# Papers by ReadCube vs Quartzy

The clearest difference is ads: Papers by ReadCube at none against Quartzy's shown. Papers by ReadCube also leads on rating (3.7 vs 3.3) and ratings volume (551 vs 16). On price, update cadence, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Papers by ReadCube holds the better App Store score, 3.7 against 3.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Papers by ReadCube has 551 ratings behind it against 16, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 41% of Papers by ReadCube's written reviews are positive against 25% of Quartzy's.

Papers by ReadCube ships an update every 2 months, Quartzy monthly. The most recent releases landed on September 20, 2026 and July 5, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Papers by ReadCube | Quartzy |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[3.7 (551 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/papers-by-readcube/id864042981/reviews)** | [3.3 (16 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/quartzy/id1613415245/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **551** | 16 |
| Positive reviews | **41.2% of reviews** | 25.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Monthly** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Ad-supported |
| Size | 77 MB | 39 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 | **15.1** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 17+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Digital Science & Research Solutions Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/864042984) | [Quartzy, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1613415697) |

## 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

**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


### Quartzy

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/quartzy/id1613415245)

Manage your lab's inventory with this mobile tool. Track stock, submit requests, and scan items to ensure supplies are always available, preventing experimental delays. Generate unique barcodes directly from your account.

**Highlights:** Track inventory in real-time, Submit supply requests, Scan and receive items, Print unique barcodes, Up-to-date stock view

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Papers by ReadCube free?

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

### Is Quartzy free?

Quartzy is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Papers by ReadCube or Quartzy?

Papers by ReadCube is rated higher. Papers by ReadCube averages 3.7 out of 5 from 551 ratings, while Quartzy averages 3.3 from 16 ratings.

### Do Papers by ReadCube or Quartzy have ads?

Quartzy shows ads; Papers by ReadCube does not.

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

Papers by ReadCube ships an update every 2 months, and Quartzy monthly. Most recently, Papers by ReadCube was updated on September 20, 2026 and Quartzy on July 5, 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.*