Software · head to head
Mendeley vs Zotero
Zotero
Software
Collect, organize, annotate, cite and share your research
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Each has a real cost: Mendeley free plan is capped at 2GB storage; unlimited storage requires the MAX plan at $14.99/month or $165/year; Zotero free account storage is limited; paid tiers start at $20/year for 2GB and reach $120/year for unlimited storage
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Mendeley and Zotero actually diverge.
Identical on both: starting price (Free), pricing model (freemium), free tier (Yes), platforms (Web), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Mendeley
- Free plan is capped at 2GB storage; unlimited storage requires the MAX plan at $14.99/month or $165/year
Zotero
- Free account storage is limited; paid tiers start at $20/year for 2GB and reach $120/year for unlimited storage
- Sync and web access are optional add-ons layered on the core desktop app rather than included outright
Pricing, plan by plan
Mendeley
FreeNo published plan breakdown. See the Mendeley review.
Zotero
FreeNo published plan breakdown. See the Zotero review.
Which should you pick?
Questions people ask
- Is Mendeley or Zotero better?
- Neither clearly leads. Mendeley starts at Free and Zotero at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Mendeley or Zotero?
- Mendeley starts at Free and Zotero at Free.
- Does Mendeley or Zotero run on more platforms?
- Both run on Web, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
- Can I use Mendeley for free?
- Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.