CitePlain vs ZoteroBib
CitePlain
citeplain.comZoteroBib
zbib.orgSide by side
| Figure | CitePlain | ZoteroBib |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | $3.25/mo | Free |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Open source | — | — |
| Web | Yes | Yes |
| Plans published | 7 | 1 |
| Spec score · Citation generators | 8.9 (#4) | 7.4 (#46) |
| Spec score · Citation Generator Tools | 8.7 (#4) | 7.0 (#27) |
| Privacy | CitePlain says saved references on the free tier live in browser local storage and never leave the device. | A bibliography remains on the user's computer by default; linked versions are accessible to people with the link, and the service logs IP address, browser version, and search terms for a short period. |
| Purpose | CitePlain generates citations from web pages, journal articles, books, tweets, YouTube videos, and podcasts. | ZoteroBib is a free service for building a bibliography from a computer or device without an account or software installation. |
| Support | Email support is handled by one person, with replies promised within one business day and often within a few hours. | The FAQ directs users who need help to the Zotero Forums and says they need a Zotero account to post. |
Plans
CitePlain
- FreeFree
- Pro monthly$4.99 a month
- Pro yearly$39 a year
- Founder Lifetime$89, paid once
- Lifetime Founder$89, paid once
- Lifetime$199, paid once
- Lifetime$199, paid once
In their own words
CitePlain
CitePlain creates citations and bibliographies from web pages, journal articles, books, tweets, YouTube videos, and podcasts. It accepts URLs, DOIs, or ISBNs, and uses publisher citation and Open Graph metadata, with Crossref lookup for DOIs and Open Library for ISBNs. The free plan includes APA 7, MLA 9, Chicago 17, Vancouver, CSE, and BibTeX, plus a bibliography builder for up to 50 sources per batch. The extension for Chrome, Edge, and Firefox can read metadata from the active tab and provide BibTeX with a stable cite key for Overleaf or Zotero. Pro adds 24 specialised styles, batch URL import for up to 50 sources, and cloud storage synced across the web app and extension. Free-tier references stay in browser local storage. Pro costs $4.99 a month or $39 a year. Lifetime options are listed at 89.00 USD once and 199.00 USD once. CitePlain describes its focus as individual citations rather than replacing a research reference manager.