About EndNote EndNote, EndNote 2025, full license $275 USD one-time
$385 CAD
Every pick below has a free version.
Key file formats .enl .enlx .ris .bib Filter alternatives 3 alternatives
Windows3 macOS3 Linux3 Web2 iOS1
Open source2 Free tier1
No account needed2
Tool License Platforms Status
Top pick 1 tool The editor’s first choice for most people switching.
1 Zo
Best for free, open-source reference management
License: Open source
Status: Unknown
RIS RIS: opens and saves, full fidelity BIB BIB: opens and saves, full fidelity. BibTeX import and export; citation keys may need the Better BibTeX plug-in , 0 people switched from EndNote to Zotero Zotero for changes Open source and free, with 300 MB of file storage. 2 GB costs US$20 a year. Cannot open .enl files; export from EndNote as RIS or XML. Free version: The app and sync of references are free. File storage is 300 MB free, 2 GB is $20 a year, and unlimited is $120 a year.
Strong 1 tool Covers most of the same work, with trade-offs noted on each card.
2 MR
Best for a free reference manager with an Elsevier account
License: Free tier
Status: Verified Oct 7, 2026 RIS RIS: opens and saves, full fidelity BIB BIB: opens and saves, full fidelity. BibTeX import and export , 0 people switched from EndNote to Mendeley Reference Manager Mendeley Reference Manager for changes Free with 2 GB of storage. Closed source and owned by Elsevier. The older Mendeley Desktop was retired in favor of Reference Manager. Free version: Free plan has 2 GB of storage and 5 AI Reading Assistant questions. Premium plans start at $4.99 a month.
Situational 1 tool Right for specific needs, or not yet mature enough to recommend widely.
3 Ja
Best for BibTeX and LaTeX users
License: Open source
Status: Unknown
RIS RIS: opens and saves, partial fidelity. Imports and exports RIS; some fields may map differently BIB BIB: opens and saves, full fidelity. Native BibTeX and BibLaTeX libraries , 0 people switched from EndNote to JabRef JabRef for changes Free and open source (MIT) for Windows, Mac and Linux. Built around .bib files, so it suits LaTeX writers more than Word users.
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Feature parity How each alternative covers what people use EndNote for. Numbers link to editor notes.
Feature parity with EndNote Feature Zotero Mendeley Reference Manager JabRef Library Reference library with attached PDFs Note 1Libraries are BibTeX or BibLaTeX files with linked documents Writing Cite While You Write in Word Note 2Plug-ins for Word, LibreOffice and Google Docs Note 3Mendeley add-in for Microsoft Word Note 4Word and LibreOffice support for inserting citations Thousands of output styles Note 5Citation Style Language styles Note 6Citation Style Language styles Note 7Thousands of built-in citation styles Import Search online databases from the app Note 8Browser connector saves from sites; no built-in database search Note 9Web Importer saves from sites; search is limited to Mendeley's catalog Note 10Searches PubMed and Google Scholar and many other catalogues PDFs PDF reading and annotation Note 11Built-in PDF reader with annotations Note 12PDF reader with annotations Note 13Links and renames PDFs and extracts metadata; no annotation tools Collaboration Shared libraries Note 14Group libraries; free storage is 300 MB Note 15Shared groups Note 16Share the .bib file or sync through your own SQL database AI AI research assistance Note 17The free plan allows 5 Reading Assistant questions; Ask My Library is Premium Note 18No AI features listed Parity score 79% 86% 57%
JabRef, Reference library with attached PDFs: Libraries are BibTeX or BibLaTeX files with linked documents Zotero, Cite While You Write in Word: Plug-ins for Word, LibreOffice and Google Docs Mendeley Reference Manager, Cite While You Write in Word: Mendeley add-in for Microsoft Word JabRef, Cite While You Write in Word: Word and LibreOffice support for inserting citations Zotero, Thousands of output styles: Citation Style Language styles Mendeley Reference Manager, Thousands of output styles: Citation Style Language styles JabRef, Thousands of output styles: Thousands of built-in citation styles Zotero, Search online databases from the app: Browser connector saves from sites; no built-in database search Mendeley Reference Manager, Search online databases from the app: Web Importer saves from sites; search is limited to Mendeley's catalog JabRef, Search online databases from the app: Searches PubMed and Google Scholar and many other catalogues Zotero, PDF reading and annotation: Built-in PDF reader with annotations Mendeley Reference Manager, PDF reading and annotation: PDF reader with annotations JabRef, PDF reading and annotation: Links and renames PDFs and extracts metadata; no annotation tools Zotero, Shared libraries: Group libraries; free storage is 300 MB Mendeley Reference Manager, Shared libraries: Shared groups JabRef, Shared libraries: Share the .bib file or sync through your own SQL database Mendeley Reference Manager, AI research assistance: The free plan allows 5 Reading Assistant questions; Ask My Library is Premium JabRef, AI research assistance: No AI features listed Not covered by any free alternative yet: AI research assistance. See all feature gaps
File formats Can each alternative open and save EndNote files?
Opening and saving EndNote files Format Zotero Mendeley Reference Manager JabRef .enl Note 1Cannot open .enl files; export from EndNote as RIS or XML Note 2Cannot open .enl files; export from EndNote as RIS or XML Note 3Cannot open .enl files; export from EndNote as XML or RIS .enlx Note 4Cannot open .enlx files; export from EndNote as RIS or XML Note 5Cannot open .enlx files; export from EndNote as RIS or XML Note 6Cannot open .enlx files; export from EndNote as XML or RIS .ris Note 7Imports and exports RIS; some fields may map differently .bib Note 8BibTeX import and export; citation keys may need the Better BibTeX plug-in Note 9BibTeX import and export Note 10Native BibTeX and BibLaTeX libraries
Zotero, .enl: Cannot open .enl files; export from EndNote as RIS or XML Mendeley Reference Manager, .enl: Cannot open .enl files; export from EndNote as RIS or XML JabRef, .enl: Cannot open .enl files; export from EndNote as XML or RIS Zotero, .enlx: Cannot open .enlx files; export from EndNote as RIS or XML Mendeley Reference Manager, .enlx: Cannot open .enlx files; export from EndNote as RIS or XML JabRef, .enlx: Cannot open .enlx files; export from EndNote as XML or RIS JabRef, .ris: Imports and exports RIS; some fields may map differently Zotero, .bib: BibTeX import and export; citation keys may need the Better BibTeX plug-in Mendeley Reference Manager, .bib: BibTeX import and export JabRef, .bib: Native BibTeX and BibLaTeX libraries Switching saves about $275 USD / $385 CAD one-time. Prices checked Oct 7, 2026 .
Based on EndNote 2025, full license. Price source .
EndNote is a product of Clarivate, named here for comparison only. Platforms listed for EndNote: Windows, macOS, Web, iOS.