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Research · head to head

Mendeley vs NVivo

Mendeley logo

Mendeley

Research

The free all-in-one reference manager

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
NVivo logo

NVivo

Research

Easy-to-use, collaborative qualitative analysis software

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Mendeley has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Mendeley free tier limited to 5 Reading Assistant questions per month and 2GB storage; NVivo base plan pricing not displayed on shop page; requires adding to cart or contacting sales
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 28 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Mendeley and NVivo actually diverge.

Attributes where Mendeley and NVivo differ
AttributeMendeleyNVivo
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelfreemiumquote
Free tierYesNo

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

What people use each for

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

Mendeley

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

NVivo

  • Qualitative data analysis for researchnot Mendeley
  • Document and interview coding and analysisnot Mendeley
  • Transcription and collaborative research projectsnot Mendeley

Where each one falls short

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

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

NVivo

  • Base plan pricing not displayed on shop page; requires adding to cart or contacting sales
  • Volume licensing (10+ seats) requires sales contact only
  • No free version available, only trials without specified duration

Pricing, plan by plan

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

NVivo

On request

No published plan breakdown. See the NVivo review.

Which should you pick?

Choose Mendeley if

  • You want to start without paying.
Mendeley review

Choose NVivo if

Nothing in the data separates NVivo from Mendeley on the points above - pick on price and on how each one feels to use.

NVivo review

Questions people ask

Is Mendeley or NVivo better?
Neither clearly leads. Mendeley starts at Free and NVivo at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Mendeley or NVivo?
Mendeley has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Mendeley and On request for NVivo.
Does Mendeley or NVivo run on more platforms?
Both run on Web, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
Can I use Mendeley for free?
Yes. Mendeley has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. NVivo starts at On request.
What is Mendeley best used for?
Mendeley is most often used for storing and organizing large research libraries, searching and querying pdfs in library, uncovering patterns and connections across references, comparing experimental data across multiple studies. Of those, storing and organizing large research libraries and searching and querying pdfs in library are not what NVivo is typically brought in for.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

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
NVivo: How much does NVivo cost?

NVivo pricing is not displayed on the public website. Base plan pricing varies by subscription type and region. Individual/small teams can purchase directly through shop.lumivero.com, while organizations with 10+ licenses must contact sales for quotes.

Source
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
NVivo: What are NVivo add-on costs?

NVivo AI Assistant costs $250 per year. Transcription costs $499 per year (50 hours annually) or $30 one-time (60 minutes). Collaboration Cloud for team sharing costs $99 per year.

Source
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
NVivo: Does NVivo offer a free version?

No free version of NVivo is available. Free trials are available at the product website, though trial duration is not specified. Individual users can purchase licenses directly through lumivero.com.

Source
NVivo: Is NVivo AI Assistant included in subscription?

No, NVivo AI Assistant is a paid add-on costing $250 per year. However, through August 18-September 15, 2026, AI Assistant is free with annual NVivo + AI subscriptions using code BTSAI100.

Source
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