login and authentication problems

Requested features

5 requests
  • Cite while you write functionality
  • Better PDF annotation tools (e.g. eraser, text notes)
  • Support for group sets and nested folders
  • Automatic citation data population from PDFs
  • Improved syncing and offline access

Plasmids X

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

None

EndNote

No in-app purchases

10 purchases

Plasmids X

Subscriptions2
  • PlasmidsX Pro Monthly7 Days trial$4.991 Month
  • Yearly3 Days trial$9.991 Year
One-time8
  • Split View Support$1.99
  • Manual Cloning$3.99
  • NCBI Entrez Support$3.99
Show 5 more
  • Local Alignment Support$3.99
  • BLAST Support$4.99
  • Genbank Support$4.99
  • dna File Support$5.99
  • All Features$24.99

Questions

Is EndNote free?
EndNote is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Plasmids X free?
Plasmids X is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, EndNote or Plasmids X?
Plasmids X is rated higher. EndNote averages 2.6 out of 5 from 165 ratings, while Plasmids X averages 3.4 from 7 ratings.
Do EndNote or Plasmids X have ads?
Neither EndNote nor Plasmids X shows ads.
Which is updated more often, EndNote or Plasmids X?
EndNote ships an update every 4 months, and Plasmids X monthly. Most recently, EndNote was updated on November 1, 2026 and Plasmids X on November 3, 2026.

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