Detailed Feature Comparison
A comparison of the relevant features of RefWorks, Zotero, Mendeley and EndNote.
| RefWorks | Zotero | Mendeley | EndNote | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best Use |
Long-Term Storage and Management of Many Sources |
Web-Based Research |
Storage and Management of PDFs |
Sophisticated Management of Sources |
| Best Features |
Ease of Sharing and Collaboration Review and Management of Large Numbers of Sources |
User-Friendly Design Screenshot capture of Web material Ease of Adding Sources Recognized by Zotero Ability to Search Full-Text of Attached Files iPhone App (coming soon) |
User-Friendly Design Review and Management of PDFs Ease of Adding Sources Recognized by Mendeley Dropbox Compatible |
Customization Review and Management of Large Numbers of Sources |
| Disadvantages |
Separate Log-In and RefWorks Window Not as intuitive as Zotero More complicated to import references Works best with traditional resources Searching citations is robust - but cannot search the full-text of attached files |
Somewhat difficult to manage large numbers of sources |
Unable to recognize sources that are not PDFs (e.g., books) |
Tied to your desktop Steep learning curve Complicated to import references Works best with traditional resources |
| Bluebook Compatible? |
Yes - but citations need significant editing |
Best option |
Yes - using the Zotero Bluebook style |
Yes- but citations need significant editing |
| Compatible with Lexis or Westlaw? |
No |
No |
No |
No |
| Compatible with other databases? |
Library Catalogs JSTOR Academic Search Premier |
HeinOnline Library Catalogs JSTOR Academic Search Premier Many websites, including The New York Times, SSRN, Google Scholar, Amazon, Epicurious |
HeinOnline JSTOR Academic Search Premier Many websites, including The New York Times, SSRN, Google Scholar |
Library Catalogs JSTOR Academic Search Premier |
| Adding Citations to Word Documents |
Yes |
Yes (best option) |
Yes |
Yes |
| Access |
Library Catalog |
Browser plug-in |
Via WWW or downloaded software |
Desktop |
| Format |
Web based |
Browser based (with ability to sync to a Web-based server) |
Web and Desktop based |
Software |
| Cost |
Free for Georgetown users |
Free for anyone |
Free for anyone |
Must purchase (~$300) |
