Mendeley Reference Manager vs RefWorks

Mendeley Reference Manager9.0Visit RefWorks8.6Visit

Higher score Mendeley Reference Manager #3 in Citation Management Software 9.0/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 3 of 3 features Visit Mendeley

vs

RefWorks #5 in Citation Management Software 8.6/10 Pricing on request ✓ 3 of 3 features Visit RefWorks

• Mendeley Reference Manager fits best

  Cross-platform researchers with a flexible budget

• RefWorks fits best

  Institutions needing administration and integrations

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Side by side

Feature	Mendeley Reference Manager 9.0/10 Visit ↗	RefWorks 8.6/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score	9.0	8.6
Ranking	#3 in Citation Management Software	#5 in Citation Management Software
Best for	Cross-platform researchers with a flexible budget	Institutions needing administration and integrations
Pricing model	Free plan + paid	Paid
Starting price	$55/yr	Pricing on request
Free plan	✓ (best)	Not checked yet
Free trial	—	—
Deployment	Cloud, Desktop, Browser extension	Cloud, Browser extension
Platforms	Web, Windows, macOS, Linux, Chrome extension	Web, Chrome extension
Support	Docs	Phone, Live chat, Email, Docs
Integrations	3 integrations	15 integrations
Built for	Solo, Small business, Mid-market	Mid-market, Enterprise
Features Mendeley Reference Manager 3/3 · RefWorks 3/3
PDF annotation	✓	✓
Browser extension	✓	✓
Team collaboration	✓	✓
Specs
Citation styles	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Word processor support	Microsoft_word	Both
Mobile apps	None	Not checked yet
Import formats	BibTeX, EndNote XML, RIS	Not checked yet
Our review
Pros	Free plan includes 2GB storage and five Reading Assistant questions Works across web, Windows, macOS, Linux, and Chrome Combines PDF annotation, browser capture, shared libraries, and Word citation tools	Supports PDF annotation, highlighting, and full-text organization Works with Microsoft Word and Google Docs for citations Offers broad research-database and library-system integrations
Cons	No native iOS or Android apps in the current access model Annual plans require separate pricing choices from monthly billing Advanced AI features and higher storage limits require paid tiers	Pricing is handled through institutional sales conversations Its administration features may exceed individual researchers' needs The RefWorks name is expected to change later in 2026
Our verdict	Mendeley Reference Manager is a web and desktop application for researchers, students, and academic teams who need to organize references, manage PDFs, and create citations. It supports reference storage, search, metadata extraction,… Read the review →	RefWorks is a cloud-based reference management service for students, researchers, faculty, and academic institutions. It supports reference collection and organization, attached full-text documents, annotation, highlighting, shared… Read the review →

Strengths and trade-offs

• Mendeley Reference Manager — where it wins

  • Free plan includes 2GB storage and five Reading Assistant questions
  • Works across web, Windows, macOS, Linux, and Chrome
  • Combines PDF annotation, browser capture, shared libraries, and Word citation tools

  Where it doesn't

  • No native iOS or Android apps in the current access model
  • Annual plans require separate pricing choices from monthly billing
  • Advanced AI features and higher storage limits require paid tiers

• RefWorks — where it wins

  • Supports PDF annotation, highlighting, and full-text organization
  • Works with Microsoft Word and Google Docs for citations
  • Offers broad research-database and library-system integrations

  Where it doesn't

  • Pricing is handled through institutional sales conversations
  • Its administration features may exceed individual researchers' needs
  • The RefWorks name is expected to change later in 2026

• Mendeley Reference Manager9.0/10 · Free plan

  A flexible, cross-platform reference manager with PDF tools, Word integration, and tiered AI features.

  Visit MendeleyFull verdict →
• RefWorks8.6/10 · Pricing on request

  A strong institutional reference manager with broad integrations and administration tools.

  Visit RefWorksFull verdict →