Zotero vs. Mendeley (2026): which reference manager should you use?
By MubarakUpdated 9 min read
Short answer:
Choose Zotero if you want a free, open-source reference manager that stores your library locally and works with Word, LibreOffice and Google Docs. Choose Mendeley if you want 2 GB of free cloud storage and a simple web-first library. Mendeley Desktop is gone; its replacement, Mendeley Reference Manager, has fewer power features than Zotero.
A reference manager is software that stores the sources you collect, keeps their PDFs and notes, and inserts formatted citations and bibliographies into your writing. This comparison covers both tools as they stand in November 2026, plus EndNote and Paperpile, and how to get either library into the tool you write in. It is part of our series on citations that point to real sources.
Zotero vs. Mendeley at a glance
| Zotero | Mendeley | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | Free | Free |
| Owner | Corporation for Digital Scholarship (nonprofit) | Elsevier (since 2013) [1] |
| Open source | Yes | No |
| Where your library lives | On your computer, optionally synced | In Elsevier's cloud, with a desktop app |
| Free cloud storage | 300 MB for files; metadata sync is free and unlimited [2] | 2 GB [3] |
| Paid storage (as of November 2026) | 2 GB $20/year, 6 GB $60/year, unlimited $120/year [2] | Paid upgrades available |
| Self-managed file sync | Yes, via WebDAV | No |
| PDF reading and annotation | Built-in reader with highlights, notes, image annotations | Built-in reader with highlights and notes |
| Word processor plugins | Word, LibreOffice, Google Docs [4] | Word (Mendeley Cite add-in) [5] |
| Citation styles | 10,000+ CSL styles | Thousands of CSL styles |
| Browser capture | Zotero Connector (Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge) | Mendeley Web Importer |
| Collaboration | Group libraries, shared files from the owner's storage | Private groups with shared references and annotations |
| Export | RIS, BibTeX, BibLaTeX, CSL JSON, Zotero RDF and more | BibTeX, RIS, EndNote XML [6] |
Zotero: strengths and weaknesses
Zotero is a free, open-source reference manager first released in 2006. Zotero 6 added a built-in PDF reader and Zotero 7 redesigned the interface; Zotero 8, released in early 2026, replaced the old citation dialogs with a single unified dialog, added reader themes, and keeps attachment filenames in sync with item metadata. [7]
Strengths
- Free and open. No account is needed to use it locally, and your library is a database on your own machine.
- Best capture. The Zotero Connector saves journal articles, news stories, books and web pages with good metadata, and can grab the PDF where it is available.
- Works with three word processors. Word, LibreOffice and Google Docs. [4]
- Huge style coverage. 10,000+ CSL styles, editable if you need a house style.
- Plugins. A large community of add-ons for everything from DOI lookups to LaTeX workflows.
- Cheap storage, or none. Metadata syncs free. Files sync free up to 300 MB, cheaply beyond, or through your own WebDAV server.
Weaknesses
- 300 MB of free file storage fills quickly if you store many PDFs.
- The Word plugin can be fiddly in long documents and when co-authors don't use Zotero.
- No built-in AI. Summaries and PDF chat require plugins or other tools.
- Group storage counts against the owner's quota, so the person who created the group pays for everyone's PDFs.
Mendeley: strengths and weaknesses
Mendeley was founded in 2007 and bought by Elsevier in 2013. [1] In 2019 Elsevier introduced Mendeley Reference Manager and the Mendeley Cite Word add-in, which replaced the older Cite-O-Matic plugin. On 1 September 2022, Mendeley Desktop stopped being available to download and install. [8] Copies already installed kept running for a time, but they are no longer developed, and libraries advise users to move to Mendeley Reference Manager or another tool.
What changed with the move to Mendeley Reference Manager. The new app is web-first: your library lives in the cloud and syncs to a desktop app. Library guides report that some Desktop features did not carry over, such as built-in duplicate cleanup and the citation style editor. [9] In late 2024, Mendeley added real-time sync between Mendeley Reference Manager and Mendeley Cite. [1]
Strengths
- 2 GB free cloud storage, much more than Zotero's free tier. [3]
- Simple to start. Sign in, drag in PDFs, read and highlight.
- Mendeley Cite works without the desktop app open: it pulls your library from the cloud. [5]
- Private groups for sharing references and annotations.
Weaknesses
- Owned by a major publisher. Some researchers and institutions prefer not to keep their reading history and libraries with Elsevier.
- No Google Docs or LibreOffice plugin. Word only, through Mendeley Cite.
- Fewer power features than Zotero, such as fine-grained metadata editing and plugins.
- Closed source and cloud-dependent. If the service changes, you depend on its export tools.
EndNote and Paperpile for comparison
| EndNote 2025 | Paperpile | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost (as of November 2026) | One-time license: about $275 full, $150 student, $125 upgrade (US list) [10] | Subscription billed annually: Regular about $8.30/month, Expert about $11.50/month; 50% academic discount [11] |
| Best for | Large libraries, institutions that already license it, Word-heavy writers | People who write in Google Docs and live in the browser |
| Word processor support | Word (Cite While You Write) | Google Docs and Word [11] |
| Storage | EndNote online sync | Unlimited PDF storage [11] |
| Trial | Free trial available | 30 days [11] |
EndNote vs. Zotero vs. Mendeley: EndNote is the most powerful for very large libraries and complex reference types, and many universities and hospitals license it. It costs real money if you buy it yourself. Zotero matches most of its features for free. Mendeley is the simplest of the three.
Paperpile vs. Zotero vs. Mendeley: Paperpile is the most polished option for Google Docs users, but it is subscription-only. Zotero also supports Google Docs, for free.
For more options, including ReadCube, JabRef and Citavi, see the best Zotero alternatives.
Which to choose
| You are… | Choose | Why |
|---|---|---|
| A student on a budget | Zotero | Free, works in Word and Google Docs, and your library stays yours after you graduate |
| A professional researcher with a big PDF collection | Zotero with paid storage or WebDAV, or EndNote if your employer provides it | Power features and control over storage |
| A journalist or analyst who mostly saves web pages and reports | Zotero | The Connector saves news articles, reports and web pages with clean metadata and a snapshot |
| A team sharing PDFs | Mendeley groups for simplicity, or Zotero groups with a paid owner account | Both share references; check who pays for storage |
| A Google Docs user | Zotero (free) or Paperpile (paid, more polished) | Mendeley has no Google Docs plugin |
| Already deep in Mendeley, happy with it | Stay, but export a backup regularly | Moving has costs; a backup protects you |
Moving between them: export formats
You don't lose your library by switching, but you can lose details. What travels:
| Format | Carries | Doesn't carry well |
|---|---|---|
| RIS | Core metadata for most item types; read by every major tool | Notes, annotations, some item types |
| BibTeX / BibLaTeX | Metadata, ideal for LaTeX | Rich item types, attachments |
| EndNote XML | Metadata between EndNote and Mendeley | Attachments |
| Direct import | Zotero's Mendeley importer brings items and folder structure [12] | Citations already inserted with Mendeley Cite |
Mendeley to Zotero, step by step [12]:
- In Mendeley, make sure every reference and PDF is synced to your online library.
- Update Zotero to the latest version.
- In Zotero, choose File → Import → Mendeley Reference Manager (online import) and sign in to Mendeley.
- Copy any group library items into a personal collection first; groups can't be imported directly.
- Spot-check 20 items: authors, years, attachments.
Zotero to Mendeley: export your library from Zotero as RIS or BibTeX, then import the file in Mendeley Reference Manager. Attach PDFs separately if the export doesn't include them.
Documents already written are the real lock-in. Citations inserted by one tool's Word plugin are fields the other tool can't edit. Finish active documents in the tool you started them in, or convert citations to plain text before you switch.
Bringing either library into your writing tool
A reference manager stores sources. Writing still happens somewhere else, and the gap between the two is where friction lives: plugin dialogs, sync errors, collaborators who don't use the same tool.
WriteOrbit is a web editor that imports both libraries, so you can keep your reference manager and cite from it while you write:
- Zotero import: paste a Zotero API key and WriteOrbit imports your library into the WriteOrbit Library.
- Mendeley import: sign in with Mendeley and import your library the same way.
- Cite while you write: type
@in any paragraph and the menu searches your imported Library and 250M+ scholarly works together. Pick one and the citation goes in. - Use your PDFs: upload a PDF and use Ask to question it, one PDF at a time; answers carry page numbers.
- Format in any style: 10,000+ CSL styles, switchable per document, with Word, PDF and LaTeX export.
- Collaborators don't need a reference manager: co-authors edit the same document in the browser, with comments and tracked changes.
Zotero and Mendeley import are on the Plus plan and up (Plus is $12/month or $96/year as of November 2026). The free plan has the full editor, unlimited citations and a 10-PDF Library but no import. Check pricing for current terms.
FAQ
Is Zotero better than Mendeley?
For most people in 2026, yes. Zotero is free, open source, keeps your library on your own computer, and has plugins for Word, LibreOffice and Google Docs. Mendeley gives more free cloud storage (2 GB vs. 300 MB) and suits teams already in Elsevier's ecosystem. If you need Google Docs support or care who controls your data, choose Zotero.
Is Mendeley still free?
Yes. Mendeley Reference Manager is free to use with 2 GB of personal cloud storage, and the Mendeley Cite add-in for Word is free too. Elsevier also sells paid storage upgrades. The older Mendeley Desktop app stopped being available to download on 1 September 2022, so new users get Mendeley Reference Manager.
Can I move my library from Mendeley to Zotero?
Yes. Make sure all your references and PDFs are synced to your online Mendeley library, then in Zotero choose File, Import, and Mendeley Reference Manager (online import). Zotero brings over items and the folder structure. Group libraries must first be copied into your personal library. Citations inserted with Mendeley Cite can't be converted by Zotero.
How much does Zotero storage cost?
Zotero itself is free, and every account includes 300 MB of cloud storage for synced files. As of November 2026, paid plans are 2 GB for $20 a year, 6 GB for $60 a year and unlimited for $120 a year. You can also sync files through your own WebDAV server and keep paying nothing.
Should I use EndNote, Zotero or Mendeley?
Use EndNote if your institution provides it or you need its advanced library tools and you write mainly in Word. Use Zotero if you want a free, open, flexible tool that works with Word, LibreOffice and Google Docs. Use Mendeley if you want more free cloud storage and a simple web library. All three export RIS, so switching later is possible.
Next steps
If neither tool fits, compare seven more options in the best Zotero alternatives. To understand how citations from any library should point to real, checkable sources, read the pillar guide: AI citation generator: get citations that point to real sources.
Sources
- Wikipedia. Mendeley. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mendeley
- Zotero. Storage. https://www.zotero.org/storage
- Mendeley. Mendeley Reference Manager. https://www.mendeley.com/reference-management/reference-manager
- Zotero Documentation. Word processor integration. https://www.zotero.org/support/word_processor_integration
- Microsoft Marketplace. Mendeley Cite. https://marketplace.microsoft.com/en-us/product/office/wa104382081
- Elsevier Support. Can I export my references from the Mendeley Reference Manager? https://www.elsevier.support/mendeley/answer/can-i-export-my-references-from-the-mendeley-reference-manager
- Zotero Blog. Zotero 8. https://www.zotero.org/blog/zotero-8/
- University of Turku. Downloading and installation of Mendeley Desktop will end on 1 September 2022. https://www.utu.fi/en/news/news/downloading-and-installation-of-mendeley-desktop-will-end-on-1-september-2022
- University of Vermont Libraries. Mendeley research guide. https://researchguides.uvm.edu/mendeley/home
- Clarivate. Buy EndNote. https://endnote.com/buy/
- Paperpile. Pricing. https://paperpile.com/pricing/
- Zotero Documentation. Importing from Mendeley. https://www.zotero.org/support/kb/mendeley_import