| Characteristics |
RefWorks |
EndNote (desktop) |
Zotero |
| Strengths |
Many databases include direct exporting features to it.
Good tech support.
|
Excellent for organizing citations for papers and theses.
Good customer support.
Highly customizable.
Note: There are other versions of EndNote, including EndNote Web and EndNote Basic. Please see the comparison chart for more details.
|
Simple download of records.
Good for managing a variety of formats, including web pages.
Easily share citations and documents with others.
|
| Weaknesses |
Metadata may need to be cleaned up.
Platform can be unstable.
|
Expensive.
Learning curve may be greater than others.
Has different versions which have significant differences.
|
Must pay for additional storage.
|
| Type |
Web interface |
Desktop software; also has a free web interface, EndNote Web. |
Desktop software and browser add-on. |
| Cost |
Free (library subscribes) |
Discounted version available through the UIC Webstore.
EndNote Basic is free, but isn't as robust.
|
Free with 300 MB of storage. Additional storage and group upgrades are available for a fee. |
| Learning curve |
Quick to learn; simple design. |
Takes longer to learn, but not difficult with training. |
Quick to learn; simple design. Many online user guides and demos. |
| How does it work? |
Export references from compatible databases; also has browser plugin to save from the web. |
Export references from compatible databases. Can also search databases within EndNote |
Zotero detects bibliographic information on the web and allows you to save it. |
| What kind of records can you import and organize? |
Best with traditional formats (articles, books, etc.).
PDFs and other file types can also be stored in records.
|
Best with traditional formats (articles, books, etc.).
PDFs and other file types can be stored with records.
|
Traditional formats as well as web pages.
PDFs, screenshots, and other file types can be stored with records.
|
| Can you search within PDF files? |
Yes. |
Yes, but search isn't intuitive. |
Yes. Make PDFs searchable by choosing to index them in the preferences menu. |
| Are records in your library viewable by others? |
Yes; you can share folders within an institution or create a public URL. |
Yes. Starting in version X6, EndNote libraries can be shared with other users. EndNote Online can also be synced to the desktop version for sharing citations. |
Yes, if you choose to share them. You can set up individual and group profiles to share records. |
| Does it work with word processing software? |
Yes. Includes add-in for Word and Google Docs. Two options, depending on software: Write-n-Cite or RefWorks Citation Manager (RCM). |
Yes. Powerful formatting and customization features in Word through Cite While You Write; also works with Google Docs, LaTeX through BibTeX, and Open Office. |
Yes. Works with Word, LibreOffice and Google Docs. Also works with LaTeX through BibTeX. |
| Can you annotate PDFs? |
Yes. |
Yes. |
Yes. |
| Other important features |
Has a "find full-text" option to download full-text for records (when the library has access). |
Has a "find full-text" option to download full-text for records (when the library has access). Starting in version X7, PDFs can be uploaded into EndNote from a folder on your computer. |
Can be used for collaborative work with groups.
Will automatically attach PDFs.
If you back up records, you can sync multiple computers.
|
| Does it have a mobile site or app? |
No. |
Yes; an iPad app |
Yes, a mobile site through zotero.org. There's also an iPad app called ZotPad. |
| Link to vendor support/documentation. |
RefWorks support |
EndNote support |
Zotero support |