Comparison

Bookends vs Stafwise Admin

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

Head to head
About

Bookends

Manage your research references and PDFs on your mobile device. Search online databases, import metadata, annotate PDFs, and organize your library. Offers basic functionality for free with optional one-time purchase and yearly subscription for advanced features like cloud sync and unlimited imports.

Highlights
  • Search online reference databases
  • Import metadata and PDFs
  • PDF annotation and markup
  • Barcode scanning for references
  • Cloud sync across devices
  • Share online libraries
  • Create multiple libraries
Features
Read full description

Bookends is the reference management app you've been looking for. The basic version offers: • Search online sites directly (arXiv, Google Books, Google Scholar, JSTOR, the Library of Congress, PubMed, PubMed Central, and Semantic Scholar) or use the built-in browser (EZProxy-compliant) to download reference metadata and PDFs (access privileges required). Searches can return a maximum of 20 references, and only 50 references can be stored in your personal database. • Use unique identifiers such as DOI, PMID, ISBN, or arXiv id to autofill references. • View the text of PDF annotations in a note stream, and create your own with our powerful PDF markup engine. • Barcode scanning, one per day. • And many more features designed to help you discover, organize, and use reference information. Standard, one-time purchase ($14.99): • No limit on searches or importing. Premium, yearly subscription ($14.99). Requires a Standard purchase. • Cloud sync with all your iOS devices and Bookends for Mac (separate purchase). • Share online libraries with colleagues. • Scan documents with Mellel Mobile*. • Create multiple libraries. • Unlimited barcode scanning. • Extract PDF annotations with deep links to annotations and text. • Convenient UI to add PDF notes to the library. • Automate your actions with Shortcuts. * iPad-only. Requires a Mellel Mobile Premium subscription. Subscription is for one year and has an auto-renew option. The subscription can be managed in iOS -> Settings > [your name] > Subscriptions. A subscription will renew if it isn't canceled at least 24 hours before the renewal date. If the subscription is not renewed, Premium will be disabled but Standard will continue to work. Terms of Service: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

About

Stafwise Admin

Features
Read full description

Stafwise is a modern staff management application designed to simplify workforce operations for businesses of all sizes. From scheduling shifts to tracking attendance and managing payroll, Stafwise brings everything together in one secure and intuitive platform. Whether you manage a small team or a growing organization, Stafwise helps you stay organized, improve productivity, and maintain clear communication with your employees. Key Features Employee Management Create and manage employee profiles Store personal, job, and bank details securely Search and filter employees easily Shift & Schedule Management Create assigned and open shifts View schedules in a clear calendar format Handle shift changes and drop requests Real-time schedule updates Attendance & Timesheets Digital attendance tracking View detailed timesheets by date range Export timesheets and reports as PDF Leave Management Employees can apply for leave directly from the app Managers can review and approve requests Track leave balance and history automatically Payroll & Payslips Automated payroll calculations Generate payslips and export them as PDFs View payroll history and recent payslips Location-Based Check-In GPS-based attendance verification Configurable check-in radius Support for multiple company locations Communication & Notifications Send company announcements and memos Push notifications for important updates Track read and unread messages Roles & Permissions Admin and employee access levels Custom roles with specific permissions Profile & Company Settings Edit personal and company profiles Manage company preferences and policies Secure password management

Screenshots

Bookends4 screens
Stafwise Admin4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Stafwise Admin at none against Bookends's 2. Stafwise Admin also leads on update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 2 months) and iOS requirement (14.0 vs 18.6). On price, ads 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. Bookends sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $14.99 per year. Stafwise Admin asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Bookends ships an update every 2 months, Stafwise Admin every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 16, 2026 and September 25, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
Bookends versus Stafwise Admin: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterBookendsStafwise Admin
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.7 (398 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews76.4% of reviews—
Number of ratings398 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 2 monthsEvery 3 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases—
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS18.614.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size114 MB54 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperSonny Software, LLCSAMPATH GURRAM

Bugs and requests

Bookends

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Incompatibility with iCloud Optimized Storage
  • Unreliable sync between desktop and mobile versions
  • Occasional data loss or corruption

Requested features

4 requests
  • Nested folders and tags for better organization
  • Automatic PDF metadata extraction
  • Improved search and filtering capabilities
  • Seamless integration with third-party services

Stafwise Admin

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

2 purchases

Bookends

Subscriptions1
  • Premium3 Months trial$14.991 Year
One-time1
  • Standard$14.99
None

Stafwise Admin

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Bookends free?
Bookends is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Stafwise Admin free?
Stafwise Admin is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Bookends or Stafwise Admin have ads?
Neither Bookends nor Stafwise Admin shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Bookends or Stafwise Admin?
Bookends ships an update every 2 months, and Stafwise Admin every 3 weeks. Most recently, Bookends was updated on October 16, 2026 and Stafwise Admin on September 25, 2026.

Other comparisons