Paperpile
Web-based reference manager built around Google Docs, Google Drive and Word.
- Verified facts
- 5 of 5
- Alternatives ranked
- 2
- Approved reviews
- 0
- Visits sent from here
- 0
About Paperpile
Paperpile is a subscription reference manager that runs in the browser and stores your PDFs in your own Google Drive. You save papers with a browser extension, organise them with folders and labels, read and annotate PDFs, and insert citations through plugins for Google Docs and Microsoft Word, with more than 10,000 citation styles. Higher plans add full-text search across your PDFs, shared libraries and collaborative annotations. It has good BibTeX import and export, so LaTeX writers can use it too, and there are mobile apps for iOS and Android. Sign-in uses a Google account. Pricing is a monthly fee billed per plan, with an academic discount and a 30-day free trial; there is no free plan. It suits people who already live in Google Workspace and want a cleaner, faster tool than the traditional desktop managers.
Best for: Researchers who write in Google Docs and want PDFs stored in their own Google Drive.
Pros and cons
What works
- Strong Google Docs citation plugin plus a Word plugin
- PDFs are stored in your own Google Drive
- BibTeX import, export and customisation for LaTeX users
Why people leave
- No free plan after the 30-day trial
- Requires a Google account to sign in
- No full offline desktop app like Zotero or EndNote
Top Paperpile alternatives
See all 2- 1
Zotero66.5Free and open source, also with a Google Docs plugin, and a full offline desktop app.
- 2
Mendeley Reference Manager62.6Free library with 2 GB of storage and desktop apps, for those who don't want a subscription.
Why people left Paperpile
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Paperpile: common questions
Is Paperpile free?
No, Paperpile is a paid product. Starting price: $8.30/month (Regular) (checked on Paperpile's own site).
Is Paperpile open source?
No, Paperpile is not open source.
What platforms does Paperpile run on?
Paperpile is available for Web, Browser extension, iOS and Android.
What are the best alternatives to Paperpile?
The highest-ranked Paperpile alternatives right now are Zotero and Mendeley Reference Manager. See the full ranked list for pricing, platforms and verified facts.