BibDesk vs RefWorks:Which is more popular?
In September 2026, RefWorks had more branded searches than BibDesk among reference management software worldwide. RefWorks had about 34,200 branded searches, while BibDesk had 880. RefWorks made up 1.9% of all reference management software searches we track, and BibDesk accounted for 0.05%. When we asked ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews about reference management software, BibDesk appeared in one of the five answers and RefWorks in none.
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Top reference management software in ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews
In three ChatGPT questions and two Google AI Overviews, BibDesk was mentioned in one out of five: in one of the three ChatGPT answers, but not in either of the two Google AI Overviews. RefWorks did not appear in any of the five answers.
Most recommended by AI
Brands get a higher ranking if they are mentioned earlier in the answers.
Mentioned by AI
Each dot is one answer, filled in when that answer mentions the brand.
Zotero5 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 2 of 2 Google answers
EndNote5 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 2 of 2 Google answers
Paperpile5 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 2 of 2 Google answers
Mendeley4 of 5Named in 2 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 2 of 2 Google answers
JabRef3 of 5Named in 1 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 2 of 2 Google answers
BibDesk1 of 5Named in 1 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
RefWorks0 of 5Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
See every answer about reference management software
5 answers
Asked ChatGPT
“Which reference management tool should I use?”
Asked ChatGPT
“What are the best reference management tools?”
Asked ChatGPT
“What's the best reference management tool for research citations?”
Searched Google, AI Overview
“reference management tools”
Searched Google, AI Overview
“best reference manager”
Not named in any answer:
Brands are shown in the order each answer named them. The survey took place in the United States on October 21, 2026.
Is BibDesk or RefWorks more popular in search?
This chart shows how often people search Google for BibDesk and RefWorks by name. Each line represents a brand's share of searches for all seven reference management software we track, month by month, from English-language searches worldwide.
Share of searches by month for RefWorks, BibDesk. The figures are in the table below the chart.
View monthly share of searches table
| Month | Zotero | Mendeley | EndNote | RefWorks | Paperpile | JabRef | BibDesk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2025 | 45.9% | 40.4% | 9.2% | 2.8% | 1.2% | 0.37% | 0.05% |
| Nov 2025 | 42.3% | 44.7% | 8.5% | 2.6% | 1.4% | 0.41% | 0.05% |
| Dec 2025 | 40.8% | 44.2% | 10% | 2.5% | 2% | 0.48% | 0.06% |
| Jan 2026 | 49% | 36.2% | 9.8% | 2.5% | 2% | 0.47% | 0.07% |
| Feb 2026 | 49% | 36.1% | 9.8% | 3% | 1.6% | 0.47% | 0.06% |
| Mar 2026 | 48.3% | 35% | 11.7% | 3% | 1.6% | 0.38% | 0.06% |
| Apr 2026 | 46% | 40.7% | 9.2% | 2.3% | 1.5% | 0.36% | 0.05% |
| May 2026 | 46% | 40.6% | 9.2% | 2.3% | 1.5% | 0.36% | 0.05% |
| Jun 2026 | 45.9% | 41.2% | 9.1% | 1.5% | 1.8% | 0.44% | 0.06% |
| Jul 2026 | 51% | 37.2% | 8.3% | 1.4% | 1.7% | 0.4% | 0.05% |
| Aug 2026 | 46.3% | 41.4% | 9.1% | 1.3% | 1.5% | 0.36% | 0.05% |
| Sep 2026 | 47.3% | 41.5% | 7.7% | 1.9% | 1.3% | 0.3% | 0.05% |
How has the BibDesk and RefWorks comparison changed over the last 12 months?
3 findings
- RefWorks was ahead of BibDesk in every measured month of the 12 months ending September 2026.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, BibDesk’s share of searches among reference management software worldwide held steady at 0.05%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 1K to 880.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, RefWorks’ share of searches among reference management software worldwide moved from 2.8% to 1.9%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 62.2K to 34.1K.
How did search popularity change for reference management software worldwide in September 2026?
2 changes
In September 2026, RefWorks overtook Paperpile to rank 4th among reference management software worldwide, with 1.9% of the searches.
Estimated monthly branded searches for BibDesk worldwide fell 12% over 12 measured months, from 1K to 880 in September 2026.
How are branded searches counted?
5 search terms
Brandwave collects information about searches that people make online using BibDesk’s and RefWorks’ 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.
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