Compare software

Mendeley vs JabRef: catalog facts
Mendeley	JabRef
Freemium Free with 2 GB of storage, with paid options.	Free Free and open source, funded by donations.
Web, Browser extension	Windows, macOS, Linux, Browser extension
PDF reading, highlighting and annotation built in Generates references and citations	Stores libraries in plain text BibTeX/BibLaTeX files Fits naturally into LaTeX writing
Owned by the publisher Elsevier Free storage is limited to 2 GB	Centred on BibTeX, which is less familiar outside LaTeX users Maintained by volunteers in their spare time
Downloadable app, Web application, Browser extension	Downloadable app, Browser extension
Closed source	Open source
License not stated	License not stated
Not stated if an account is needed	No account needed
Not stated if it works offline	Works offline
Official website Full listing and sources Checked September 23, 2026	Official website Full listing and sources Checked September 23, 2026

Catalog facts only. Anything “not stated” is unconfirmed. Check full listings for details.