Overview

CiteMe is a citation and reference-checking service for students and researchers, particularly those who need to bring sources in from varied formats or work across writing tools. Its combination of identifier lookup, imports, and integrations is useful for mixed research workflows; the main trade-off is that Free places firm monthly limits on several tasks.

It can generate formatted citations from a DOI, ISBN, URL, PubMed ID, or paper title, and Reference Checker flags differences between a reference and returned records. CiteMe is a good fit when those checks and flexible imports matter; readers who need an unrestricted free workflow should compare simpler alternatives.

Key features

Citation generation and checking

Named styles include APA, MLA, Chicago, Harvard, Vancouver, IEEE, and ABNT, with access on demand to more than 10,000 CSL styles for niche requirements. That breadth can help when a course or publication calls for a less common format. The checker compares references against returned records and surfaces DOI, year, and title differences for review. It can help locate metadata mismatches, but users still need to assess whether the reference is correct.

CiteMe says it searches OpenAlex, Semantic Scholar, CrossRef, PubMed, Europe PMC, Google Books, BASE, HAL, and arXiv. The range of indexes gives users multiple routes to source metadata, though citations are based on records returned by those sources.

Imports, exports, and integrations

Research can enter through bulk identifiers, PDFs, pasted bibliographies, Lattes CV publications, manual entries, and BibTeX or RIS files. This is a practical advantage for researchers consolidating material from different workflows. Pro adds BibTeX, RIS, DOCX, and plain-text exports, which the maker says work with Zotero, Mendeley, and EndNote.

Access spans web, API, and browser extension, with Chrome and Firefox extensions, a Microsoft Word add-in, Google Docs, a ChatGPT app, and an API with 40+ endpoints. That makes CiteMe more adaptable than a standalone citation form, especially for teams integrating citation tasks into existing tools.

PDF handling and privacy

Uploaded PDFs are processed in memory and discarded unless a user saves one to the Pro library; identifier scans can run in the browser without sending the PDF. CiteMe says traffic uses HTTPS/TLS, library files are encrypted at rest, and uploaded documents are not used to train models. Its privacy policy states compliance with Brazil's LGPD and the EU GDPR. The maker says it typically responds within 24 hours on business days, with priority support for Pro users.

Pricing

Free costs 0.00 USD per free and is billed $0 forever. It includes 60+ styles, three Reference Checker uses per month, 200 library saves per month, one project, three PDF conversions per month, and BibTeX/RIS export at 50 per export. This is a workable starting point for occasional citation needs, but the checking and conversion quotas can constrain a larger bibliography or regular research use.

Thesis Pass costs 8.99 USD per once, billed $8.99/30 days. It is a one-time payment for 30 days of Pro, with no subscription or renewal. It suits a time-limited project such as a thesis push when expanded capacity is needed without an ongoing commitment.

Pro has custom pricing. It includes 20 PDFs per batch run, unlimited citations and Reference Checker, 10,000+ styles, unlimited bibliography reformatting, saving 500+ citations, and BibTeX, RIS, DOCX, and PDF export. Its expanded capacity suits sustained or high-volume work, but the absence of a displayed monthly price makes cost comparison difficult before choosing it.

Platforms

CiteMe runs on the web and offers browser extensions and an API. Its Word and Google Docs integrations put citation work alongside writing, while the ChatGPT app and 40+ API endpoints give developers additional integration paths. PDF processing also offers a browser-based identifier scan that does not send the PDF.

Who it's for

CiteMe is best suited to students, researchers, and developer-minded teams that need broad source imports, citation-style coverage, reference checks, or integration with writing and software workflows. The Free plan works for limited use; Thesis Pass is better for a short burst of heavier activity. Readers seeking ongoing high-volume use should weigh Pro's expanded allowances against its custom pricing. Those who mainly need an unrestricted basic generator may prefer a simpler option.

Pros and cons

Pros

Broad intake options: Bulk identifiers, PDFs, bibliographies, Lattes CV publications, manual entries, and BibTeX/RIS reduce the need to re-enter research by hand.
Extensive style support: Named styles plus 10,000+ CSL styles on demand cover niche formatting requirements.
Useful integration range: Browser extensions, document integrations, a ChatGPT app, and an API support more than a web-only workflow.
Short-term paid access: Thesis Pass provides 30 days of Pro for a one-time payment without renewal.

Cons

Free quotas are narrow for frequent work: Three checks and three PDF conversions per month, one project, and capped saves limit sustained use.
Pro cost is hard to assess: Its monthly price is custom pricing, so readers cannot compare ongoing expense from the plan alone.
Reference checks require judgment: The checker surfaces metadata differences, but users must review them rather than treat the result as definitive.

Alternatives

For an open-source option installable from npm, choose Citation.js; it is free and supports API, Linux, and web. For a free browser-and-web tool with a focused generator, converter, and bibliography builder, Citation[Z] offers five styles and bulk paste up to five references, with saved citations and projects requiring an account.

CitePlain is another free browser-and-web alternative. If you want a free browser-and-web service whose existing features work without an account and whose work is stored on your device by default, consider MyBib; its Plus plan is 24.00 USD per year, billed $2 per month, paid annual.

Choose Petal when cloud storage, collections, annotations, and AI credits matter more than citation export: its Free plan includes 1 GB of storage and 400 AI credits but no citation export. Bibcitation is a free browser-and-web citation generator whose homepage lists no usage limits, making it worth considering for straightforward generation.

CitApp is a free browser-and-web option with unlimited in-app sources, 150+ styles, and weekly limits on browser captures, Google Docs insertions, and Academic Shield checks. For mobile access alongside browser and web, Cite This For Me supports Android and iOS; its free account is limited to Harvard, includes ads, and saves citations for only seven days.

See more options in Citation Generator Tools.

Verdict

CiteMe is a strong fit for researchers who need varied import paths, broad citation-style coverage, reference checking, and integrations across writing tools or an API. Its short-term Thesis Pass is a clear choice for a temporary project surge. Look elsewhere if unlimited free use is essential, or compare custom-priced Pro carefully if you expect to rely on its expanded capacity over time.

	CiteMe	ZoteroBib
Free plan	Yes	No
Free trial	No	No
Paid from	Free	—
Open source	No	No
Platforms	api, extension, Web	Web
Free plan	Yes	Yes
Citation style count	10,000	—
Identifier lookup	Yes	Yes
URL import	Yes	Yes
Browser extension	Yes	—
Word add-in	Yes	—
BibTeX export	Yes	Yes

CiteMe vs ZoteroBib

CiteMe

ZoteroBib