Comparison

Papers by ReadCube vs CryoStats

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

CryoStats

Manage lab samples and freezer inventory with a visual, searchable system. Track samples by type, location, and details, and find anything in seconds. Works offline and syncs across devices.

Highlights
  • Visual freezer box grid
  • Global sample search
  • Photographic grid alignment
  • Color-coded sample tracking
  • Ice bucket mode for bench work
  • Duplicate detection
  • Offline functionality
Features
Read full description

Spend less time searching through freezers, and more time on experiments. CryoStats is a lab sample management app built by scientists, for scientists. A visual, searchable inventory for every freezer, rack, box, and position in cold storage. Stop searching through binders and spreadsheets or relying on memory. CryoStats maps your physical freezer boxes to an exact 2D grid on your iPhone and Mac, so you can find any sample in seconds and update inventory from the bench. Your Data is Your Own! CryoStats stores your freezer data locally on your own devices, and optionally in your personal (encrypted) iCloud storage space. CryoStats is secure and private. DESIGNED FOR THE WAY SCIENTISTS ACTUALLY WORK: iOS and Mac: CryoStats has dedicated apps for your Phone and Mac, so you can work efficiently at the bench and at your desk. CryoStats works offline for on-the-go productivity. Visual Box Grid: Mirrors the physical layout of your freezer boxes. Every position is visible at a glance, exactly where you'd expect it. Track samples by type, and annotate with concentration, origin, date, and notes. Even add a photo if you need to! Global Search: Find any sample across all freezers instantly. Search by name, sample type, box, freezer, or any field. Photographic Grid Alignment: Point your camera at the box to update the grid-photo, or use a grid schematic to represent your boxes. Color Based Sample Tracking: Samples are colored by type (DNA, RNA, Protein, Buffers, etc.) so you can easily see what sample is where. Share samples with a single tap: Share a sample location and information (concentration, sequence) via iMessage/SMS or e-mail with a single tap. Share common boxes with new lab members, and export your entire freezer inventory to your PI before leaving the lab. All with a single tap. Ice Bucket Mode: Identify which tubes to get from the freezer for a day at the bench. Track samples from the moment you pull them from the freezer through return or discard. Set per-sample-type time alerts so nothing gets forgotten at the bench. Freeze-thaw cycles are counted automatically. Duplicate Detection: Flags potential duplicates before you add them, keeping your inventory clean. iCloud Sync: Your inventory stays current across all your devices automatically. Or keep data local, it's your data and your choice. CryoStats always works offline, so take your data with you in the event of an internet outage or trip to an isolated cold room. Easily Move Samples and Boxes: Drag samples within a box to move their location. Align with a new photo for up-to-date tracking. Works in Your Language: CryoStats now runs natively in English, Danish, Dutch, French, German, Hebrew, Hindi, Italian, Korean, Japanese, Spanish, Turkish, Simplified Chinese, and Traditional Chinese. Every menu, label, and help text is fully translated. CRYOSTATS PRO The free tier includes 1 freezer, 3 boxes, and 30 samples. CryoStats Pro removes all limits: - Unlimited freezers, boxes, and samples - PDF export and import for inventory reports - Scheduled automatic backups (daily, weekly, or monthly) Try Pro free for one month. Then $3.99/month or $24.99/year. Free to start. No time limit on the free tier. Download CryoStats and add your first freezer in under two minutes. Website: http://cryostats.io Privacy Policy: https://www.cryostats.io/privacy.html Terms of Use: https://www.cryostats.io/terms.html Support: https://www.cryostats.io/support.html

Screenshots

Papers by ReadCube4 screens
CryoStats4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: CryoStats at 5.0 against Papers by ReadCube's 3.7. CryoStats also leads on update cadence (every 2 days vs every 2 months). Papers by ReadCube's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 2) and ratings volume (555 vs 2). On price, ads, 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. CryoStats sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month. Papers by ReadCube asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

CryoStats holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 3.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Papers by ReadCube has 555 ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Papers by ReadCube ships an update every 2 months, CryoStats every 2 days. The most recent releases landed on October 19, 2026 and October 7, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
Papers by ReadCube versus CryoStats: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterPapers by ReadCubeCryoStats
PriceFreeFree
Rating3.7 (555 ratings)5.0 (2 ratings) — better
Positive reviews41.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings555 — better2
Update frequencyEvery 2 monthsEvery 2 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree — betterFreemium
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, Mac
Requires iOS17.017.0
Further details — not scored
Size79 MB17 MB
Age rating17+17+
DeveloperDigital Science & Research Solutions Inc.CryoStats, LLC

Customer experience

Papers by ReadCube

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

CryoStats

All ratings2 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

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

CryoStats

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

None

Papers by ReadCube

No in-app purchases

2 purchases

CryoStats

Subscriptions2
  • CryoStats Pro Month1 Month trial$3.991 Month
  • CryoStats Pro Annual1 Month trial$24.991 Year

Questions

Is Papers by ReadCube free?
Papers by ReadCube is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is CryoStats free?
CryoStats is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Papers by ReadCube or CryoStats?
CryoStats is rated higher. Papers by ReadCube averages 3.7 out of 5 from 555 ratings, while CryoStats averages 5.0 from 2 ratings.
Do Papers by ReadCube or CryoStats have ads?
Neither Papers by ReadCube nor CryoStats shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Papers by ReadCube or CryoStats?
Papers by ReadCube ships an update every 2 months, and CryoStats every 2 days. Most recently, Papers by ReadCube was updated on October 19, 2026 and CryoStats on October 7, 2026.

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