Matthew Conner
Research Support Services
Student Services Librarian
530-754-7348
Citation Manager Comparison
by Matthew Conner – February 26, 2020
The four products discussed–EndNote, Mendeley, Zotero, and F1000–are very similar, and each can support extensive research. The products fall on a spectrum with EndNote being somewhat more complicated but powerful and Zotero being simpler but more limited with Mendeley falling in the middle. For the downloadable desktop versions, EndNote is the only one that requires a fee. The campus deal for a discount has expired, and an individual license costs $249.95. Negotiations are underway for another campus license. (For information about how to purchase individual licenses contact librarian Matt Conner.) The other three products are free, but Zotero and Mendeley charge annual fees for optional increases in storage and groups. Among these options, F1000 stands out for several reasons. By virtue of the library subscription to the F1000 Prime science database, all UC Davis campus members are eligible for a free account. F1000 is entirely cloud-based and has all the essential features of the other products, and it is the only one besides EndNote which has dedicated technical support.
Citation Manager Table
| Features | EndNote | EndNote Online (Web of Science version). See note above. | Mendeley | Zotero | F1000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Migration from EndNote Desktop | Not applicable | Sync | Export .xml file http://guides.lib.uw.edu/c.php?g=99194&p=642698 | Export .xml file https://www.zotero.org/support/kb/importing_records_from_endnote | Export .xml file and import in via RIB, BIB & SML files format |
| Cost | $250 individual one-time purchase | Free | Free to download (charges for additional online storage and functions) | Free to download (charges for additional online storage) | Free, as part of licensed F1000Prime resource |
| Platform | Windows, Mac | Web-based | Windows, Mac, Linux | Windows, Mac, Linux | Web-based |
| Web version available | Yes - EndNote Online | Not applicable | Yes | Yes | Not applicable |
| Adding references | Multiple methods, automatic and manual | Multiple methods, automatic and manual | Multiple methods, automatic and manual | Multiple methods, automatic and manual | Some automatic https://www.f1000workspace.com/work/faq/importing-references/ |
| Full-text storage | Automatic import (not 100%). Can drag or attach files to record. | Can attach files to record. | Can drag or attach files to record. | Can drag or attach files to record. | Yes |
| PDF annotation | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Capacity | No limit | 50,000 references, 2GB storage for all attachments | No limit on desktop. 2GB free cloud storage. | No limit on desktop. 300mb free cloud storage for attachments. | No limit |
| Organizing Features | Sorting, searching, tagging, groups | Sorting, searching, tagging, groups | Sorting, searching, tagging, groups | Sorting, searching, tagging, groups | Projects (Private or shared) Subprojects Unsorted references |
| Citing references | Interface with MS Word OpenOffice & LibreOffice. 6000 output styles. | Interface with MS Word. 6000 output styles | Interface with MS Word & LibreOffice. 7000 output styles | Interface with MS Word, LibreOffice & Google Docs. 9000 output styles | Interface with MS Word & Google Docs. 7000 output styles |
| Sync between desktop and web | Yes | Yes, if desktop version purchased | Yes | Yes | Not applicable (“lightweight desktop app only for importing PDFs”) |
| Tech support | Yes | Yes | Email support, online forum | Online forum | Email support |
| Additional Information | https://www.library.ucdavis.edu/service/managing-citations/ http://clarivate.libguides.com/endnote_training/home | https://www.library.ucdavis.edu/service/managing-citations/ http://clarivate.libguides.com/endnote_training/endnote_online | https://www.mendeley.com/guides https://guides.library.uwa.edu.au/c.php?g=325415&p=2177923 | https://www.zotero.org/support/ | https://www.f1000workspace.com/work/faq |