ReadCube Papers vs Dropbox
We believe your library of literature is more than just PDFs in a folder.
Research is dynamic and evolves every day, so your tools to manage your library should be too. With ReadCube Papers, enjoy a connected library of research, auto-linked supplements, track article metrics, get personalized reading recommendations, discover new papers, import full-text in a single click, and cite your manuscript - all within one platform.
Don't take our word for it - take a look below to see how ReadCube Papers can help you enhance your research over Dropbox and then start a free 30-day trial!
| Organization | ReadCube Papers | Dropbox |
|---|---|---|
| Import references & PDF | ✓ | ✓ |
| +Import other file types | Enterprise Edition | ✓ |
| Automatic metadata extraction and article identification | ✓ | Limited |
| Duplicate article detection | ✓ | N/A |
| Full-text search, including annotations | ✓ | Limited |
| Advanced search filters | ✓ | ✓ |
| Customizable lists | ✓ | ✓ |
| Smart lists | ✓ | N/A |
| Bulk keyword tagging | ✓ | N/A |
| Labels and article ratings | ✓ | Limited |
| Watch folders for automatic PDF import | ✓ | N/A |
| File management | ✓ | ✓ |
| Reading | ReadCube Papers | Dropbox |
|---|---|---|
| Clickable enhancements for PDFs | ✓ | N/A |
| +Inline references | ✓ | N/A |
| +Full reference list | ✓ | N/A |
| +Linked author names | ✓ | N/A |
| +Automatic attachment of supplemental information | ✓ | N/A |
| Full screen PDF viewer | ✓ | ✓ |
| Article outline | ✓ | N/A |
| PDF annotation, highlighting tools & drawing tools | ✓ | Limited |
| High resolution figure & video viewer | ✓ | N/A |
| Text to speech | ✓ | N/A |
| Finding New Papers | ReadCube Papers | Dropbox |
|---|---|---|
| Built-in search | ✓ | N/A |
| 1-click PDF downloads | ✓ | N/A |
| Institutional proxy integration | ✓ | N/A |
| Extensions supporting 1-click downloads & PDF streaming across the web | ✓ | N/A |
| Dimensions.ai integration | ✓ | N/A |
| Advanced Discovery & Metrics | ReadCube Papers | Dropbox |
|---|---|---|
| Personalized paper recommendation engine | ✓ | N/A |
| +Customizable based on publication time frame | ✓ | N/A |
| +Constantly-updated stream of recommendations | ✓ | N/A |
| Related articles | ✓ | N/A |
| Citation count metrics | ✓ | N/A |
| Relative citation ratio (article level-impact) | ✓ | N/A |
| Field citation ratio | ✓ | N/A |
| Visualizations and clickable lists of citing articles | ✓ | N/A |
| Contextual citations | ✓ | N/A |
| Altmetric integration | ✓ | N/A |
| Sharing | ReadCube Papers | Dropbox | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Private collaboration groups | ✓ | ✓ | |
| +Metadata | ✓ | N/A | |
| +PDFs | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Shared tagging | ✓ | N/A | |
| Shared annotations | ✓ | Limited | |
| Shared smart lists | ✓ | N/A |
| Citing | ReadCube Papers | Dropbox |
|---|---|---|
| Word-compatible citation tool | ✓ | N/A |
| Instant bibliography insertion and style formatting | ✓ | N/A |
| Included citation styles | 9000+ | N/A |
| Add and create custom styles | ✓ | N/A |
| Marking favorite styles | ✓ | N/A |
| Integrated web search within the plugin | ✓ | N/A |
| Quickly copy formatted citations | ✓ | N/A |
| Export to other citation file formats (.bib, .ris, .xml) | ✓ | N/A |
| Access to references in both personal and shared libraries | ✓ | N/A |
| Integration with Overleaf | ✓ | N/A |
| Integration with Google Docs | ✓ | N/A |
| Article Acquisition | ReadCube Papers | Dropbox |
|---|---|---|
| Purchase PDFs within ReadCube Papers apps | Via Access Module | N/A |
| Holdings & subscription integration | Via Access Module | N/A |
| Access permissions and secure administrative panel | Via Access Module | N/A |
| Supported Platform/Devices | ReadCube Papers | Dropbox |
|---|---|---|
| Desktop app (Windows, Mac) | ✓ | ✓ |
| Web reader with enhanced PDFs | ✓ | Limited |
| Web-based library | ✓ | ✓ |
| Compatibility with all modern web browsers | ✓ | ✓ |
| Mobile apps (smartphone, tablet) | ✓ | ✓ |
| +iOS (including Apple Pencil support) | ✓ | Limited |
| +Android | ✓ | ✓ |
| Cloud Storage + Sync | ReadCube Papers | Dropbox |
|---|---|---|
| Sync library across platforms and devices | ✓ | ✓ |
| Storage space for PDFs | Unlimited | Limited |
This comparison is based on the Dropbox Plus subscription plan. If you are interested in learning more about how Dropbox Enterprise plans compare, please visit our ReadCube Papers Enterprise page.