Mendeley Data review
A free dataset repository with DOI publication, access controls, and cloud-storage connections.
Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
Mendeley Data is Elsevier’s online repository for researchers who need to deposit, share, and discover datasets. It supports private collaboration as well as public publication, with restricted access and embargo options for files. Published datasets receive a DOI, and the repository supports metadata, version history, links to related articles, datasets, or software, and views, downloads, and citation metrics. Its free access makes it relevant to researchers without an institutional or subject-specific repository, while its API also supports dataset management beyond the web interface.
Cloud-storage connections are a practical part of the offering: researchers can link project folders from Dropbox, Box, Google Drive, and OneDrive. This suits teams that already keep working files in those services and want to connect them to research projects. Dataset sharing controls allow private access for collaborators or public release, and files can be restricted or embargoed. The service is cloud-based, with web and API access; documentation is the listed support channel.
The published limit for a free Mendeley Data dataset is 10 GB. The service also includes DOI assignment, dataset versioning, metadata fields, and usage metrics without a paid plan described here. Elsevier states that published datasets are archived with Data Archiving and Networked Services, and the listed compliance certification is ISO 27001. Mendeley Data fits researchers seeking free deposit and sharing with cloud-storage connections and publication identifiers. Teams that need a specified repository curation workflow should compare alternatives designed around that need.
Mendeley Data pros and cons
- Where it wins
- Publish datasets with persistent DOIs, version history, and citation metrics
- Share privately or publicly, with restricted access and embargo options
- Connect Dropbox, Box, Google Drive, or OneDrive folders to projects
- Where it doesn't
- The free dataset limit is 10 GB
- Support is listed through documentation
- No repository curation workflow is specified
Mendeley Data fact sheet, pricing and score →
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