Flexcil vs LiquidText

Flexcil

• Students who study from PDF textbooks and lecture slides
• Readers who collect excerpts from several documents into one notebook
• K-12 schools, which can apply for free licenses

LiquidText

• Lawyers and analysts reviewing long documents
• Researchers comparing passages across several papers
• Pen-and-tablet users who want notes tied back to their sources

Flexcil

• No pricing page is published. The US App Store lists Flexcil Standard at $9.99 and Premium at $8.99 without saying whether either is one-time or recurring.
• Native apps are offered for iOS and Android only. The browser version is titled Flexcil Web Viewer, and the terms describe it as a web viewer.
• Google Play's US listing shows only a range of $2.49 to $31.99 per item, so Android prices may differ from the App Store's.
• The free download carries advertising, and its feature limits are not stated on the site or the App Store listing.

LiquidText

• The apps cover iPadOS, macOS and Windows only.
• The free Basic version leaves out multi-document projects, inking, tagging and OCR.
• Pro 2023 is licensed for one platform; syncing between devices or working across operating systems needs a LIVE subscription.
• LIVE includes 1 GB of storage and sharing with one colleague; more of either needs an Unlimited tier.

Flexcil

Pen gestures for PDF markup

A pen gesture highlights or underlines text, and the same kind of gesture captures text or images from a PDF into a notebook in two steps.

Notebook beside the document

A handwritten notebook sits over the PDF so reading, annotating and note-taking share one screen, and a popup viewer shows a second source while writing.

Reference links

Content captured into a notebook is linked back to its place in the original document, which keeps material from several PDFs connected.

PDF editing and page views

Merges PDFs and edits pages, outlines and bookmarks, with single-page, 2-page and 4-page views for reading.

Audio recording and note replay

Recordings are synced with handwriting, so tapping a note plays back what was being said when it was written.

Cloud sync and masking pen

Handwritten notes sync automatically between tablet and phone. A masking pen hides content for memorization and counts correct and incorrect answers.

LiquidText

Unified workspace

Source documents and notes share one screen. Excerpts dragged out of a document stay linked to their original location and return to it with one tap.

Pinch to compare and search

A pinch gesture collapses a document so distant pages, search results or highlights sit together, with as much surrounding context as needed.

Ink links and freehand notes

Pro adds freehand inking anywhere and live links drawn as a line between any two objects, such as a page, an excerpt and a comment.

Multi-document projects

Pro projects hold any number of documents, show up to 3 in parallel (5 on PC) and search across all of them at once.

LIVE sync and collaboration

The LIVE subscription syncs projects across devices in real time, backs them up continuously and lets a colleague work in a shared project.

Export and reference managers

Notes and excerpts export to PDF and DOCX, and Pro integrates with the Zotero and Mendeley reference managers.

Flexcil

• Free$0

  The free download, which the App Store notes contains advertising. Its limits are not listed on the site or the store listing.

• Premium$8.99

  billing basis not shown on the US App Store listing

  Listed as an in-app purchase without a description. Flexcil's terms name Flexcil Premium as its paid service.

• Flexcil Standard$9.99

  billing basis not shown on the US App Store listing

  Listed as an in-app purchase without a description of what it unlocks.

• Bundles and planner content$11.99 - $14.99

  per item on the US App Store; basis not shown

  Standard or Premium bundled with planner or toolbar skin packs at $12.99 to $14.99, and planner content sold separately at $11.99 to $13.99.

LiquidText

• Basic$0

  PDF reader with annotation, a unified workspace, excerpts linked back to the document, pinch search and notes export.

• Pro 2023$89.99

  one-time purchase, one platform

  Local app for a single platform: inking, multi-document projects, links across documents, tagging, OCR, and Zotero and Mendeley integration.

• LIVE$8.99

  per month, paid annually; $10.99 paid monthly

  Everything in Pro 2023 on all platforms, plus real-time sync, continuous backup, 1 GB of project storage and sharing with one colleague.

• LIVE Unlimited$15.99

  per month, paid annually; $18.99 paid monthly

  Adds unlimited storage, document replacement, enhanced search actions and priority support.

• LIVE Unlimited Plus$20.99

  per month, paid annually; $24.99 paid monthly

  Raises real-time collaboration from one colleague to nearly unlimited collaborators per project, with sharing and privacy controls.

• Enterprise EditionCustom

  Quoted on request, with a license management console, single sign-on, password-based file encryption and an on-premises server option.

Flexcil

• Education

  Free licenses for K-12 schools

  K-12 schools can apply for free licenses with an institutional email domain. Flexcil says universities, private education and individual requests may not be granted them.

LiquidText

• Annual discount

  Lower monthly rate when paid annually

  LIVE is $8.99 a month paid annually against $10.99 paid monthly; LIVE Unlimited is $15.99 against $18.99, and Unlimited Plus $20.99 against $24.99.

• Education

  Student pricing through in-app purchase

  The pricing page says student discounts are available only as in-app purchases in a LiquidText app downloaded from the app store. It gives no rate.

• Lifetime license

  Pro 2023 as a one-time purchase

  LiquidText Pro 2023 is paid once at $89.99 for a single platform and can run on up to 5 personal devices on that platform.