Mendeley vs Zotero:Which is searched more?
In September 2026, Mendeley had more branded searches than Zotero among reference manager software worldwide. Mendeley was estimated to have 673K branded searches compared to Zotero’s 12.1K, and held an 82.1% Share of Search versus Zotero’s 1.5%. These are worldwide searches for English-language branded terms.
Follow Mendeley vs Zotero and get free monthly updates on what changed
By continuing you'll get index updates and occasional product news from Brandwave. Unsubscribe any time. Privacy
Which is more popular in search, Mendeley or Zotero?
Compare the reference manager software teams use. Branded searches tell you how often people look for a brand by name or related terms. Comparing these searches across competitors helps you see how popular each brand is over time.
Share of Search by month for Mendeley, Zotero. The figures are in the table below the chart.
View monthly share of search table
| Month | Mendeley | EndNote | Zotero |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2025 | 79.9% | 19.5% | 0.64% |
| Nov 2025 | 82.8% | 16.6% | 0.54% |
| Dec 2025 | 79.8% | 19.6% | 0.64% |
| Jan 2026 | 76.2% | 22.9% | 0.91% |
| Feb 2026 | 76.1% | 22.8% | 1.1% |
| Mar 2026 | 72.5% | 26.5% | 1.1% |
| Apr 2026 | 79.5% | 19.5% | 0.96% |
| May 2026 | 79.4% | 19.5% | 1.2% |
| Jun 2026 | 79.4% | 19.4% | 1.2% |
| Jul 2026 | 78.2% | 19.2% | 2.6% |
| Aug 2026 | 79% | 19.3% | 1.7% |
| Sep 2026 | 82.1% | 16.5% | 1.5% |
How has the Mendeley and Zotero comparison changed over the last 12 months?
3 findings
- Mendeley was ahead of Zotero in every measured month of the 12 months ending September 2026.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Mendeley’s estimated Share of Search among reference manager software worldwide moved from 79.9% to 82.1%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 823K to 673K.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Zotero’s estimated Share of Search among reference manager software worldwide moved from 0.64% to 1.5%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 6.6K to 12.1K.
How did search popularity change for reference manager software worldwide in September 2026?
2 changes
In September 2026, Mendeley gained estimated Share of Search among reference manager software worldwide, from 79% to 82.1%.
Estimated monthly branded searches for Zotero worldwide rose 83.3% over 12 measured months, from 6.6K to 12.1K in September 2026.
Other head-to-heads among reference manager software
How each brand is measured
Brandwave collects information about searches that people make online using Mendeley’s and Zotero’s names. When viewed over time, estimated search volumes for these branded terms can be used to understand whether interest in the brands is growing, holding steady, or fading.
Put your own brand in this comparison
Brandwave tracks your branded demand next to the rival you actually watch, with your campaigns, spend and outcomes on the same timeline.