Researchers managing papers, citations, and literature reviewneed tools that keep up with their workflow. Here's how Melo and Craft compare for this specific use case.
What researchers need from a productivity tool
Researchers deal with papers, citations, and literature review daily. The ideal tool for this workflow needs to be fast (no waiting for pages to load), flexible (different projects require different layouts), and smart (AI that understands your specific context). Privacy matters too — researchers often handle sensitive information.
Dozens of browser tabs open with journal articles and no way to organize them
Literature review notes disconnected from the papers they reference
AI tools that summarize without understanding your research context
Collaborative tools that put sensitive unpublished research on someone else's server
Craft for researchers
Beautiful document editor for Apple devices. While Craft is a capable tool, researchers often find it limiting when they need to work with multiple content types simultaneously. Craft's approach works for generic use cases, but the specific demands of papers, citations, and literature review require more flexibility.
Notes, todos, web embeds, clipboard, calendar, AI chat
Rich documents with some embed support
Data
Local-first — your data stays on your Mac
Cloud-synced with optional offline access
Pricing
$29.99 one-time lifetime license
Free tier + subscription for advanced features
Why researchers pick Melo
Open a journal article in one tile, your notes in another, and AI chat to help you synthesize findings. Melo's spatial layout lets you visually map relationships between papers. All data stays local — your unpublished research never touches a cloud server.
For researchersspecifically, Melo's spatial canvas means you can design a workspace that mirrors how you think about papers, citations, and literature review. Tile your key documents, tasks, web references, and AI chat on one board. Switch between project contexts by switching boards. Everything stays local, fast, and private.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Melo more expensive than Craft?
Melo is a one-time $29.99 lifetime license — no subscription. Many competitors charge $10–15/month with no ownership option. Over a year or two, Melo typically costs less, and the lifetime license means zero recurring fees.
Can I import my data from Craft?
Melo supports common import formats. While there's no one-click migration from Craft, you can export your data and bring it into Melo's workspace. The spatial canvas also makes it easy to start fresh — many users prefer building a new spatial workflow from scratch.
What makes Melo better than other tools for researchers?
Most tools force you into their structure — linear documents, rigid databases, or text-only editors. Researchers need flexibility to arrange papers, citations, and literature review in a way that makes sense. Melo's spatial canvas adapts to you, and the AI understands your full context.
What platforms does Melo support?
Melo is built exclusively for macOS. It's a native Electron app optimized for the Mac experience — trackpad gestures, keyboard shortcuts, and performance tuned for Apple hardware.
Is Melo free?
Melo is a one-time lifetime license ($29.99). There's no free tier and no subscription — you pay once and get full access to everything from day one, no feature gating, all future updates included.