The Citation Generator
The Citation Generator: A free web citation tool with saved projects and broad export support. Ranked #16 of 29 in Citation Generator Tools by our editors (7.9/10); pricing: Free plan; best for free users needing many export formats.
At a glance
- Editor score7.9 / 10
- PricingFree plan
- Best forFree users needing many export formats
- Free planYes
- Paid fromFree
- Citation style count12
- Facts checked20 Sep 2026
Where it wins
- Free citation formatting with no account required for one-off citations
- Exports to BibTeX, BibLaTeX, RIS, HTML, Markdown, and plain text
- Saved bibliographies can switch between supported citation styles
Where it doesn't
- Supports 12 citation styles
- Saving references and projects requires an account
- Available through the web only
Our verdict on The Citation Generator
The Citation Generator is a browser-based citation and bibliography tool for students, researchers, and academic writers. Its free plan covers citation lookup, citation formatting, and project exports, with no account required for one-off citations. It supports DOI, ISBN, URL, title, and PubMed ID lookup, along with manual citation entry and metadata editing. The result is a focused option for people who need formatted references without paying for a citation manager or committing to a desktop application.
Its strongest advantage is export flexibility. Users can save bibliographies in projects, switch citation styles for saved sources, and export to BibTeX, BibLaTeX, RIS, HTML, Markdown, or plain text. That gives the tool a practical fit across LaTeX and Overleaf workflows as well as citation managers such as Zotero, EndNote, and Mendeley. Lookup connections with Crossref, OpenLibrary, and page metadata also support its reference-generation workflow. Choose it when moving references between formats matters as much as producing a formatted citation.
The trade-off is a narrower style catalog: the product supports 12 citation styles, so writers working with a required style outside that set may need another tool. The web-only format also keeps the product centered on browser-based workflows, while saved projects and references require an account. Pick The Citation Generator for free, export-oriented bibliography work and occasional citation formatting. Consider an alternative if you need a larger style library or a different application environment for managing references.
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The Citation Generator pricing
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The Citation Generator fact sheet
| Free plan | Yes |
|---|---|
| Paid from | Free |
| Citation style count | 12 |
| Identifier lookup | Yes |
| URL import | Yes |
| Browser extension | Not verified |
| Word add-in | Not verified |
| BibTeX export | Yes |
| Deployment | Cloud |
| Platforms | Web |
| Support | |
| Built for | Solo, Small business (editorial estimate) |
| Integrations | 7 integrations: Crossref, OpenLibrary, Zotero, EndNote, Mendeley, LaTeX … |
| Pricing | Free plan (source) |
| Website | thecitationgenerator.com |
| Facts checked | 20 Sep 2026 |
The Citation Generator integrations
The Citation Generator lists 7 integrations on its own site.
- Crossref
- OpenLibrary
- Zotero
- EndNote
- Mendeley
- LaTeX
- Overleaf
Alternatives to The Citation Generator
- MyBibA full-featured citation tool with free core features and low-cost cross-device storage.9.4
- CiteMeA broad academic citation toolkit with strong imports, but Pro access starts at $2.99 weekly.9.3
- BibcitationA free citation tool with broad style coverage and Word and Google Docs integrations.9.2
See all The Citation Generator alternatives →
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Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
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