Zotero
The free, open-source reference manager most researchers already have — and underuse.
At a Glance
- Publisher
- Digital Scholar (a nonprofit; software is open source)
- Coverage
Not a content database — a tool that collects, organises, cites, and deduplicates references from any source.
- Access
Free and open source, for Mac, Windows, Linux, iOS, and Android; optional paid storage for synced attachments; 9,000+ citation styles.
- Free alternative
- It is the free option.
- Regional
Works anywhere; the browser connector saves from almost any site or catalogue.
Our Take
The reference manager we recommend by default — free, open source, run by a nonprofit with no interest in your data, and genuinely good at the whole workflow from one-click web capture to in-document citations across Word, LibreOffice, and Google Docs. For literature reviews its quietly powerful feature is the built-in Duplicate Items detector, which most users never open. The limits are mild: deduplication is title/DOI/ISBN-based rather than algorithmic like the dedicated tools, and large synced libraries may need paid storage. Use it as your everyday library and citation engine; reach for ASySD or Deduklick when a systematic review needs audit-grade dedup.
Power Tips
- Export each database’s results as RIS into one collection per source so PRISMA counts stay auditable, then run Duplicate Items and merge, keeping the richest-metadata master record.
- Maintain a master ‘Screened’ library with decision tags so each quarter’s new imports dedup against already-screened items.
Alternatives & Complements
EndNote, Mendeley, ASySD, Deduklick, Rayyan
Figures last verified: June 15, 2026