Alternatives · AI Research
Mendeley alternatives
As of Nov 12, 2026, the highest-graded Mendeley alternative is Zotero (2.8 GPA). It's also the best free one. The catch, in its listing's words: "The app is free; syncing files uses 300 MB of free storage."
Mendeley compared with 5 alternatives: Zotero, Paperguide, SciSpace, Keenious and Anara.
Mendeley has a free plan. Paid plans start at $26 per month, billed annually ($32 billed monthly). All 5 alternatives are free or have a free plan.
Listings checked up to Nov 12, 2026 · Where the facts come from
Black Friday: is there a Mendeley sale?
At a glance
| Tool | Price | Free plan | Runs on |
|---|---|---|---|
| MendeleyThis tool | Free plan · from $26/mo | Yes | Web |
| Zotero | Free plan · from $20/yr | Yes | macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS, Android |
| Paperguide | Free plan · from $12/mo | Yes | Web, Browser extension |
| SciSpace | Free plan · from $12/mo | Yes | Web, iOS, Browser extension |
| Keenious | Free plan · from $10/mo | Yes | Web |
| Anara | Free plan · from $8/mo | Yes | Web, macOS, iOS, Browser extension |
Price against what you get
Mendeley starts at $26 a month and scores 2.3 out of 4 on features, ease of use and platforms. 4 of the 5 alternatives on this chart score higher and start lower: Paperguide, SciSpace, Keenious and Anara.
Zotero starts lower without scoring higher.
Features, ease of use and platforms, averaged
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
- The best score at each price
- Has a free plan
- No free plan
How each one differs from Mendeley
Zotero
Free, open-source reference manager from a nonprofit
- Zotero starts at $20 per year for 2 GB of file storage.
- Zotero also lists macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS and Android apps.
- Zotero lists no web app, which Mendeley has.
- Zotero is open source, according to its own site.
- Zotero also covers web clipper and file sync.
Suits: Students and researchers who want a free reference manager
Paperguide
AI research platform for literature and systematic reviews
- Paperguide starts at $12 per seat / month, billed annually ($8 with the academic discount).
- Paperguide also lists a browser extension.
- Paperguide also covers AI search, AI agents and long-form writing.
- Paperguide does not cover highlights, which Mendeley does.
Suits: Teams running systematic reviews that need documented screening decisions
SciSpace
AI research platform for literature review and reading papers
- SciSpace starts at $12 per month, billed annually ($20 billed monthly).
- SciSpace also lists an iOS app and a browser extension.
- SciSpace also covers AI search and AI agents.
- SciSpace does not cover highlights, which Mendeley does.
Suits: Students and researchers who want search, reading and writing tools in one place
Keenious
Academic search that recommends papers from your own text
- Keenious starts at $10 per month, billed annually ($20 billed monthly).
- Keenious also covers AI search.
- Keenious does not cover highlights, which Mendeley does.
Suits: Students looking for sources that match a draft essay or assignment
Anara
AI research assistant that cites the exact source passage
- Anara starts at $8 per seat / month, billed yearly ($10 billed monthly).
- Anara also lists macOS and iOS apps and a browser extension.
- Anara also covers AI search, web clipper and AI agents.
- Anara does not cover highlights, which Mendeley does.
Suits: Researchers who want answers grounded in their own library of papers
Limits worth knowing in Mendeley
- AI features inside Mendeley need a paid LeapSpace plan; the free LeapSpace tier excludes them.
- The pricing page says Mendeley Premium is now part of LeapSpace.
- Platform support for desktop apps could not be confirmed from the pages read, so only web is listed.
- Elsevier says the plans are not for corporate use.
Common questions
What are the alternatives to Mendeley?
The alternatives to Mendeley in this directory are Zotero, Paperguide, SciSpace, Keenious and Anara. Each one has a side-by-side comparison with Mendeley.
Is there a free alternative to Mendeley?
Yes. Zotero, Paperguide, SciSpace, Keenious and Anara have a free plan alongside paid ones.
Which Mendeley alternatives work on Windows?
The Mendeley listing does not include a Windows app. Zotero lists one.
Which Mendeley alternatives work on macOS?
The Mendeley listing does not include a macOS app. Zotero and Anara list one.
Is there an open-source alternative to Mendeley?
Zotero is described as open source on its own site.
When were these prices checked?
Each listing shows its own date. On this page they run from Oct 5, 2026 to Nov 12, 2026. Vendors change prices without notice, so confirm on their site before you buy.