Comparison

Papers by ReadCube vs Scholarly

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

Head to head
About

Papers by ReadCube

Manage, read, and discover research literature on your mobile devices. Annotate PDFs, organize your library with custom lists and tags, and receive personalized recommendations for new papers. Syncs seamlessly with desktop and web applications.

Highlights
  • Read and manage research papers
  • Annotate PDFs with notes and highlights
  • Organize library with custom lists and tags
  • Discover new research with personalized recommendations
  • Search and download articles
  • Sync across devices
Features
Read full description

ReadCube is the simplest way to read, manage and discover research literature. ReadCube on your iPhone and iPad are the perfect companions to the ReadCube web and desktop software, enabling you to access your papers anywhere – read on the go, organize your library, and annotate PDFs with notes and highlights. Enhanced PDF: • Tap-able inline citations, reference lists, and author names so you can quickly find cited articles and related information • Supplements are automatically attached where available • Fullscreen or double-page PDF viewing plus multi-touch zoom/navigation for an optimal reading experience • Multi-color highlighting and note taking tools Easily find new papers: • Search the ReadCube databases within the app • Quickly download new articles with a single tap when you’re on campus or with your institutional proxy • Import directly from Safari, email attachments, and other apps • In your preferred browser, use any search engine to find article PDFs • Use the “Open In…” option from the browser or any app to add PDFs to your ReadCube library • Metadata is automatically resolved - no more guessing with cryptic file names Personalized Recommendations: • Discover relevant new papers based on your library or lists – you’ll never miss another important paper again! Stay organized: • Create custom lists and sort articles into one or multiple lists • Quickly search your entire library (and all annotations) • Add any number of #tags to further customize your library organization • Sync everything – papers, notes, highlights – between the ReadCube desktop and web apps or your other mobile devices Simplify your research life – try ReadCube for free on your iPhone, iPad, and computer. We love feedback from our users - please email support@readcube.com with any suggestions or issues. Thanks for using ReadCube!

About

Scholarly

Enhance your reading with AI-powered tools. Choose from speed reading, text-to-speech, or auto-scroll modes. Digitize documents with OCR and track your reading progress to build better habits.

Highlights
  • Speed reading (RSVP)
  • Text-to-speech with highlighting
  • Auto-scroll reading
  • Camera document scanning (OCR)
  • Speech-to-text dictation
  • AI-powered summaries
  • Reading statistics and history
Features
Read full description

Transform any text into your preferred reading experience. Scholarly helps you read faster, focus better, and learn more with three powerful reading modes, smart text input, and AI-powered insights. THREE WAYS TO READ - Speed Reading (RSVP) Master speed reading with Rapid Sequential Visual Presentation. Display one word at a time in large, clear text with adjustable words-per-minute control. Read 2-3x faster while maintaining comprehension. Perfect for articles, documents, and study materials. - Text-to-Speech Reading Listen while you multitask with natural-sounding voices. Real-time word highlighting keeps you engaged as the text is read aloud. Choose from system voices or upgrade to Premium AI voices powered by OpenAI for the most natural speech synthesis available. - Auto-Scroll Reading Smooth, continuous scrolling at your preferred pace. Adjust speed in real-time with an intuitive slider. Perfect for focused reading without manual scrolling distractions. SMART TEXT INPUT Camera Document Scanning - Point your camera at any document, book, or printed text. Advanced OCR technology instantly extracts text with high accuracy. Speech-to-Text Dictation - Speak naturally and watch your words appear. Perfect for capturing ideas, notes, or content hands-free. Photo Upload - Import images from your library and extract text instantly. Great for digitizing old documents or screenshots. Manual Input - Traditional text entry with a clean, distraction-free editor. AI-POWERED INTELLIGENCE (Pro Feature) Smart Summaries - Get instant key points and comprehensive summaries powered by Apple Intelligence. Perfect for quickly understanding long articles or documents before deep reading. TRACK YOUR PROGRESS Reading Statistics - Monitor words read, time spent, sessions completed, and average reading speed. Build consistent reading habits with streak tracking and daily breakdowns. Reading History - Access your last 10 reading sessions (free) or unlimited history (Pro). Quickly revisit previous texts with automatic word count and date tracking. Streak Tracking - Build momentum with daily reading streaks. Watch your longest streak grow as you develop consistent reading habits. PRODUCTIVITY FEATURES - Adjustable reading speed for all modes - Skip forward/backward controls in speed reading - Real-time word highlighting in speech mode - Share texts and reading stats with friends - Clean, modern SwiftUI interface - Full iPad support with landscape mode - Haptic feedback for enhanced interaction - Dark mode support PERFECT FOR • Students reading textbooks, research papers, and study materials • Professionals processing reports, emails, and business documents• Busy readers who want to read more in less time • Anyone with dyslexia, ADHD, or visual processing differences • Commuters and multitaskers who prefer audio learning • Language learners practicing reading comprehension • Researchers scanning and analyzing documents • Anyone building consistent reading habits SCHOLARLY PRO Upgrade to unlock premium features: Premium AI Voices - 6 natural-sounding voices AI Summaries - Instant key points and comprehensive text analysis Unlimited History - Keep every reading session forever Advanced Statistics - All-time stats with detailed breakdowns Ad-Free Experience - Pure, distraction-free reading USE CASES Speed through lengthy documents in minutes. Listen to articles while commuting or exercising. Scan physical documents and read them digitally. Build a daily reading habit with streak tracking. Study more efficiently with AI-powered summaries. Practice speed reading techniques. Improve focus with distraction-free RSVP. Access reading material hands-free. Start reading smarter today with Scholarly! Privacy Policy: https://ryanschefske.github.io/scholarlyPrivacyPolicyindex Terms and Conditions: https://ryanschefske.github.io/scholarlyTermsAndConditionsindex Apple's EULA: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

Papers by ReadCube4 screens
Scholarly4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Scholarly at 4.5 against Papers by ReadCube's 3.7. Papers by ReadCube's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 2) and ads (none vs shown). On price, device support 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. Scholarly sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Papers by ReadCube asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Scholarly holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 3.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Papers by ReadCube has 555 ratings behind it against 8, so its average is the more settled of the two.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Papers by ReadCube ships an update every 2 months, Scholarly every 37 months. The most recent releases landed on October 19, 2026 and October 5, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 4 level
Papers by ReadCube versus Scholarly: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterPapers by ReadCubeScholarly
PriceFreeFree
Rating3.7 (555 ratings)4.5 (8 ratings) — better
Positive reviews41.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings555 — better8
Update frequencyEvery 2 months — betterEvery 37 months
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree — betterFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS17.0 — better17.3
Further details — not scored
Size79 MB15 MB
Age rating17+4+
DeveloperDigital Science & Research Solutions Inc.Ryan Schefske

Customer experience

Papers by ReadCube

All ratings555 ratings
Positive65.9%
Neutral10.3%
Negative23.8%
Written reviews183 reviews
Positive41.0%
Neutral18.0%
Negative41.0%

Scholarly

All ratings8 ratings
Positive87.5%
Neutral0.0%
Negative12.5%

Bugs and requests

Papers by ReadCube

Reported bugs

5 issues
  • Frequent app crashes and freezes
  • Sync issues causing data loss and duplication
  • Unreliable PDF downloads and access
  • Inconsistent behavior of annotation tools
  • Compatibility problems with newer devices and OS versions

Requested features

5 requests
  • Add eraser tool for handwritten annotations
  • Improve PDF viewing and navigation experience
  • Implement better organization and folder management
  • Integrate citation and bibliography tools
  • Provide more customization options

Scholarly

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

None

Papers by ReadCube

No in-app purchases

2 purchases

Scholarly

Subscriptions2
  • Scholarly Pro Monthly$4.991 Month
  • Scholarly Pro Yearly$39.991 Year

Questions

Is Papers by ReadCube free?
Papers by ReadCube is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Scholarly free?
Scholarly is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Papers by ReadCube or Scholarly?
Scholarly is rated higher. Papers by ReadCube averages 3.7 out of 5 from 555 ratings, while Scholarly averages 4.5 from 8 ratings.
Do Papers by ReadCube or Scholarly have ads?
Scholarly shows ads; Papers by ReadCube does not.
Which is updated more often, Papers by ReadCube or Scholarly?
Papers by ReadCube ships an update every 2 months, and Scholarly every 37 months. Most recently, Papers by ReadCube was updated on October 19, 2026 and Scholarly on October 5, 2026.

Other comparisons