Comparison Chart

Due to significant changes in EndNote 20 and Mendeley Reference Manager, this chart’s accuracy may lag behind each individual product’s website. We are updating the chart with information for each product as it becomes available.

This table provides a comparison of major features for some of the tools we support. See Wikipedia’s Comparison of Reference Management Software for extensive comparisons of many other citation managers.

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EndNote DesktopEndNote BasicMendeleyZotero
CostRequires purchase of an individual license Free; UW-Madison users have more citation styles available in accounts which use their @wisc.edu emailFree; option to pay for additional cloud storage or additional private groupsFree; option to pay for additional cloud storage
Operating System Requirements (for most recent version)Windows and Mac Web-basedWindows; Mac; LinuxWindows; Mac; Linux
Export data between citation managersYesYesYesYes
Global find/replace editingYesYesNoNo
Duplicate detection YesYesYesYes
Journal abbreviation lists12 lists supplied but must be installed for each libraryNoneAbbreviations based on citation style selected; can be editedVersion 4.0 and later can automatically abbreviate journal titles in Index Medicus/MEDLINE format
Attachment limitsMax of 45 attachments per citation; no limit on file size or total cloud storageNo limit on attachments per citation;
no limit on file size; total attachment storage limited to 2GB
No limit on attachments per citation;
Attachment file size limited to 250MB; total (free) attachment cloud storage limited to 2GB
No limit on attachments per citation;
no limit on file size; total (free) attachment cloud storage limited to 300MB
Retrieve citation information from PDFYes- uses DOI or PubMed ID fieldsNoYes- PDF text analyzed for information, DOI, Arxiv, PubMed, Crossref ids all used; Mendeley also uses it's own database to check citationsYes - uses DOI or other extracted information from PDF; matches in Google Scholar
Add notes to referencesYes, in “notes” fieldYes, in “notes” fieldYes, via “notes” tab in desktop versionYes, notes can stand alone or be attached to references
Annotate PDFsYes NoYesNo, but will sync PDFs annotated with 3rd party software
Full-text PDF searchYesNoYesYes
Direct search of online databases Yes, if UW-Madison libraries subscribe to themYes: Web of Science, PubMed, UW Library CatalogCan search the Mendeley database (papers in the libraries of other users)No
Direct export from online datbasesYes: List (Connection files) or EndNote ClickYes, via EndNote ClickYes, via web importerYes, via web translators
Filters for importing from online databasesYes - list of over 500Yes Import from supported websites and databases via web importer.Imports wikis, websites, and databases via translators. Web snapshot retains the presentation of a particular web page.
Creates formatted bibliographies and in-text citations in a word processorYesYesYesYes
Edit or create citation stylesYesNoYes, via the Mendeley CSLYes, via Citation Style Editor
Collaboration and sharingFree sharing of citations and attachments with up to 200 EndNote users
  • Share EndNote Web account with other EndNote Web users (cannot share file attachments)

  • Create shared groups that all users can edit
  • Create public and private groups

  • Automatic synchronization of collections among multiple computers

  • One private group of 3 members free (costs for private groups)
  • Create public and private groups

  • Automatic synchronization of collections among multiple computers
Read-only sharingYes (Set library to read-only or locked status)Yes (Read-only share “group” with anyone who has an EndNote Web account)Yes (By “follow” option through web interface)Yes (Via member settings within groups)
Mobile device applicationsiOS appNoiOS app, Android app3rd party iOS and Android apps
Screen capture webpagesNoNoNoYes
Storage in cloud and maximum number of records
  • Unlimited cloud storage

  • Version X4-present: Unlimited records/library
  • 2GB cloud storage

  • 10,000 records/library
  • 2GB cloud storage

  • Unlimited records/library
  • 300MB cloud storage

  • Unlimited records/library
Number of reference types50 pre-defined(customizable); 3 user-created51 pre-defined20 pre-defined38 pre-defined
Auto-complete data entryYes, for author(s), keyword(s), and journal titleNoYes, for journal title, tags, keywordsYes, for author(s), journal title, tags
Spell checkYesNoNoNo
Sorting capabilitiesAny fieldAuthor, title, year, and moreAny fieldAny field
Field searchingYes, any fieldNo - searches entire record onlyYes, by author, title, publication names, year & notesYes, any field
RSS feedsNoNoYesYes
Google Docs integrationNoNoNoYes, through the Zotero Connector browser extension