# Papers by ReadCube vs MarginNote 4

The clearest difference is rating: MarginNote 4 at 4.5 against Papers by ReadCube's 3.7. MarginNote 4 also leads on review sentiment (58% vs 41%) and update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 2 months). Papers by ReadCube's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 13). On price, ratings volume, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. MarginNote 4 sells 12 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. Papers by ReadCube asks for nothing beyond the download.

MarginNote 4 holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 3.7. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 555 and 716 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 41% of Papers by ReadCube's written reviews are positive against 58% of MarginNote 4's.

Papers by ReadCube ships an update every 2 months, MarginNote 4 every 3 weeks. Both last shipped on October 15, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Papers by ReadCube | MarginNote 4 |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.7 (555 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/papers-by-readcube/id864042981/reviews) | **[4.5 (716 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/marginnote-4-ai-notesmindmap/id1531657269/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 555 | **716** |
| Positive reviews | 41.0% of reviews | **58.5% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 79 MB | 330 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | 17.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, Mac** |
| Age rating | 17+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Digital Science & Research Solutions Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/864042984) | [Beijing Yunsi Software Technology Co., Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/723205556) |

## What reviewers say

### Papers by ReadCube

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/papers-by-readcube/id864042981)

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:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Seamless syncing across devices
- 📚 Excellent for organizing and managing research papers
- 🔍 Helpful search and discovery features
- 💻 Good integration with desktop and web versions
- 📝 Useful annotation and highlighting tools

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Buggy annotation and handwriting tools
- 🔍 Inconsistent search and metadata retrieval
- 💾 Unreliable cloud sync and data loss issues
- 🖍️ Limited annotation features compared to competitors
- 🕰️ Slow development and lack of updates

**Reported bugs**

- 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**

- 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


### MarginNote 4

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/marginnote-4-ai-notesmindmap/id1531657269)

This app integrates reading, note-taking, mind mapping, and flashcards into a unified study environment. It supports active learning with features like study sets, book compilation, and dual-article views. Enhance your understanding with visual learning tools and AI-powered content extraction for long-term memory retention.

**Highlights:** Integrated reading, note-taking, mind mapping, and flashcards, Quick Extend Note and Handwriting Layers for annotation, Study Set for organizing PDFs, EPUBs, videos, and audio, Mind Map and Concept Diagram for visual learning, AI Content Detection for formula and chart extraction, FSRS spaced-repetition algorithm for reviews, iCloud sync across Apple devices

**Features:** Family Sharing, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (12)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Subscription to MAX (Monthly) | $1.99 | per month |
| Subscription to MAX (3 months) | $4.99 | per 3 months |
| Subscription to MAX (6 months) | $7.99 | per 6 months |
| Subscription to MAX (Annually) | $12.99 | per year |
| MarginNote Max Annual | $16.99 | per year |
| 14 days Free Trial | Free | one-time |
| Upgrade to PRO from MN3(iOS) | $4.99 | one-time |
| Unlock PRO Forever (New) | $12.99 | one-time |
| Upgrade to MAX from MN3(macOS) | $19.99 | one-time |
| Unlock MAX based on PRO | $39.99 | one-time |
| Unlock MAX based on PRO (New) | $40.00 | one-time |
| Unlock MAX Forever (New) | $51.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Powerful features
- 📚 Great for academic/research use
- 👍 Useful note-taking and organization
- 🖊️ Improved handwriting and annotation

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Buggy and crashes frequently
- 🕰️ Slow and laggy sync between devices
- 🤯 Steep learning curve, poor documentation
- 💰 Expensive upgrade from previous version

**Reported bugs**

- Disappearing annotations when using extend function
- Inability to restore accidentally deleted mind maps
- Inconsistent behavior with PDF file management

**Requested features**

- Improved iCloud/cloud sync reliability
- More intuitive and user-friendly interface
- Better support for external document libraries
- Ability to disable auto-excerpt selection


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Papers by ReadCube free?

Papers by ReadCube is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is MarginNote 4 free?

MarginNote 4 is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Papers by ReadCube or MarginNote 4?

MarginNote 4 is rated higher. Papers by ReadCube averages 3.7 out of 5 from 555 ratings, while MarginNote 4 averages 4.5 from 716 ratings.

### Do Papers by ReadCube or MarginNote 4 have ads?

Neither Papers by ReadCube nor MarginNote 4 shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Papers by ReadCube or MarginNote 4?

Papers by ReadCube ships an update every 2 months, and MarginNote 4 every 3 weeks. Most recently, Papers by ReadCube was updated on October 15, 2026 and MarginNote 4 on October 15, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*