View all Reference & Knowledge Management Alternatives
Best Free Alternatives to Citavi 7.x (by Lumivero)
Stop paying $379/yr (Standard) | $90 - $120/yr (Student). Discover professional-grade tools that won't break your budget.
Category: Reference & Knowledge ManagementVerified for 2025
Top Recommended Replacements
Zotero 7.0+
FREETop Professional Free Alternative
Why we like it
100% free core; the industry standard for browser-based data capture; massive plugin ecosystem (ZotFile, Better BibTeX); built-in PDF reader with annotation sync; local-first privacy.
Keep in mind
Lacks Citavi's structured 'Knowledge Organizer' and task planner; free cloud storage is limited to 300MB (paid tiers for more).
JabRef
FREEBest for LaTeX & Technical Writing
Why we like it
100% free; native BibTeX/BibLaTeX support; ideal for engineers and mathematicians; no cloud-dependency; lightweight and highly customizable.
Keep in mind
No built-in PDF reader/annotator; utilitarian interface; lacks the automated 'Thought/Quote' organization found in Citavi.
Paperpile
Best Web-Native Experience
Why we like it
Seamless Google Docs & MS Word integration; beautiful web-first UI; incredibly fast PDF management via Google Drive; great mobile apps.
Keep in mind
Subscription-only; heavily tied to the Google ecosystem; lacks Citavi's advanced 'Task Planning' and offline-first database power.
EndNote 21
Top Enterprise Rival
Why we like it
Superior at handling massive libraries (50,000+ refs); industry-leading citation accuracy for niche journals; excellent shared library features for large labs.
Keep in mind
The UI is often criticized for being dated and 'clunky'; high cost for individual licenses; no organic knowledge/thought mapping features.
Obsidian + Zotero Integration
FREEBest for 'Second Brain' Enthusiasts
Why we like it
Combine Zotero's citation power with Obsidian's infinite canvas; allows for the same 'Knowledge Management' as Citavi but with 100% data ownership.
Keep in mind
Requires 'assembly'—you must configure plugins like 'Zotero Integration' and 'Citations' to make the workflow effective.
Need more options?
Explore our full directory of Reference & Knowledge Management software alternatives.
Browse the Reference & Knowledge Management Hub