Reference management software can be very useful if you need to use a lot of information sources for your research. This type of software allows you to:
The University of Alberta Library does not recommend or endorse any particular product, but we have gathered information on some of the most popular options for reference management software: EndNote, Mendeley, and Zotero.
Use the following comparison tables to help you decide which one might work best for you. Software features change regularly, so if you find additional or conflicting information, please contact us.
| EndNote 21 | EndNote Basic | Mendeley | Zotero 7 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best features |
Can store 1 million references and PDFs Deduplicates large numbers of references Many reference types (helpful for accurate citation) Highly customizable Ability to work offline |
Free Cloud-based Many reference types (helpful for accurate citation) |
Free (up to 2GB of online storage) User-friendly interface Ability to work offline |
Free (up to 300 MB online storage) Open source User-friendly interface Imports accurate metadata for a wide variety of source types Ability to work offline Integration with multiple word processors |
| Drawbacks |
Price (~$140) License tied to one device Steeper learning curve than other options No Google Docs integration (only MS Word and LibreOffice) |
Limited storage capacity Limited citation styles and no custom style editing No PDF annotation No Google Docs integration (only MS Word and LibreOffice) |
Small number of reference types Limited group sharing for free accounts No Google Docs integration (only MS Word) |
Limited free cloud-based storage Works best with one primary workstation |
| EndNote 21 | EndNote Basic | Mendeley | Zotero 7 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vendor | Clarivate | Clarivate | Elsevier | open source |
| Where to get it | UAlberta IST OnTheHub | EndNote Online | Mendeley Reference Manager download | Zotero download |
| Price |
$139.99 via UAlberta OnTheHub (one-time cost) |
Free |
Free (cost to upgrade storage) |
Free (cost to upgrade storage) |
| Operating system |
Windows 10 or later macOS 10.14 or later |
Windows macOS X Linux |
Windows 7 or later macOS 10.10 or later Linux (64 bit) |
Windows 7 or later macOS 10.12 or later Linux |
| Main access (web/cloud or desktop/laptop) |
Mainly single desktop/laptop Can sync to cloud through EndNote Web |
Web/cloud only |
Desktop/laptop and web/cloud Can sync with multiple computers |
Desktop/laptop and web/cloud Can sync with multiple computers |
| Mobile version (phone/tablet) | Yes (iOS only) | Yes (iOS only) | No | Yes (iOS and 3rd party Android options) |
| Registration/account required? | Only for cloud sync and collaboration | Yes | Yes | Only for cloud sync and collaboration |
| Support options | Email or chat | User forums | ||
| Accessibility | ADA Compliance | ADA Compliance | Accessibility | Accessibility forum posts |
| EndNote 21 | EndNote Basic | Mendeley | Zotero 7 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reference and file storage | Unlimited file storage; up to 1 million references | 2 GB file storage; up to 50,000 references | Unlimited on local computer, 2GB in cloud (can pay to upgrade) | Unlimited on local computer, 300MB in cloud (can pay to upgrade) |
| Reference import methods |
Manual RIS or BibTeX file Direct from many databases |
Manual RIS file Direct from many databases |
Manual RIS or BibTeX file Direct from some Elsevier databases PDF drag & drop Identifier (e.g., DOI) |
Manual RIS or BibTeX file PDF drag & drop Identifier (e.g., DOI, ISBN) |
| Browser import plugin |
EndNote Click (Chrome, Edge, Opera) |
EndNote Click (Chrome, Edge, Opera) |
Mendeley Web Importer (Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge) |
Zotero Connector (Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge) |
| Reference types | 55 | 55 | 20 | 36 |
| Customize metadata fields | Yes | No | No | No |
| Tags/Keywords | Yes | Yes (keywords only) | Yes | Yes |
| Notes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Detect duplicate records | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Search within own records | Simple and advanced | Simple search only | Simple and advanced | Simple and advanced |
| Search external catalogues or databases | Yes (7000+) | Yes (4) | Yes (cloud version only; the details are unclear) | No |
| Annotate PDFs | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
| Collaborate | Share full library with up to 1000 users | Private groups (references only; attachments are not shared) |
Private groups (references and attachments) Free accounts can own up to 5 groups with maximum 25 members each |
Private or public groups (references and attachments) |
| Export records | Yes (without attachments) | Yes (without attachments) | Yes (without attachments) | Yes (without attachments) |
| EndNote 21 | EndNote Basic | Mendeley | Zotero 7 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Word processor integration |
MS Word LibreOffice |
MS Word LibreOffice |
MS Word |
MS Word LibreOffice Google Docs |
| Citation styles | 7,000+ predefined | Top 21 most commonly used | 10,000+ pre-defined | 10,000+ pre-defined |
| Custom style editing | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |