JabRef
7.3#4 in citation management softwareFree planFree planAPIExtensionLinuxmacOS
VisitJabRef vs refbase
What both publish
| Fact | JabRef | refbase |
|---|---|---|
| Collaboration | Teams can work with a shared SQL database, and JabRef supports SSL database connections; its documentation says SSL has only been tested with PostgreSQL. | The interface is multi-user and includes user-specific fields for personal keywords and notes. |
| Import formats | The application supports importing more than 15 reference formats. | Supported imports include EndNote, RIS, BibTeX, MODS XML, PubMed, ISI Web of Science, Cambridge Scientific Abstracts and COPAC. |
| License | The JabRef software uses the MIT License, allowing commercial use, modification and redistribution with notices retained. | refbase is distributed under the GNU GPL. |
| Praise: usability | G2 reviewers repeatedly describe JabRef as intuitive, easy to use, friendly and effective for LaTeX bibliography work. | Reviewers describe the interface as easy to use and report that core functions work as expected. |
| Purpose | JabRef is an open-source citation and reference manager for collecting and organizing research sources. | refbase is a web-based, multi-user interface for managing scientific literature and bibliographic references. |
| Rating on G2 | 4.7 out of 5 from 12 reviews | 4.3 out of 5 from 3 reviews |
| Rating on SourceForge | 4.9 out of 5 from 91 reviews | 5.0 out of 5 from 5 reviews |
JabRef plans
- JabRefFree
refbase plans
- Open-source self-hostedFree
- refbaseFree
Pick JabRef if…
JabRef suits students and researchers who collect references, work with BibTeX or BibLaTeX, or need citation workflows in supported word processors. Teams can use its shared SQL database for collaboration.
Pick refbase if…
refbase suits researchers or groups who want a self-hosted, multi-user reference manager with citation output and bibliographic imports. It requires a web server, PHP and MySQL.