---
title: "RefWorks vs Zotero: Which is more popular by branded search?"
description: "Which is more popular in search, RefWorks or Zotero? Compare estimated monthly branded-search demand and Share of Search inside the Reference management software set worldwide. 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."
canonical: "https://gobrandwave.com/demand/global-en/compare/refworks-vs-zotero"
publisher: "Brandwave"
---

# RefWorks vs Zotero: Which is more popular by branded search?

Which is more popular in search, RefWorks or Zotero? Compare estimated monthly branded-search demand and Share of Search inside the Reference management software set worldwide. 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.

## Key facts

- **Compared**: RefWorks and Zotero
- **Competitive set**: Reference management software
- **Market**: Global
- **Month measured**: Aug 2026
- **RefWorks Share of Search**: 1.3%
- **Zotero Share of Search**: 46.4%

## Which is more popular in search, RefWorks or Zotero?

- In August 2026, Zotero had more branded searches than RefWorks among reference management software worldwide. Zotero was estimated to have 567K branded searches compared to RefWorks’ 15.6K, and held a 46.4% Share of Search versus RefWorks’ 1.3%.
- Zotero was ahead of RefWorks in every measured month of the 11 months ending August 2026.
- Across the 11 months ending August 2026, RefWorks’ estimated Share of Search among reference management software worldwide moved from 2.8% to 1.3%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 62.3K to 15.6K.
- Across the 11 months ending August 2026, Zotero’s estimated Share of Search among reference management software worldwide moved from 46% to 46.4%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 1M to 567K.

## How did search popularity change for reference management software worldwide in August 2026?

- In August 2026, Zotero lost estimated Share of Search among reference management software worldwide, from 51.1% to 46.4%.
- RefWorks’ estimated Share of Search among reference management software worldwide has lost ground for 3 months in a row, from 2.3% to 1.3% in August 2026.

## Month by month

| Month | RefWorks estimated searches | RefWorks Share of Search | RefWorks rank | Zotero estimated searches | Zotero Share of Search | Zotero rank |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Oct 2025 | 62.3K | 2.8% | 4 | 1M | 46% | 1 |
| Nov 2025 | 51.5K | 2.6% | 4 | 838K | 42.5% | 2 |
| Dec 2025 | 34.1K | 2.5% | 4 | 562K | 40.9% | 2 |
| Jan 2026 | 34.5K | 2.5% | 4 | 686K | 49.1% | 1 |
| Feb 2026 | 41.9K | 3% | 4 | 688K | 49.1% | 1 |
| Mar 2026 | 51.3K | 3% | 4 | 841K | 48.4% | 1 |
| Apr 2026 | 41.9K | 2.3% | 4 | 841K | 46.1% | 1 |
| May 2026 | 34.2K | 2.3% | 4 | 691K | 46.1% | 1 |
| Jun 2026 | 18.9K | 1.5% | 5 | 565K | 46% | 1 |
| Jul 2026 | 15.6K | 1.4% | 5 | 569K | 51.1% | 1 |
| Aug 2026 | 15.6K | 1.3% | 5 | 567K | 46.4% | 1 |
| Sep 2026 | — | — | — | — | — | — |

## How each brand is measured

Brandwave collects information about searches that people make online using RefWorks’ 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.

- **RefWorks**: Measured on the search terms “reference manager refworks”, “refworks”, “refworks app”, “refworks proquest com” and “refworks reference manager”, summed into one figure.
- **Zotero**: Measured on the search terms “reference manager zotero”, “zotero”, “zotero app” and “zotero org”, summed into one figure.

- [RefWorks profile](/demand/global-en/brands/refworks)
- [Zotero profile](/demand/global-en/brands/zotero)
- [All reference management software worldwide](/demand/global-en/categories/reference-management-software): The set both shares are measured inside, 5 brands.

## Methodology

- [How is branded search demand measured?](/demand/methodology): Where the figures come from, what they compare, and how they may be reused.

## Frequently asked questions

### Which is more popular in search, RefWorks or Zotero?

In August 2026, Zotero had more branded searches than RefWorks among reference management software worldwide. Zotero was estimated to have 567K branded searches compared to RefWorks’ 15.6K, and held a 46.4% Share of Search versus RefWorks’ 1.3%.

## Cite this page

Brandwave. "RefWorks vs Zotero: Which is more popular by branded search?". https://gobrandwave.com/demand/global-en/compare/refworks-vs-zotero

This page is also available as HTML at https://gobrandwave.com/demand/global-en/compare/refworks-vs-zotero. Brandwave publishes an index of its Markdown pages at https://gobrandwave.com/llms.txt.