research reference manager

Mendeley Blog

Introducing mendeley reference manager – designed for today’s researcher workflow.

Updated on 22 February 2022 with new details and timelines .

Whether organizing research, annotating articles, generating a bibliography or sharing references, Mendeley has been there to help ease the workflow of millions of researchers around the world. Using valuable feedback from our users, we have developed a completely new build of the reference manager that is more resilient, streamlined and intuitive – and we can’t wait for you to try it.

Do more with Mendeley

Mendeley Reference Manager simplifies your entire referencing workflow and provides what you need to stay organized and focused on what matters – your research. Mendeley Cite, an add-in for Microsoft Word, makes citing seamless. Together they make storing, organizing, annotating, sharing and citing references more efficient than ever before.

Try the new Mendeley to:

• Work in different locations with identical desktop and web versions
• Insert citations seamlessly while writing – without having to leave your document
• Enjoy peace of mind with automatic sync, knowing that your latest changes are always backed up in the cloud
• Collaborate with others in real time – automatic sync enables sharing and annotating papers alongside team members in private groups
• Experience the reliability of software regularly updated with new features and releases

A closer look

Mendeley’s new reference management suite consists of three integrated applications that together provide you with a single, powerful solution.

Mendeley Reference Manager – Installed on your desktop or as a web application, you can easily organize all your references in one library using collections and tags, and find important references quickly with keyword search and filtering. The built-in notebook helps you keep your thoughts organized in one place. Create notebook pages for different topics and use them to collect annotations and highlighted text from PDFs as you read them. Create and participate in private groups from within the app and share resources and annotations efficiently with a team. You can switch seamlessly between desktop and web versions of the reference manager for convenient access to your research on any computer.

Mendeley Cite – Generate citations and bibliographies and change citation style in just a few clicks with the new Mendeley Cite add-in for Microsoft Word. Your whole document remains visible while finding, selecting and inserting references – you no longer need to switch back and forth between your library, the citation panel and what you’re writing. What’s more, because your library is stored in the cloud, Mendeley Cite works even without the desktop version of Mendeley Reference Manager being installed. Compatible with Microsoft® Office 365, Microsoft Word versions 2016 and newer, the Microsoft Word app for iPad® and the free Microsoft Word for the web, Mendeley Cite offers users a range of options, and we will continue to expand these in the future.

Mendeley Web Importer – Adding this extension to your browser enables you to easily build your library of references as you search online. Access full-text research with one click where available, and spend less time navigating and more time building your knowledgebase.

The three applications are fully integrated – your collections are visible and searchable throughout your workflow so that you can quickly and efficiently build, manage and cite from your library. Because all three are available on a wide range of platforms and web browsers, you have the flexibility to work how and where you want.

The new Mendeley suite also has a clearer, more intuitive look and functionality, so that you can get up and running quickly and manage your references with ease.

How to upgrade

Mendeley Desktop users can try Mendeley Reference Manager’s desktop app worry-free – both applications can be installed on your computer at the same time. Ready to explore the new Mendeley? Here’s how:

• Sync your existing library in Mendeley Desktop
• Download and install Mendeley Re ference Manag er
• Open the new reference manager, and sign in using your existing Mendeley credentials

That’s it! With those simple steps, you are ready to use a more powerful version of Mendeley.

Mendeley Reference Manager will replace Mendeley Desktop in the long run

As part of the continued evolution of Mendeley, from 1 September 2022, users will no longer be able to download and install Mendeley Desktop software. Existing users of Mendeley Desktop will continue to be able to sign into, use and sync their Mendeley Desktop.

Longer-term, once we are confident that the new Mendeley Reference Manager sufficiently meets your reference management needs, we will begin the process of stopping all sign-ins to Mendeley Desktop. We will be sure to give you plenty of notice before this happens.

We want to hear from you

Listening to Mendeley’s user base has been a critical part of developing the new Mendeley applications. Because we understand that your needs evolve, the product team is always eager to hear from you, so we can continue to build a Mendeley that supports you. Send us your feedback, ideas and suggestions anytime from within the apps, or via the link below.

We are regularly releasing updates for the new Mendeley applications, which helps us progressively integrate your feedback and suggestions. It also ensures that bugs are fixed quickly and updates to approved third-party software are implemented in a timely way. Our aim is to provide a smooth experience for Mendeley users, so your attention can stay focused on your research.

The Mendeley team values the opportunity to provide solutions that help researchers do their vital work more easily and efficiently. We are proud to be a trusted partner to so many researchers around the world, and committed to supporting you and your research today – and into the future.

Try the new Mendeley Reference Manager now.

Your experience matters

We welcome your feedback about the new Mendeley Reference Manager. While we will be unable to respond individually, your message will be reviewed by our team and suggestions may be added in future releases. Provide feedback .

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Zotero is a free, open-source research tool that helps you collect, organize, and analyze research and share it in a variety of ways. Zotero includes the best parts of older reference manager software — the ability to store author, title, and publication fields and to export that information as formatted references — and the best aspects of modern software and web applications, such as the ability to organize, tag, and search in advanced ways. Zotero interacts seamlessly with online resources: when it senses you are viewing a book, article, or other object on the web, it can automatically extract and save complete bibliographic references. Zotero effortlessly transmits information to and from other web services and applications, and it runs both as a web service and offline on your personal devices.

To learn more about what Zotero can do, visit our Support pages.

To learn more about the people that have made Zotero possible, see Credits and Acknowledgements .

Zotero is a project of the Corporation for Digital Scholarship , a nonprofit organization dedicated to the development of software and services for researchers and cultural heritage institutions. It was created at the Roy Rosenzweig Center for History and New Media at George Mason University with initial funding from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation , the United States Institute of Museum and Library Services , and the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation .

Speedy Citations: 6 Reference Management Software Solutions for Your Research

#scribendiinc

Written by  Scribendi

Students, academics, authors, and researchers generally have to do a lot of online research. With so many different databases, online journals, and websites, it can be overwhelming to manage and organize so many references—especially if you're doing it manually.

Did you know that there are programs that can actually manage and keep track of your references for you? If not, then you are in for a treat!

Many reference management software programs make the process of managing your references nearly effortless. Here are the top 6, as determined by Scribendi's research.

Up Close: The 6 Best Reference Management Software Programs

Managing your references online doesn't have to be hard, e specially when citation programs exist that let you easily organize and cite your references.

Reference managers take the effort out of storing references, categorizing them, and including the right ones in your work.

Without reference managers, it's too easy to lose an important source, or worse, cite it incorrectly.

Below, we're expanding on the top reference management software programs out there, including:

Download our 1-page guide to reference management software solutions now.

1. Mendeley

If you're in a technical or scientific field, Mendeley is an excellent option for you. This reference management software allows users to generate citations and bibliographies in Microsoft Word, LibreOffice, and LaTeX.

Mendeley is great for collaborative work because it allows you to connect with colleagues and share your papers, notes, and annotations. It can be used on your computer via the web or through your iPhone or iPad, which makes it easy to do your work wherever you go.

Mendeley Review

Mendeley is especially useful for gathering data from PDFs you find in your research process. It automatically extracts metadata and adds it to your library entry. The software also has a built-in PDF viewer for easy reading.

With both free and paid options, Mendeley is one of the best reference managers and is easily accessible across all devices. For easy organization, it gives you the option of categorizing sources as recently read or recently added.

As an additional way to keep all of your notes from sources on a single platform, Mendeley has its own proprietary system for annotating PDFs . This means you don't need to leave the platform to take notes as you go!

Endnote versus Mendeley

If you're like most researchers and authors, you might be considering Endnote versus Mendeley. If so, here are a few things that might sway your decision.

Mendeley offers the bulk of its platform features for free. It gives you the option to sync your references on all of your devices, and it makes reference categorization simple.

EndNote, on the other hand, is a pricier Mendeley alternative. The majority of its features can only be accessed with a paid subscription. However, EndNote is more of a complete tool, with a heavy focus on academic journals. You can search databases, such as PubMed, right inside the tool, and it makes citation formatting a breeze with its Cite While You Write integration.

Both platforms have great features; the choice just depends on how much you're able to spend per month and your specific discipline. 

2. Flowcite

Flowcite helps researchers manage every aspect of academic writing, including research, reference management, collaborative writing, annotating, editing, and publishing. It brings together all of the most requested services for creating a research paper from start to finish.

Besides free core features, such as a knowledge library of almost 25 million sources, a reference manager, LaTeX and rich text editors, and a collaborative PDF viewer, Flowcite offers a number of top-notch services for editing and proofreading (by Scribendi !), similarity checking, and publishing from leading service providers.

Get Academic Proofreading by Scribendi to get your work ready for journal publication.

Flowcite review.

Like other reference management tools, Flowcite has free and paid options. Their free option gives you 3 GB of storage and collaboration features for up to three people. However, at $9 a month, Flowcite's paid subscription isn't too steep.

With their paid option, you can enjoy the following features:

A PDF viewer in which you can collaborate with colleagues on annotations

The ability to access free journal articles within the platform

Up to 30 GB of storage for important references

Collaboration features for up to 10 people

The ability to purchase or rent e-books from Flowcite's online bookstore

A browser extension for saving references on the go

If you're searching for an all-in-one platform to help you not only research your paper but also write, format, and spell-check it, Flowcite is your best bet.

For help finding free peer-reviewed articles online, check out 17 Research Databases for Free Articles .

3. refworks.

RefWorks is an exceptional reference management software program. Although it is not free, many colleges and universities have subscriptions to RefWorks, which means that you may already have it available to you through your school. Score!

RefWorks is great because it allows users to generate and format bibliographies and manuscripts in hundreds of output styles, including some of the most common (e.g., APA , MLA , or Chicago ). It also allows users to manage more than just bibliographical data, which is why it's great for academics and researchers alike.

Refworks Review

RefWorks is an ideal reference manager for students and undergraduates, given that most universities subscribe to it.

With RefWorks, you can create bibliographies in multiple formats, and it has a simple user interface, which can be either a benefit or a disadvantage, depending on the complexity of your research needs.

It also has helpful features, such as reference organization, a built-in PDF reader, and the ability to sync your data to Dropbox so you can access it offline.

Mendeley versus Refworks

Both RefWorks and Mendeley have great options for saving and organizing your references, but choosing between them will depend on your specific needs and situation.

Mendeley is a more user-friendly and stable platform. Many enjoy the tool's robust collaboration features and the ability to view full-text PDFs from within it, making it a top contender in the reference and bibliography software space.

If your university uses RefWorks, they most likely have a subscription that allows you to cite sources, record data from articles or books, and share your database with multiple people at no cost.

Zotero is both free and open source, which means that you don't have to pay for it and that its design is publicly accessible. Zotero is a great choice for a reference manager, especially for students, because it runs as both a web service and an offline service on your personal device (laptop, iPad, cell phone, etc.).

Zotero not only stores and formats your bibliographic information but also allows you to organize, tag, and search this information. It automatically and seamlessly extracts information from books, journal articles, and other online sources, making the process of creating a reference list effortless. 

Zotero Review

Zotero is an open-source reference manager with free and paid options that allow you to save web-based sources. With its browser extension (Connector), you can easily save and organize the sources you find while researching.

As one of the more popular reference managers, Zotero offers up to 300 MB of free file storage and has a clean and minimal interface for reference organization. Its Microsoft Word plug-in allows for easy citation formatting, and its annotation feature gives you the option to add notes to your research from within the platform.

Zotero versus Mendeley

When considering Zotero versus Mendeley, it's easy to see that both reference managers give you the ability to organize your references effectively.

One benefit of Mendeley is that it offers more free cloud storage than other platforms—up to 2 GB. This gives you space for about 700–800 articles. If you plan to collect a lot of references, this might be the better option.

However, Zotero is known to be better for non-journal articles and for having a dedicated user community for support, given that it is an open-source project.

Both platforms allow you to save citations while you browse and have free plug-ins for Word and LibreOffice for creating in-text citations, footnotes, and bibliographies.

EndNote is great if you're collaborating on a research paper. It lets you share sources with up to 14 colleagues anywhere in the world, so it's definitely the top choice for collaborations. 

One of the highlights of this reference manager is that it includes reference types such as interviews, podcasts, conference papers, and press releases. It also lets you add citations to Microsoft PowerPoint slides, which is especially helpful if you're creating a presentation with a group.

EndNote has a huge catalog of format options with over 6,000 reference styles, so regardless of your discipline, you're bound to find one that fits your needs. Although EndNote isn't free, it is certainly high quality.

EndNote Review

EndNote has a reputation for being one of the most complete reference manager software packages in the industry. It's been around a lot longer than most other similar tools and contains robust features for researchers and students in its paid version ($299, one-time purchase).

Within EndNote, you can create rules that let you organize your references and effectively format citations in multiple areas within your text using its Cite While You Write integration.

The latest version of EndNote also makes collaboration easier, offering support for up to 200 users to share references. Additionally, EndNote has a search function that makes it easy to search databases, such as PubMed, without leaving the platform.

Endnote versus Zotero

Depending on the kind of citation manager software you need, both EndNote and Zotero offer helpful features for researchers and students.

While Zotero offers more features for free and has one of the best support communities, EndNote is a pricier but more robust option. However, both tools are effective at helping you to organize and categorize your references.

Both tools allow you to download references easily from a PubMed search, find and remove duplicate citations, and insert citations that are automatically formatted to your style preference into your text.

Additionally, Zotero seems to be a better fit for non-journal articles, while EndNote is often the best choice for STEM disciplines.

6. Citationsy

Citationsy is a great choice because it's so adaptable. You can access it as a page within your browser or download it as a Chrome extension or mobile app, which means that you can access your library from any device with an internet connection.

Like the other reference managers, it automatically extracts citation details so that you don't have to type them in yourself. You can even use its mobile app to cite your books by scanning their barcodes.

Citationsy Review

With its intuitive and easy-to-use user interface, Citationsy is a welcoming reference manager for students and professionals alike.

It boasts 300,000+ users and has features that help you add bibliographic references from your phone and scan physical books to save as future references. Currently, Citationsy supports over 8,000 citation formats, and references can be exported in BibTeX/LaTeX format.

In terms of price, Citationsy has a free 3-day trial with a $4.99/month subscription for students and a $9.99/month subscription for non-students.

The one thing to keep in mind with Citationsy is that some of its features are more limited in comparison with EndNote and Mendeley, so be sure it has exactly what you're looking for!

Do you see the common trend with these reference management software programs? They make creating a bibliography easy! Be sure to take advantage of the features offered by these programs to make your research just a little bit easier.

If you would rather have an expert editor format your references correctly according to any style guide, check out Scribendi's fast, affordable, and professional academic proofreading services .

1-Page Guide to Reference Management Software

Download now, what is a reference manager.

A reference manager, also called a citation manager, is a tool that makes it easy to collect and organize references during the research process. It allows you to store references from your browser so you do not overlook any references you've used. Many reference managers have plug-ins that make it easy to cite sources within your paper, usually with a single click. 

Which Is the Best Citation Manager?

The best citation manager will depend on your needs as a student, researcher, or author. You'll need to ask: Do I want a paid or a free option? How much storage do I need?

If you're looking for free options with the flexibility to be used from anywhere, try experimenting with EndNote Basic, Zotero, or Mendeley. However, if your university pays for your citation manager, RefWorks might be a better fit.

In terms of storage, Mendeley wins the race for large free storage options, but you may want to experiment with a few different tools to see what works for you.

How Long Does a Mendeley Data Review Take?

Each shared dataset in Mendeley Data can take 1–2 business days to approve from the time of submission to be sure it complies with Mendeley's dataset requirements. You should receive an email informing you whether your dataset has been accepted.

To ensure dataset acceptance, double-check that your datasets are scientific in nature, have not already been published, and do not contain sensitive or copyrighted content.

About the Author

Scribendi's in-house editors work with writers from all over the globe to perfect their writing. They know that no piece of writing is complete without a professional edit, and they love to see a good piece of writing turn into a great one after the editing process. Scribendi's in-house editors are unrivaled in both experience and education, having collectively edited millions of words and obtained nearly 20 degrees collectively. They love consuming caffeinated beverages, reading books of various genres, and relaxing in quiet, dimly lit spaces.

Have You Read?

"The Complete Beginner's Guide to Academic Writing"

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10 Best Reference Management Software for Research

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Table of Contents

Introduction

When it comes to doing research, the process of gathering and organizing information is just as important as the actual research itself.

That’s where reference management software comes in. It can help you gather, organize, and cite your sources more effectively- saving you time and energy in the long run. 

Good reference management software can make all the difference for academic researchers and Ph.D. students- from making sure your references are formatted correctly to helping you find and use them quickly and easily. 

It allows you to keep track of your references, create bibliographies, and collaborate with other researchers.

But with so many different types of software to choose from, how do you know which one is right for you? 

This article aims to give you an overview of the most common names on the market and discussed their strengths and weakness preliminarily. 

Why Use A Reference Management Software For Research?

Whether you’re a Ph.D. student or an academic researcher, it’s important to use a reference management tool for research. Here are three reasons why:

1.  It can help you find information quickly and easily. With the right software, you can quickly and easily find the information you need- no more wasted time searching through endless pages of results.

2. It makes collaboration much easier. Have a group project? Reference management software will help you share resources with ease. No more passing around notes or spending hours trying to compile everything together by hand!

3. It can help you stay organized. When you’re dealing with a lot of information, it’s important to have a system for keeping track of it all. Reference manager can help you do just that.

Best Reference Management Software

Mendeley-most popular reference management tool.

Mendeley is a software that helps researchers manage their references. It can be used to create bibliographies and citations, and it also allows users to collaborate with other researchers. Mendeley can be accessed online or offline, and it is available for both Windows and Mac users.

Mendeley reference manager allows you to store, organize, and search all of your references from just one reference library. It makes it easy to add references and bibliographies to your google docs. Mendeley reference manager allows you to read, highlight, and annotate PDFs, and retain all of your ideas in one location across numerous pages.

• Increased collaboration as it allows you to invite your teammates who have Mendeley to share the same paper.
• Portability is made easier as the software can simultaneously be installed on different devices. 
• It offers a browser plugin that works with Firefox and Google Chrome, so all you need to do is bookmark your desired web pages, and it saves on your Mendeley library. 
• Not allow you to edit subscript and superscript characters in the title. For instance, number 2 in H2O needs to be in a small subscript which cannot be done through it. 

Pricing/Free Version

• Free Version available with up to 2GB of cloud storage. 
• Paid plans start from $4.99/month.

Endnote software is used to manage and import references. It can help Ph.D. students with compiling, storing, and managing references. Endnote desktop software helps to create citations and bibliographies. It also allows for the sharing of references with colleagues.

• Endnote basic allows you to search databases and import citation info in Microsoft word. 
• It has both online and offline options, the ability to edit output styles based on Journal requirements, and allows you to attach pdfs to references. 
• Does NOT work well with Google Drive
• Not free and takes longer to learn
• Free 30-day trial available.
• Paid version comes with a one-time cost of $99.

Zotero-Free Citation Management Software

Zotero is a reference management software that can be used by students and researchers of all levels. It’s a great way to keep track of your sources, as well as easily create citations and bibliographies. Here are some of the ways Zotero can be especially helpful for Ph.D. students:

Zotero helps you stay organized by allowing you to collect and save information about your sources in one place.

It can be used to create citation information and bibliographies in no time, so you can spend less time on paperwork and more time on your research.

Zotero integrates with many popular word processing programs, so you can easily use it as a citation management program for your papers as you write them.

• It is an open-source and free citation management software. 
• Works as a plugin to your web-based browser thus allowing one-click import of the references. 
• It also has social features(shared bibliographies) and can import BibTeX and export to various word processing software (MS Word, Latex, etc.)
• Zotero saves your citation library to your local computer but syncs with multiple computers so you can work from wherever you want. 
• The only shortcoming I noticed is that it does not work with WordPress, where I write a lot of my papers. Although there is a WordPress widget for Zotero, it still needs some work. 
• Free plan available. 

Docear is one of the most unique and powerful reference management tools that helps researchers manage their references and PDFs. It integrates a number of features, such as PDF management, reference management, mind mapping, and note-taking. Because of its versatile features, Docear is an ideal tool for students, academics, and professionals.

• Not just a reference manager, but also a composer of all research work. 
• Very good for drafting your new paper by automatically including all of your comments in pdf files in your word file.
• Might not be easy to understand at first, as it has a unique way of handling all of your references.
• Free – open source

Below is Docear’s view on how it compares with Zotero and Mendeley

Citavi – Powerful Thematic Knowledge Organization Tool 

Citavi is incredibly versatile which makes it so popular among academic researchers. It can be used to manage references for all types of research projects, from essays and theses to books and articles. This makes it an essential tool for any researcher who wants to stay organized and efficient.

Citavi is easy to use. It’s simple enough that even novice researchers can quickly learn how to use it without any trouble. But it’s also powerful enough that more experienced researchers will appreciate all its features.

• Compatible with the most common writing software that makes it easy to get your manuscript done in a brief period.
• It is easy to handle and is able to sort all the things you will need in your research(references, notes, tasks).
• Citavi’s Add-In for MS Word and its LaTeX support ensures accurate citations. You can choose the style of the bibliography you want automatically inserted. There are over 10,000 professional citation styles available for all academic disciplines.
• The software is not always compatible with all devices, which can be a problem for researchers who want to work on their references on the go.
• Free trial available

There are a number of different software options available for reference management, each with its own pros and cons. But if you’re looking for software that can help you manage your references effectively and efficiently, Wizfolio is definitely worth considering.

Wizfolio is a cloud-based reference management software that was designed specifically for academic researchers. It allows you to quickly and easily gather all of your references in one place, as well as organize them according to your own personal preferences. Wizfolio also comes with a number of helpful features that make it fairly convenient to use.

• It integrates with the web browser and word processing software. 
• The web browser integration is very useful as all you have to do is click to add a page as a reference. It is also an operating system independent. 
• It also integrates with WordPress and allows you to easily share references easily between researchers.
• It can be difficult to keep track of all your references if you don’t use the software correctly. 

Pricing/Free version

• Contact Wizfolio to get a customized quote.

If you’re an academic researcher, Paperpile should be your go-to reference management software. It’s designed specifically for academics, making it the perfect choice for those who need to keep track of a large number of citations. Paperpile makes it easy to import references from a variety of sources, including PubMed, Google Scholar, and Web of Science. 

It also has powerful search features that allow you to quickly find the information you need. And if you’re working on a collaborative project, Paperpile makes it easy to share references with your colleagues.

• They can link to your Google account, so theoretically, you’ll have 15GB of storage and a nice Chrome extension, so adding papers to your library is incredibly simple. In addition, Google Docs integration for citations is available, and a beta test for Word is currently underway.
• Paperpile is a web-based reference management software that makes it easy to import references from databases, journals, and websites.
• It automatically formats citations and bibliographies in a variety of styles, including APA, MLA, and Chicago.
• Paperpile is not as comprehensive as some of the other software options available. 
• Free to use for one user and two papers.
• Paid plans from $2.99/month.

If you’re an academic researcher, then you know the importance of using the right tools for the job. And when it comes to reference management, there’s no better tool than RefWorks.

RefWorks is a web-based application that allows you to create and manage your references from anywhere in the world. With RefWorks, you can easily import citations from databases, journals, and websites, and then create bibliographies in any format you need.

But perhaps the best thing about RefWorks is its collaborative features. With RefWorks, you can share your references with colleagues or classmates and work together on projects. You can also create groups to collaborate on research topics.

• Has Proprietary, Operating system support, Export file formats, Citation styles and Word processor integration.
• Offers partial support for reference list file formats.
• Supports import file formats.
• Does not has database connectivity.
• Doesn’t store copies of articles.
• Free trial subscription available.
• Get a customized quote from the sales team.

Papers is a Mac OS X and Windows reference management program for academic researchers and Ph.D. students used for managing bibliographies and references for writing essays and articles. It’s mostly used to collect references and maintain a PDF document library, but it also offers a unified interface for document repository searches, metadata editing, full screen viewing, and a range of document import and export options.

• It is very easy to fill with PDFs and bibliographic data can easily added.
• It is integrated well to work with Word for Mac.
• Papers is available for the iPhone/iPad, which offers the opportunity to carry all your references with you in your smartphone.
• Many users have complained about the software’s clunky interface and how difficult it can be to navigate.
• 30 day free trial available.
• From $3/month.

Sciwheel – Next Generation Reference Managers

SciWheel is a reference management software that can be very significant for academic researchers. It helps manage references, PDFs, notes, and ideas. SciWheel has a powerful search engine that makes it easy to find any document you need. It also allows you to create groups for your documents, making it easy to keep track of your research.

• A user-friendly interface that is easy to learn and use.
• Integrated search capabilities that allow you to search for information both inside and outside of SciWheel.
• Collaborative features that allow you to share information with other researchers.
• The software can be slow and cumbersome at times.
• It can be difficult to find information that is buried deep in the system.
• Free plan available.
• From $9.95/month.

Ultimate Guide to Best Reference Management Softwares for Academic Research

What is a reference management software.

Reference management software, or citation manager, is a program or online service that helps you collect, organize, cite, and share your research sources. Most of these programs also allow you to create bibliographies and footnotes in your papers.

Citation managers help you find sources more quickly and easily. Most programs have built-in search engines that allow you to quickly find articles and other resources related to your topic. They also allow you to save search parameters and customize your results. The more sources you find, the better equipped you will be to make an informed decision about how to word your paper’s thesis statement and plan out the rest of the writing process.

What Features Should You Look For In A Reference Management Software?

When looking for a reference management software, it’s important to consider the features that will be most helpful for academic researchers. Some features to look for include:

• The ability to import citations from a variety of sources, including online databases, journals, and the internet.
• The ability to organize citations into folders or groups.
• The ability to create bibliographies or reference lists in a variety of formats, such as MLA, APA, and Chicago.
• The ability to export citations and bibliographies into Word documents or PDFs.
• A search function that allows you to quickly find the citation you need.
• A user-friendly interface that allows for quick and efficient organization.

Final thoughts

In scholarly articles and research documents, citations play an important role for both researchers and readers. It is also very time-consuming to integrate these citations accurately into research documents without the aid of reference management software. 

We have provided an overview of the most common names for citation managers in the market and discussed their strengths and weaknesses.

There is more.

Check out our other articles on Best Academic Tools for Researchers below.

• Need help with writing? Check out the Best Writing Tools here . 
• Finished writing? Make sure you check it with Best Proofreading Tools 
• Want to get the creative juice flowing? Check out the Best Mind Mapping Tools 
• Looking for research ideas? Check out these Academic Search Engines 
• Swamped with tasks and multiple projects? Try the Best Project Management Tools to stay ahead of the schedule 
• Running survey research? Check out the dos and don’ts in the Best Survey Tools for Research
• Still taking notes in meetings? Try these Transcription Tools For Researchers and focus on what matters

Check out our other articles on the Best Academic Tools Series for Research below.

• Learn how to get more done with these Academic Writing Tools  
• Learn how to proofread your work with these Proofreading Tools
• Learn how to broaden your research landscape with these Academic Search Engines
• Learn how to manage multiple research projects with these Project Management Tools
• Learn how to run effective survey research with these Survey Tools for Research
• Learn how get more insights from important conversations and interviews with Transcription Tools
• Learn how to manage the ever-growing list of references with these Reference Management Software
• Learn how to double your productivity with literature reviews with these AI-Based Summary Generators
• Learn how to build and develop your audience with these Academic Social Network Sites
• Learn how to make sure your content is original and trustworthy with these Plagiarism Checkers
• Learn how to talk about your work effectively with these Science Communication Tools

10 thoughts on “10 Best Reference Management Software for Research”

Hello Joannah,

Thank you so much for all this information. It was a great read and gave me some good cites to look into. However, I would recommend that you also look into Opendemia. Opendemia allows students to manage their references, take notes, and create bibliographies. This tool has really helped me with my research papers and I think other students reading this article can benefit from this as well.

Thanks for the comment. We will look into it.

Thank you! Here is the website: https://www.opendemia.com

Thank you for a good overview, very helpful. I just want to mention that as a researcher it is very important for me to have a product that can last me throughout my career. In my mind, this requires, for a good and bad, a bigger company behind the product. I believe this is something you should also consider here.

Interesting point Peter. Love to hear more elaboration from you!

I agree. A single, reliable software package that works for your entire career sounds wonderful. Having to learn new packages, or even new versions of your old package is a waste of time. It may tickle the fancy of computer nerds and business folks who want a steady stream of income. However, adapting to the newest and latest software every few years sounds like self-abuse to me.

Thanks for the overview. You say that EndNote one-time cost is $99. I’m quoted almost four times that amount. Is that possible a regional issue? (I am in Iceland)

I ran a quick check and saw that upgrading from the trial will cost from USD $99.95 to USD $109.95. I’m not sure how they could quote you 4X as much.

Some of the reference managers mentioned in the article are no longer available. However, it’s worth noting that there are newer options like CiteDrive, which is considered one of the most modern reference managers available. Overall, it’s a great article!

I was a long term user of Ref 11.

Do you know of any current software that will import files from that?

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• TECHNOLOGY FEATURE
• 01 September 2020

Streamline your writing — and collaborations — with these reference managers

• Jeffrey M. Perkel

You can also search for this author in PubMed   Google Scholar

Illustration by The Project Twins

For such utilitarian tools, reference management software can inspire strong reactions. Physician Ben Goldacre, for instance, has tweeted at least five times about Paperpile, a subscription-based reference manager that integrates tightly with Google Docs, calling it “amazing”, “fantastic, best ever”, and “unbeLIEVably good”. Goldacre, who is also director of the DataLab at the Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine at the University of Oxford, UK, explains: “Paperpile is the first time I’ve used a reference manager where it didn’t make me want to punch myself in the face on a regular basis out of sheer rage. It’s just glorious and perfect.”

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Nature 585 , 149-150 (2020)

doi: https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-020-02491-2

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• Supplementary table - features of reference managers

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Guide to reference managers: How to effectively manage your references

Jorge Sinval

Daniel Christe

About this video

Reference managers are a researcher’s best friend. Most researchers think of reference managers as a digital bibliography creators – and, surely, that’s true – but they’re also much more than that.  They can help you automate your citations in word processing programs, they can help you make organized notes as you read papers, they can be your filing cabinet for all the different documents on your desktop, and they can make your entire bibliography accessible anywhere in the world through web and mobile apps.

In this webinar, Daniel Christe, Innovation Advisor at Elsevier, and Jorge Sinval, researcher and reference manager advisor will take a deep dive into how reference managers like Mendeley can be used to help you get your references organized, and answer the top questions of Mendeley users.  

About the presenters

William James Center for Research, ISPA - Instituto Universitário

Jorge Sinval is a psychometrician and research assistant at the William James Center for Research, ISPA - Instituto Universitário. He has a Master’s in epidemiology from the University of Lisbon, and is a double Ph.D. student in Psychology at the University of Porto and the University of São Paulo. His research interests: psychometrics, organizational psychology, occupational health (i.e. evidence-based interventions to improve workers' health), epidemiology, and International large-scale assessments (e.g. TIMSS, PISA and PIRLS).

Innovation advisor, Elsevier

Daniel Christe is an engineering researcher & educator by training and a member of Elsevier's Researcher Community team, where he blends his technical knowledge with a learner-centered pedagogical background to engage with researchers & educators across Elsevier's technical application spaces to foster learning, development, and productivity improvements. As part of this role, he manages the Mendeley Advisor program, a global network of 5000 power users who hold workshops and one-on-one engagements, and enjoy a direct connection to the Mendeley product team.

His research interests are in design optimization for advanced manufacturing, enabling new frontiers in intelligent engineering materials, and he has a graduate degree in Mechanical Engineering and undergraduate in Materials Science, both from Drexel University in Philadelphia. 

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Reference managers slides.

Reference Management

Reference management. Clean and simple.

What is a reference manager?

A reference manager, also known as citation manager or bibliographic software, is a software tool designed to help researchers, academics, students, and professionals organize, store, and manage references and citations for their research and academic work.

The primary purpose of a reference manager is to optimize and facilitate the process of collecting, organizing, and citing sources in various documents, such as research papers, essays, theses, dissertations, and reports.

⇨ What is the best reference manager?

⇨  What is the easiest reference manager to use?

Features of a reference manager

Reference managers offer a range of features that can streamline your research process:

For example, the Paperpile reference manager offers features like the ability to import references from various sources (online databases, library catalogs, and other reference managers) and to generate references in any citation style automatically.

Paperpile is my personal assistant for filing and organizing data for my research.

-Associate Professor, Kyoto University

Paperpile is a one-stop solution for gathering research literature, labeling, taking quick notes, and easy reading from any logged-in device.

-Researcher, Bar-Ilan University

Paperpile also helps you manage your PDF documents. You can:

• Upload and store PDFs in your personal library
• Annotate PDFs
• Highlight important sections
• Add notes to facilitate your reading and research process

Read more about reference managers:

Other interesting topics:.

All your papers in one place. Nice and tidy.

Which reference manager?: Comparison of EndNote, Mendeley and Zotero

• Comparison of EndNote, Mendeley and Zotero
• Referencing guides

Reference management tools

A reference management tool is a software for storing and managing information resources. Generally, a reference management tool can help you:

• import references from search engines, databases and websites 
• save PDFs, images and other documents
• annotate PDFs
• insert citations and create bibliographies on Word documents  
• collaborate with other researchers

EndNote, Mendeley and Zotero are the most popular reference management tools used by many researchers and students.

Find more details about these three tools in the following comparison table and detailed instructions in our online guides for each tool.

EndNote, Mendeley and Zotero: which is the best tool for you

 The following comparison table of EndNote, Mendeley and Zotero may help you choose a right tool to meet your research needs.

• Next: Referencing guides >>
• Last Updated: Jan 25, 2023 11:42 AM
• URL: https://aut.ac.nz.libguides.com/managingreferences

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Top 5 Free Reference Management Software for Research

Best Reference Management Software for PhD Research

Table of contents

Highlights:, 2. endnote | the best reference management tool.

Reference management software is used to organize and communicate research papers, as well as to create bibliographies for academic publications. Managing the reference materials that have been downloaded is a difficult task for any academic writer. Finding an acceptable research reference to support a statement is critical while writing a research paper or thesis. As a result, using reference management software to organize the materials in chronological order and generate bibliographies is critical. In order to accomplish this, ilovephd has compiled a list of the Top 5 Free Reference Management Software for Research.

1. Mendeley – Reference Management Software

Mendeley is a product and service provider for academic scholars situated in London, United Kingdom. It is best known for its reference manager, which is used to organize and distribute research papers as well as generate bibliographies for academic publications.

• Access your library, everywhere

Add papers directly from your browser with a few clicks or import any documents from your desktop. Access your library from anywhere. Windows, Mac, Linux, and all browsers.

• Easy referencing

Generate references, citations, and bibliographies in a whole range of journal styles with just a few clicks.

• Career development

250,000 science, technology, and health jobs to advance your career.

EndNote is a commercial reference management software tool that may be used to keep track of bibliographies and references while writing essays, reports, and articles.

• Write Faster

Insert in-text citations while simultaneously creating a bibliography with the Cite While You Write feature in Microsoft® Word.

• Research Better

Use tools that find PDFs for you throughout your search process. Then, easily read, review, annotate and search PDFs in your library.

• Stay Organized

Create rules to automatically organize references as you work. And, use the new Tabs feature for easier multitasking.

• Collaborate Easier

Easily collaborate across geographic boundaries. Share some or all of your library and set permissions for access.

• Get Published

Match your paper with relevant, reputable journals using Manuscript Matcher.

• Work From Anywhere

Access your research anytime, anywhere from the cloud. Move seamlessly between online and desktop and iPad applications.

3. Zotero | Your personal research assistant

Zotero is a free and open-source reference management software that allows you to organize your bibliographic data and research resources.

• Collect with a click

Zotero is the only software that automatically senses research on the web. Need an article from JSTOR or a preprint from arXiv.org? A news story from the New York Times or a book from a library? Zotero has you covered, everywhere.

• Organize your way

Zotero helps you organize your research any way you want. You can sort items into collections and tag them with keywords. Or create saved searches that automatically fill with relevant materials as you work.

• Cite in style

Zotero instantly creates references and bibliographies for any text editor, and directly inside Word, LibreOffice, and Google Docs. With support for over 100,000 citation styles, you can format your work to match any style guide or publication.

• Stay in sync

Zotero can optionally synchronize your data across devices, keeping your notes, files, and bibliographic records seamlessly up to date. If you decide to sync, you can also always access your research from any web browser.

• Collaborate freely

Zotero lets you co-write a paper with a colleague, distribute course materials to students, or build a collaborative bibliography. You can share a Zotero library with as many people as you like, at no cost.

4. JabRef – Free Reference Manager

JabRef is a cross-platform, open-source citation and reference management program. Its native formats are BibTeX and BibLaTeX, and it is therefore commonly used for LaTeX. JabRef is an acronym for Java, Alver, Batada, and Reference.

Import options for over 15 reference formats.

Easily retrieve and link full-text articles.

Fetch complete bibliographic information based on ISBN, DOI, PubMed-ID, and arXiv-ID.

Import new references directly from the web browser with one click using the official browser extension.

Complete and improve bibliographic data by comparing with curated online catalogs such as Google Scholar, Springer or MathSciNet.

Automatically rename and move associated files according to customizable rules.

Customize and add new metadata fields or reference types.

Group your research into hierarchical collections.

Organize articles based on keywords, tags, search terms, or your manual assignments.

Advanced search and filter features.

Keep track of what you read: ranking, priority, printed, quality-assured.

Native BibTeX and BibLaTeX support, perfect for text-based typesetting systems such as LaTeX and Markdown.

Cite-as-you-write functionality for external applications such as Emacs, Kile, LyX, Texmaker, TeXstudio, Vim, and WinEdt.

Format references in one of the many thousand built-in citation styles or create your style.

Support for Word and LibreOffice/OpenOffice for inserting and formatting citations.

5. Citavi – Best Reference Management Software

Citavi is a Microsoft Windows application for reference management and knowledge organization developed by Swiss Academic Software in Wädenswil, Switzerland.

• Work efficiently

Whether you just need a quick bibliography, you’re searching a team library of 20,000 sources, or you want to keep track of notes, Citavi’s tools help you work faster and more effectively.

• See the big picture

Big projects with tons of sources can feel overwhelming. Break your work down into tasks, keep track of important information from your articles, and sift through your sources to find the ones you really need – alone or in a team.

• Data security made easy

Citavi is the only reference management program for teams that gives you the option of storing your information on your own server instead of in the cloud. Individuals can also choose between local and online projects. Citavi automatically creates backups so you never lose your information.

• Write with style

Say goodbye to wasted time formatting citations and bibliographies. Citavi offers over 10,000 citation styles: APA, Chicago, MLA, Turabian, etc., etc. Need one that’s not there? You can create it yourself.

Hope this article helps you to know the Top 5 Free Reference Management Software for Research to organize your research reference articles.

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Scribbr APA Citation Generator

Accurate APA citations, verified by experts, trusted by millions.

Scribbr for Chrome: Your shortcut to APA citations

Cite any page or article with a single click right from your browser. The extension does the hard work for you by automatically grabbing the title, author(s), publication date, and everything else needed to whip up the perfect APA citation.

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Rely on accurate APA citations, verified by experts.

You don’t want points taken off for incorrect citations. That’s why our APA citation experts have invested countless hours perfecting our algorithms. As a result, we’re proud to be recommended by teachers worldwide.

Enjoy the APA Citation Generator with minimal distraction.

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Citation Generator features you'll love

Search for your source by title, URL, DOI, ISBN, and more to retrieve the relevant information automatically.

APA 6th & 7th edition

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Export to Bib(La)TeX

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Export to Word

Reference list finished? Export to Word with perfect indentation and spacing set up for you.

Sorting, grouping, and filtering

Organize the reference list the way you want: from A to Z, new to old, or grouped by source type.

Save multiple lists

Stay organized by creating a separate reference list for each of your assignments.

Choose between Times New Roman, Arial, Calibri, and more options to match your style.

Industry-standard technology

The Scribbr Citation Generator is built using the same citation software (CSL) as Mendeley and Zotero, but with an added layer for improved accuracy.

Annotations

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Explanatory tips help you get the details right to ensure accurate citations.

Citation guides

Getting to grips with citation is simple with the help of our highly rated APA citation guides and videos .

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• Introduction
• Parenthetical vs. narrative
• Multiple authors

Missing information

• Sources to include

Tools and resources

• Scroll to top

How to create APA citations

APA Style is widely used by students, researchers, and professionals in the social and behavioral sciences. Scribbr’s free citation generator automatically generates accurate references and in-text citations.

This citation guide outlines the most important citation guidelines from the 7th edition APA Publication Manual (2020).

• Cite a webpage
• Cite a book
• Cite a journal article
• Cite a YouTube video

APA in-text citations

APA in-text citations include the author’s last name, publication date, and, if relevant, a locator such as a page number or timestamp. For example, (Smith, 2021, p. 170) . See it as a shorter version of the entry in the reference list .

You should include in-text citations every time you’re quoting or paraphrasing someone else’s ideas or words. In doing so, you give credit to the original author and avoid plagiarism .

Parenthetical vs. narrative citation

The in-text citation can take two forms: parenthetical and narrative. Both types are generated automatically when citing a source with Scribbr’s APA Citation Generator.

• Parenthetical citation: According to new research … (Smith, 2020) .
• Narrative citation: Smith (2020) notes that …

Multiple authors and corporate authors

The in-text citation changes slightly when a source has multiple authors or an organization as an author. Pay attention to punctuation and the use of the ampersand (&) symbol.

When the author, publication date or locator is unknown, take the steps outlined below.

APA Citation Generator

Generate accurate APA citations in seconds

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APA references

APA references generally include information about the author , publication date , title , and source . Depending on the type of source, you may have to include extra information that helps your reader locate the source.

It is not uncommon for certain information to be unknown or missing, especially with sources found online. In these cases, the reference is slightly adjusted.

Formatting the APA reference page

On the first line of the page, write the section label “References” (in bold and centered). On the second line, start listing your references in alphabetical order .

Apply these formatting guidelines to the APA reference page:

• Double spacing (within and between references)
• Hanging indent of ½ inch
• Legible font (e.g. Times New Roman 12 or Arial 11)
• Page number in the top right header

Which sources to include

On the reference page, you only include sources that you have cited in the text (with an in-text citation ). You should not include references to personal communications that your reader can’t access (e.g. emails, phone conversations or private online material).

In addition to the APA Citation Generator, Scribbr provides many more tools and resources that help millions of students and academics every month.

• Citation Generator : Generate flawless citations in APA, MLA , and Harvard style .
• Citation Checker : Upload your paper and have artificial intelligence check your citations for errors and inconsistencies.
• Free plagiarism checker : Detect plagiarism with unparalleled accuracy with Scribbr’s free plagiarism checker.
• AI Proofreader : Upload and improve unlimited documents and earn higher grades on your assignments. Try it for free!
• Paraphrasing tool: Avoid accidental plagiarism and make your text sound better.
• Grammar checker : Eliminate pesky spelling and grammar mistakes.
• Summarizer: Read more in less time. Distill lengthy and complex texts down to their key points.
• AI detector: Find out if your text was written with ChatGPT or any other AI writing tool. ChatGPT 2 & ChatGPT 3 supported.
• Proofreading services : Have a professional editor (or team of editors) improve your writing so you can submit your paper with pride and confidence. Scribbr offers admission essay editing , paper editing , and academic editing .
• Guides and videos : Explore hundreds of articles, bite-sized videos, time-saving templates, and handy checklists that guide you through the process of research, writing, and citation.