Choosing a Citation Manager

Choosing between EndNote, Mendeley, Zotero and NoodleTools to manage your citations.
  EndNote Mendeley Zotero NoodleTools
Cost

Free (web version)

Desktop version:
Free for UofU students through Office of Software Licensing ($26 annual license for UU employees)
$250 for public

Free Free Free for U of U students, $15 per year for public.
Location Web & Computer Web & computer Computer Web
Operating systems Mac & PC Mac, PC & Linux Mac, PC & Linux Mac, PC & Linux
Mobile app iOS iOS & Android iOS & Android (both only available via 3rd party) iOS & Android
Word processors Microsoft Word & Open Office, LaTex, Google Docs Microsoft Word, Open Office & Libre Office, LaTex Microsoft Word, Open Office, Libre Office & Google Docs, LaTex Google Docs, LaTeX
Cite while you write feature Yes Yes Yes No
Open source No No Yes No
Automatic citation extraction Yes Yes Yes No
Creates bibliography with different styles Yes Yes Yes Yes (only three)
Number of citation styles 100 most common downloaded, 4000+ available 1180+ 16+ pre-loaded, "thousands" available for download MLA, APA, Chicago
Number of import filters 700+ About 50 + COinS + integrates with Zotero's "translators" 247 "translators;" other sources captured as webpage Can only import books (via title, author or ISBN)
Full text search across PDF Yes, but spotty Yes Yes (not enabled by default) No
Can annotate PDFs Yes Yes No No
Organize PDFs and other documents Yes Yes Yes No
Able to share in private groups Yes Yes Yes Yes
Able to share in public groups No Yes Yes No
Community platform No Yes (strongest) Yes No
Free storage

Web version: 50,000 citations & 5GB limit

Desktop version: Unlimited local storage

Unlimited local storage & data syncing; 1GB personal & 100MB shared online space Unlimited local storage & data syncing; 100MB free Zotero file syncing N/A
Tagging Yes (keywords) Yes Yes Yes
Selective syncing of documents between web and desktop app No Yes Yes No desktop app
Accessibility ADA compliant Not accessible to screen readers N/A N/A
Marriott Library Eccles Library Quinney Law Library