Compare Reference Manager and Zotero

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At a Glance
Reference Manager
Reference Manager
Star Rating
(12)3.7 out of 5
Market Segments
Enterprise (58.3% of reviews)
Information
Entry-Level Pricing
No pricing available
Learn more about Reference Manager
Zotero
Zotero
Star Rating
(97)4.4 out of 5
Market Segments
Small-Business (38.9% of reviews)
Information
Entry-Level Pricing
No pricing available
Learn more about Zotero
AI Generated Summary
AI-generated. Powered by real user reviews.
  • Reviewers mention that Zotero's "Ease of Setup" is significantly higher at 9.5 compared to Reference Manager, which lacks a specific score, indicating that users find Zotero more straightforward to install and start using.
  • Users report that Zotero excels in "Meets Requirements" with a score of 9.1, while Reference Manager trails behind at 8.0, suggesting that Zotero better fulfills user needs and expectations.
  • G2 users highlight that Reference Manager has a lower "Quality of Support" rating at 7.3, whereas Zotero's support is rated at 7.9, indicating that users may find more reliable assistance with Zotero when issues arise.
  • Users on G2 note that the "Product Direction" score for Reference Manager is only 3.5, which is significantly lower than Zotero's 7.6, suggesting that users feel more optimistic about the future development and improvements of Zotero.
  • Reviewers say that both products have the same "Ease of Use" rating of 8.5, indicating that users find both software products relatively user-friendly, but Zotero's additional features may enhance the overall experience.
  • Users report that Reference Manager is primarily favored by the "Enterprise" market segment (58.3% of reviews), while Zotero is more popular among "Small-Business" users (38.9% of reviews), suggesting that each product may cater to different organizational needs and sizes.
Pricing
Entry-Level Pricing
Reference Manager
No pricing available
Zotero
No pricing available
Free Trial
Reference Manager
No trial information available
Zotero
No trial information available
Ratings
Meets Requirements
8.0
9
9.1
79
Ease of Use
8.5
9
8.5
79
Ease of Setup
Not enough data
9.5
7
Ease of Admin
Not enough data
Not enough data
Quality of Support
7.3
8
7.9
54
Has the product been a good partner in doing business?
Not enough data
Not enough data
Product Direction (% positive)
3.5
9
7.6
74
Categories
Categories
Shared Categories
Reference Manager
Reference Manager
Zotero
Zotero
Reference Manager and Zotero are categorized as Reference Management
Unique Categories
Reference Manager
Reference Manager has no unique categories
Zotero
Zotero has no unique categories
Reviews
Reviewers' Company Size
Reference Manager
Reference Manager
Small-Business(50 or fewer emp.)
25.0%
Mid-Market(51-1000 emp.)
16.7%
Enterprise(> 1000 emp.)
58.3%
Zotero
Zotero
Small-Business(50 or fewer emp.)
38.9%
Mid-Market(51-1000 emp.)
26.3%
Enterprise(> 1000 emp.)
34.7%
Reviewers' Industry
Reference Manager
Reference Manager
Higher Education
41.7%
Research
8.3%
Public Policy
8.3%
Photography
8.3%
Pharmaceuticals
8.3%
Other
25.0%
Zotero
Zotero
Higher Education
36.8%
Research
28.4%
Education Management
8.4%
Hospital & Health Care
3.2%
Biotechnology
3.2%
Other
20.0%
Most Helpful Reviews
Reference Manager
Reference Manager
Most Helpful Favorable Review
Verified User in Pharmaceuticals
GP
Verified User in Pharmaceuticals

Easy access to pubmed articles, cite while you write

Most Helpful Critical Review
Verified User
G
Verified User in Photography

Sloppy and clumsy interface. Very confusing mechanics. Not presentable in a clear manner.

Zotero
Zotero
Most Helpful Favorable Review
Verified User in Research
GR
Verified User in Research

Back in college I used Zotero for everything. Its seamless Firefox integration and later integration with Word were exactly what I needed, and unlike EndNote, I could install it on all my own devices with no trouble and no fees. I now use it very...

Most Helpful Critical Review
Verified User
G
Verified User in Marketing and Advertising

I think Zotero can make their interface more efficient by changing the way they present their features. Also every time you want to change the style of your references on a document or more it feels like it ruins everything else.

Alternatives
Reference Manager
Reference Manager Alternatives
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Mendeley
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EndNote
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EasyBib.com
EasyBib.com
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ReadCube
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Zotero
Zotero Alternatives
Mendeley
Mendeley
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EndNote
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Discussions
Reference Manager
Reference Manager Discussions
Monty the Mongoose crying
Reference Manager has no discussions with answers
Zotero
Zotero Discussions
How do i reference webpages?
2 comments
Scruffs O.
SO
It isn't available immediately, but if you select a different option--book for example--, you are able to change it after the fact to be a web page.Read more
Can you tell me, why the need to include so much information in a citation?
2 comments
MF
the field is there just in case we (author, the one who cite) have the info. Not all field are compulsory.. My way.. I'd normally find the items isbn or...Read more
What is Zotero used for?
2 comments
Vladislav I.
VI
Systematic and collaborative bibliography managementRead more