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Research · head to head

Greenphire vs Mendeley

Greenphire logo

Greenphire

Research

Clinical trial participant payments, reimbursement and travel, now part of Suvoda

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Mendeley logo

Mendeley

Research

The free all-in-one reference manager

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Mendeley has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Greenphire the standalone greenphire.com site now redirects to Suvoda and the brands have been integrated, so buyers are contracting with a randomisation and supply vendor and should expect cross selling rather than an independent payments specialist.; Mendeley free tier limited to 5 Reading Assistant questions per month and 2GB storage
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Greenphire and Mendeley actually diverge.

Attributes where Greenphire and Mendeley differ
AttributeGreenphireMendeley
Starting priceOn requestFree
Pricing modelquotefreemium
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWeb, iOS, AndroidWeb

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Research).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Greenphire

  • ClinCard
  • Direct to bank payment
  • Expense reimbursement
  • Travel and logistics
  • Site payments
  • Budgeting and benchmarking
  • Tax handling

Only in Mendeley

Nothing recorded that Greenphire does not also cover.

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Greenphire

  • A global Phase III trial paying stipends across many countries where participants cannot practically be reimbursed by sponsor accounts payablenot Mendeley
  • A decentralised or hybrid trial where participants travel long distances and the sponsor funds flights and accommodationnot Mendeley
  • A trial in a population where slow reimbursement drives dropout and same day payment materially helps retentionnot Mendeley
  • A sponsor that wants site payment milestones and participant payments handled by one vendor rather than twonot Mendeley

Mendeley

  • Storing and organizing large research librariesnot Greenphire
  • Searching and querying PDFs in librarynot Greenphire
  • Uncovering patterns and connections across referencesnot Greenphire
  • Comparing experimental data across multiple studiesnot Greenphire

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Greenphire

  • The standalone greenphire.com site now redirects to Suvoda and the brands have been integrated, so buyers are contracting with a randomisation and supply vendor and should expect cross selling rather than an independent payments specialist.
  • Nothing is published on price, and the typical shape of a platform fee plus per participant and per transaction charges means the cost of a trial is not knowable until enrolment is known.
  • Payment method availability varies sharply by country, so a global protocol may end up with card payments in some regions and slow manual processes in others, which undermines the retention argument that justified the purchase.
  • Sites bear the administrative work of enrolling participants and triggering payments but are not the buyer, so adoption depends on the sponsor mandating it and site resistance is a real implementation risk.
  • Participant payments create tax reporting obligations that differ per jurisdiction, and the tooling helps but does not remove sponsor liability, so legal and finance review is required in every country the trial runs in.

Mendeley

  • Free tier limited to 5 Reading Assistant questions per month and 2GB storage
  • Annual billing required to receive one free month equivalent discount
  • Storage limits restricted on Plus (5GB) and Pro (10GB) tiers

Pricing, plan by plan

Greenphire

On request
  • Greenphire Patient Payments$undefined/year
    • Priced per study through a sales process
    • Typically a platform fee plus per participant and per transaction charges
    • Funding of the payment float is separate from the software fee

Mendeley

Free
  • FreeFree
    • 2GB storage
    • 5 Reading Assistant questions per month
  • Plus$4.99/month
    • Unlimited Reading Assistant
    • 5GB storage
    • $55/year annual billing
  • Pro$9.99/month
    • Unlimited Reading Assistant
    • Compare Experiments
    • Ask My Library
  • Max$14.99/month
    • Unlimited Reading Assistant
    • Compare Experiments
    • Ask My Library

Which should you pick?

Choose Greenphire if

  • You need clincard.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want direct to bank payment.
Greenphire review

Choose Mendeley if

  • You want to start without paying.
Mendeley review

Questions people ask

Is Greenphire or Mendeley better?
Neither clearly leads. Greenphire starts at On request and Mendeley at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Greenphire or Mendeley?
Mendeley has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for Greenphire and Free for Mendeley.
Does Greenphire or Mendeley run on more platforms?
Greenphire runs on Web, iOS, Android. Mendeley runs on Web.
Can I use Mendeley for free?
Yes. Mendeley has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Greenphire starts at On request.
What is Greenphire best used for?
Greenphire is most often used for a global phase iii trial paying stipends across many countries where participants cannot practically be reimbursed by sponsor accounts payable, a decentralised or hybrid trial where participants travel long distances and the sponsor funds flights and accommodation, a trial in a population where slow reimbursement drives dropout and same day payment materially helps retention, a sponsor that wants site payment milestones and participant payments handled by one vendor rather than two. Of those, a global phase iii trial paying stipends across many countries where participants cannot practically be reimbursed by sponsor accounts payable and a decentralised or hybrid trial where participants travel long distances and the sponsor funds flights and accommodation are not what Mendeley is typically brought in for.
What can Greenphire do that Mendeley cannot?
Greenphire covers ClinCard, Direct to bank payment, Expense reimbursement, Travel and logistics.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Greenphire: Is Greenphire still sold?

Yes, as Greenphire Patient Payments on the Suvoda platform. The independent website and social presence have been consolidated into Suvoda.

Mendeley: How much does Mendeley Premium cost?

Mendeley Plus costs $4.99 per month or $55 per year. Pro tier costs $9.99 per month or $110 per year. Max tier costs $14.99 per month or $165 per year. All annual plans include one free month of service.

Source
Greenphire: What is ClinCard?

The reloadable debit card Greenphire issues to participants. Greenphire Patient Payments was formerly known as ClinCard.

Mendeley: Is there a free version of Mendeley?

Yes, Mendeley offers a free tier with 2GB of storage and 5 Reading Assistant questions per month. No credit card is required for the free plan.

Source
Greenphire: Does it publish pricing?

No. Pricing is per study and quoted through sales, and funding the payments themselves is separate from the software fee.

Mendeley: What storage do different Mendeley plans include?

The free tier includes 2GB storage. Plus tier provides 5GB storage. Pro tier includes 10GB storage. Max tier offers unlimited storage across all your research libraries.

Source
Greenphire: Can it pay participants outside the United States?

Yes, in more than thirty currencies, but the available payment method depends on the country.

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