# Papers by ReadCube vs Stardust Recorder

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Papers by ReadCube at none against Stardust Recorder's 2. Papers by ReadCube also leads on device support (3 vs 1) and iOS requirement (15.6 vs 17.0). On price and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Stardust Recorder sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. Papers by ReadCube asks for nothing beyond the download.

## The numbers

| Metric | Papers by ReadCube | Stardust Recorder |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[3.7 (551 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/papers-by-readcube/id864042981/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **551** | — |
| Positive reviews | 41.2% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | — |
| Monetization | Free | — |
| Size | 77 MB | 147 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.6** | 17.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 17+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Digital Science & Research Solutions Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/864042984) | [Abrar Miah](https://appshunter.io/developer/1896184414) |

## 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


### Stardust Recorder

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/stardust-recorder/id6766495424)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Stardust Pro | $1.99 | per month |
| Stardust Pro | $12.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Papers by ReadCube free?

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

### Is Stardust Recorder free?

Stardust Recorder is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Do Papers by ReadCube or Stardust Recorder have ads?

Neither Papers by ReadCube nor Stardust Recorder shows ads.

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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.*