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Best Free Alternatives to EndNote 2025.2
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Category: Citations / Reference ManagementVerified for 2025
Top Recommended Replacements
Zotero 7
FREETop Modern Alternative
Why we like it
The landmark 2025 'v7' update brought a complete UI overhaul with native Dark Mode; supports EPUBs and webpage snapshots; native Apple Silicon and Windows on ARM support; 100% free with optional low-cost cloud storage ($20/yr for 2GB).
Keep in mind
The free storage (300MB) fills up quickly with large PDF libraries; lacks the native AI manuscript-to-journal matching found in EndNote 2025.
Mendeley Reference Manager
FREEBest for AI-Powered Search
Why we like it
Owned by Elsevier; late 2025 updates include 'Advanced Search' with AI context-awareness and real-time sync for Mendeley Cite; includes 2GB of free storage; excellent social networking features for researchers.
Keep in mind
The move away from the classic 'Mendeley Desktop' has frustrated long-time users; proprietary format makes migrating libraries more complex than Zotero.
Paperguide
FREEBest AI-Native Alternative
Why we like it
A 2025 standout; built-in 'Chat with Paper' feature that extracts insights across your entire library; excellent for technical developers needing to summarize code-heavy papers; modern, clutter-free web interface.
Keep in mind
Newer platform with fewer specialized citation styles (e.g., niche medical journals) compared to EndNote's 7,000+ styles.
Paperpile
Best for Google Workspace
Why we like it
The favorite for Google Docs users; cloud-based with exceptional mobile apps for iOS and Android; seamless PDF management directly in Google Drive; very affordable unlimited storage.
Keep in mind
Subscription-only; lacks an offline-first desktop application for deep local work.
JabRef 6.0
FREEBest for LaTeX / Developers
Why we like it
Native BibTeX/BibLaTeX support; 100% free; the late 2025 update improved the web-search integration for computer science journals; lightweight and data-sovereign.
Keep in mind
Purely technical UI; not suitable for Word/General users compared to Zotero or EndNote.
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