Paperpile — Reference & Citation Management

Paperpile

Paperpile is a subscription-based reference manager that helps you collect, organize, read, annotate and cite papers, with a browser extension, Google Docs and Word plugins, and PDFs stored in Google Drive.

Why it fits

Reference & Citation Management

Website

Go to paperpile.com

Good to know

Check each tool’s plan separately; one feature’s allowance does not cover another.

Check the official page for current quotas and output conditions.

Good to know
Good to know	Website
Free output	No
No account needed	No
No watermark	—
Works offline	—
Batch processing	—
Content language	—

— Unverified conditions. Official documentation reviewed. The app itself has not been hands-on tested. Matches only documented content-language support, not interface language.

Sources and review date3

Founder feedback and correction

Editorial selection guide

Last checked: Oct 5, 2026

Who is it for?

Useful for researchers and students who write in Google Docs or Word and want to add citations from a personal library.
Useful if you already use a Google account and are comfortable with PDFs stored in Google Drive, as the features page describes.

Getting started

Start the free trial from the Paperpile site with your Google account and add the Chrome extension.
Save papers to your library from the browser, then organize and read the PDFs in the web app.
Install the Google Docs or Word plugin, insert citations while you write and choose a citation style; export BibTeX if you work in LaTeX.

Decision points

Choose it if a paid, Google-account-based service with Docs and Word plugins suits you; if you need a free option, compare Zotero or JabRef.
Check the Regular and Expert plan tables: features such as full-text PDF search, notes and annotations and shared libraries are listed under Expert.

Limits

There is no free tier; the pricing page offers a 30-day free trial and paid plans, and the displayed prices can change. An academic discount is listed for eligible users.
Sign-up currently requires Chrome, Safari and Firefox support is described as beta, and a Google account is required; iOS and Android apps exist but need a desktop sign-up first.

Frequently asked questions

Is Paperpile free?

No free tier is listed. The pricing page offers a 30-day free trial and paid Regular and Expert plans, plus a 50% academic discount for eligible users; prices can change.

Where are my PDFs stored?

The features page says papers are stored in Google Drive, and Paperpile only accesses files you upload through Paperpile.

Official sources (3)

paperpile.com/paperpile.com/pricing/paperpile.com/features/

Related guides and comparisons

Reference & Citation Management: tools and apps