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Tech riderRev. 4 Oct 2026

refbase

Ch 087.4of 27 Reference Management Software
  1. 1Runs onAPI, Linux, Mac, self-hosted, Web, Windows
  2. 2CostsFree plan
  3. 3Citation pluginsYes
  4. 4Supported platformsweb
  5. 5Team collaborationadvanced
5 lines stated Written from the maker's own pages: wiki.refbase.net, sourceforge.net
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The refbase homepage

Overview

refbase is ranked #8 of 27 in reference management software on Specifiction. It runs on API, Linux, macOS, Self-hosted, Web, Windows. There is a free plan.

refbase plans and pricing

All plans
refbase Free Self-hosted web application · GPLv2 sourceforge.net · 4 Oct 2026

Compared on reference management software

Citation plugins
Yeswiki.refbase.net
Supported platforms
webwiki.refbase.net
Team collaboration
advancedwiki.refbase.net

Facts

Purpose
refbase is a web-based, multi-user interface for managing scientific literature and bibliographic references.wiki.refbase.net · 4 Oct 2026
Search
It provides quick, simple, advanced, and SQL search options, with the ability to search within results.wiki.refbase.net · 4 Oct 2026
Citation output
It can display records in citation and print views and generate formatted citation lists.wiki.refbase.net · 4 Oct 2026
Import and export
It supports importing and exporting bibliographic records in formats including MODS XML, RIS, BibTeX, and EndNote.wiki.refbase.net · 4 Oct 2026
Integrations
The feature list names compatibility with desktop clients such as Zotero and EndNote, plus an open API and command-line client.sourceforge.net · 4 Oct 2026
Feeds
It offers dynamic RSS feeds for recently added or edited records and custom queries.wiki.refbase.net · 4 Oct 2026
Collaboration
The interface is multi-user and includes user-specific fields for personal keywords and notes.wiki.refbase.net · 4 Oct 2026
Hosting
Installation requires a web server, PHP 4.4.0 or greater, and MySQL 4.1.x or greater for Unicode support.wiki.refbase.net · 4 Oct 2026
Optional dependency
Bibutils is optional and recommended for additional import and export functionality, including EndNote and BibTeX support.wiki.refbase.net · 4 Oct 2026
Installation constraint
The web installer requires a MySQL user with full access to the MySQL database; some shared hosts may require manual installation.wiki.refbase.net · 4 Oct 2026
Support
The project directs users to its documentation, forums, and mailing lists for help and discussion.wiki.refbase.net · 4 Oct 2026
License
SourceForge lists refbase under the GNU General Public License version 2.0.sourceforge.net · 4 Oct 2026
Release availability
The SourceForge files page lists refbase 0.9.6, dated 2014-02-28, as the latest version.sourceforge.net · 4 Oct 2026

Best refbase alternatives

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All accessCh 01 Zotero Free planAndroidAPI from $1.67/mo7.9 All accessCh 02 Sciwand Free planFree trialiOS Free to start7.7 All accessCh 03 Lean Library Workspace Free planFree trialAndroid Free to start7.6 All accessCh 04 Mendeley Reference Manager Free planBrowserLinux from $4.58/mo7.6 All accessCh 05 ReadCube Papers Free trialAndroidAPI from $7.92/mo7.6 All accessCh 06 EndNote Free trialBrowseriOS 7.5

Where it ranks on Specifiction

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Sources