| Votes | By | Price | Discipline | Year Launched |
| Elsevier | FREE | Interdisciplinary |
Mendeley is one of the most widely used tools for reference management, academic collaboration, and paper organization. Balancing a clean interface with cloud syncing and team features, Mendeley serves as a central hub for researchers handling large literature libraries.
Where Mendeley excels:
- Easy reference management with PDF import, automatic metadata extraction, and citation formatting in thousands of journal styles
- Integrated PDF reader allowing highlights, annotations, tags, and note-taking directly inside the app
- Cloud syncing across desktop, web, and mobile for on-the-go reference access
- Group collaboration, enabling shared literature libraries, reading lists, and annotation-based discussions
- Citation plug-ins for Word and LibreOffice, simplifying academic writing
Mendeley remains especially popular among early-career researchers for its accessibility, cross-device workflow, and strong community features. The platform also integrates well with Elsevier’s ecosystem, including Scopus and ScienceDirect.
However, the shift from Mendeley Desktop to Mendeley Reference Manager has frustrated many long-time users due to removed features and reduced customization. Mendeley’s dependence on Elsevier’s closed infrastructure also raises concerns for open science–oriented researchers.