Zotero is a free citation manager for anyone who keeps books, articles, and notes for writing. It helps you collect, organize, annotate, cite, and share research, and it runs on Mac, Windows, Linux, iOS, and Android.1 Zotero is open source and is developed by an independent nonprofit that says it has no financial interest in your private information.1 Unless you set up syncing, your research data never leaves your computer.3
Last checked October 28, 2026.
At a glance
- What it is: A free tool that collects sources, stores them on your computer, and builds citations.1
- Works on: Mac, Windows, Linux, iOS, and Android.1
- Price: The software is free. File storage is 300 MB free, then 2 GB for $20 a year, 6 GB for $60 a year, or unlimited for $120 a year.15
- Licence: GNU Affero General Public License, version 3, unless a part of the project says otherwise.6
- Best for: People who want a citation library on their own computer, and sync only if they choose it.
- Official site: zotero.org
What Zotero does (and how it protects your privacy)
Zotero is a personal research assistant.1 It can save a journal article, a news story, a preprint, or a library book.1 You can sort items into collections, tag them, or use saved searches that fill themselves.1 It builds references and bibliographies in a text editor, and directly inside Word, LibreOffice, and Google Docs, with support for over 9,000 citation styles.1 The desktop version history lists Zotero 10.0.6, dated 7 October 2026.4
You can use it with no account.2 Syncing is optional and disabled by default.2 If you turn sync on, items, notes, links, and tags move between your computers and zotero.org, and that sync is free and unlimited.7 PDFs are a separate file sync.7
You can share a library with as many people as you like, at no cost, but groups need syncing.13 Personal files can use Zotero Storage, WebDAV, or linked files Zotero does not upload. Group files cannot use WebDAV.37
Key features of Zotero
- Save from the browser: Chrome, Edge, Firefox, and Safari connectors can save a source in one click.18
- Collections and tags: Sort items into collections, tag them, or use a saved search that fills itself.1
- Citations in Word, LibreOffice, and Google Docs: Over 9,000 styles cover style guides and publications.1
- Records and files are separate: Notes and bibliographic data can sync for free.7 PDFs sync only if you add file storage.7
- Your own file host: A personal library can use WebDAV, or linked files that stay where you put them.37
- Shared libraries: You can share a library at no cost, and group files use the owner’s storage.15
- A privacy switch: You can opt out of all requests from the app to Zotero’s servers.2
Zotero pros and cons
Pros
- The program is free, and a library on one computer does not need an account.12
- Sync stays off until you turn it on, so research stays on the machine.23
- Bibliographic data, notes, links, and tags sync for free, without a size cap.7
- It funds itself with storage plans and says it does not sell your data.2
- Source code is released under the AGPL, version 3, and Zotero says the software can be audited.36
- Personal files can use WebDAV you control, or linked files that Zotero does not upload.37
Cons
- Free space for attachments is 300 MB.5
- Synced data is stored in Amazon Web Services in the United States (us-east-1). Staff who maintain the service can access it.3
- Groups require Zotero sync, and group files cannot use WebDAV.37
- Standard Read Aloud voices are processed on Zotero’s servers. Premium voices send the document text to outside providers, which may include Inworld AI or Google.2
- LibreOffice needs version 5.2 or later and Java. Windows before Windows 10, and macOS before 10.15, are outside the desktop requirements.8
- You can run the data server yourself, but Zotero says that is technically challenging and it does not support those installations.3
Is Zotero safe and private?
The privacy policy describes an independent nonprofit that funds development with storage plans, not by selling data. Those plans come from the Corporation for Digital Scholarship.25 Deleting an account removes the details you registered with and any library you uploaded. Disaster-recovery backups may be kept for up to six months, and Zotero says it may have to comply with legal requests for data.2
Synced data is encrypted in transit. Zotero reports an A+ score for its API endpoint on the SSL Labs test. Data in newly created accounts is also encrypted at rest with AES-256. Synced data is stored in AWS us-east-1, with access limited to the small number of staff who maintain the service.3 The security page, last updated on 31 May 2023, says the software is open source and can be audited.3 Zotero 10 encrypts the API key and the WebDAV password with the operating system’s keychain.4
The app logs its requests, including IP address and client details, for up to 90 days, and you can opt out of all of them.2 A DOI or ISBN lookup can contact Crossref or the Library of Congress, which may log your IP address and the search terms.2 The connector can interact with pages you open. Zotero says it does not read your previous browsing history, and stores browsing data only when you save a page.2 Google Docs asks for permission to see, edit, create, and delete all your Google Docs documents. Zotero says inserting a citation stays on your computer and sends nothing to its servers.2 Zotero aggregates synced public metadata, such as titles, for readership statistics and does not sell it.2 The sync guide says storing the data folder in a cloud drive is extremely likely to corrupt the database.7
How to get started with Zotero
- Download the desktop app from zotero.org/download. Use Windows 10 or later, macOS 10.15 or later, or Linux with the same library requirements as Firefox 140.8
- Install it and open it like any other program. The version history lists Zotero 10.0.6, dated 7 October 2026.4
- Add the connector from that download page. Chrome and Edge need a current stable or extended-stable release. Firefox needs version 115 or later. Safari 18 or later on macOS 13 is supported; macOS 11 and 12 keep an older connector with fewer features.8
- Open a page you want to keep and use the save button. Zotero can pick up articles, news, preprints, and books.1 For long PDF reading, try Sioyek.
- Create an account only if you want the library on another computer or on the web. Data sync and file sync are separate, and each account includes 300 MB for files.57
- Cite from Word, LibreOffice, or Google Docs.1 On Windows, Word 2010–2024 or Office 365 works, except Word 2010 Starter Edition. On Mac, use Word 2016–2024 or Office 365. LibreOffice needs 5.2 or later, plus Java.8
Who should use Zotero (and who might prefer something else)
Zotero fits a thesis, a literature review, or a course list when you want citations on your own computer and a clear choice about sync. Sharing a library is free.1
If you want the bibliography itself to be an open text file, JabRef is the closer match. If the writing is the main job, Zettlr is built for longer documents. If you only want a copy of a web article to read later, wallabag saves pages for reading, which is a different job from a citation library.
Frequently asked questions
Is Zotero free?
Yes. The software is free, and sync of items, notes, links, and tags is free and unlimited.17 File space starts at 300 MB, then $20, $60, or $120 a year.5
Is Zotero safe?
Used only on your computer, Zotero says your research data never leaves the machine.3 If you sync, traffic is encrypted, new accounts are encrypted at rest with AES-256, and the data sits in Amazon’s US cloud where maintaining staff can access it.3 You can opt out of automatic requests to Zotero’s servers.2
Does Zotero work on iPhone?
Yes. Zotero is available for iOS and Android, as well as Mac, Windows, and Linux.1 The desktop app needs macOS 10.15 or later or Windows 10 or later.8
Do I need an account?
No. Zotero can be used without an account, and syncing is disabled by default.2 An account is how you sync, view the library on the web, and use groups.37
