One-click full-page screenshot capture in Chrome
Free + $1/mo
Tool review — Clippers & Capture · Updated
Zotero Review (2026)
Research manager with browser connector for saving sources
Free + storage from $20/yr
- Open source
- Extension
- App
What is Zotero?
Zotero is a free, open-source research manager developed by Digital Scholar, a nonprofit, together with a global community of contributors. First released in 2006, it is one of the longest-running tools in this space. Its browser extension, the Zotero Connector, detects bibliographic information on the page you are viewing and saves it to your library with one click, along with accessible or open-access PDFs and, optionally, a snapshot of the webpage. The desktop app organizes saved sources into collections with tags and saved searches, supports annotation, and generates citations and bibliographies in over 9,000 styles. Libraries sync across Mac, Windows, Linux, iOS, and Android, and can be shared with collaborators through free group libraries.
Key features
- One-click saving via the Zotero Connector for Chrome, Firefox, Edge, and Safari, with automatic detection of bibliographic metadata
- Automatically grabs PDFs accessible from the page or open-access PDFs for saved items, plus optional webpage snapshots
- Citation and bibliography generation in over 9,000 styles for word processors
- Organization with collections, keyword tags, and saved searches, plus annotation of saved sources
- Sync across Mac, Windows, Linux, iOS, and Android, with free shared group libraries
Where it saves to
Local Zotero library (desktop app) · Zotero cloud sync (zotero.org) · Shared group libraries
Pricing
Zotero itself is free and open source, with 300 MB of file storage included for syncing PDFs, snapshots, and other attachments. Paid storage starts at $20/year for 2 GB, with 6 GB at $60/year and unlimited storage at $120/year. Group libraries draw from the group owner's storage account at no extra charge to members.
Best for
Students, academics, and researchers who need to capture sources with proper bibliographic metadata and turn them into citations. Less suited to casual bookmarking or general-purpose web clipping.
Pros
- Completely free and open source, run by a nonprofit with no financial interest in your data
- Connector auto-detects metadata and fetches PDFs, not just page links
- Over 9,000 citation styles with word-processor integration
- Cross-platform: Mac, Windows, Linux, iOS, and Android, plus free group collaboration
Cons
- Free sync includes only 300 MB of file storage; attachment-heavy libraries need a paid plan
- Built around bibliographic research, not general note-taking or article clipping — saved content lives in Zotero rather than exporting to tools like Notion or Obsidian
- Quality of saved metadata depends on the source website, so entries from poorly structured pages need manual cleanup
Alternatives to Zotero
Screenshot capture plus screen recording and annotation
Free + $6/mo
Saves a faithful page copy as one HTML file
Free
FAQ
Is Zotero free?
Yes. The app and browser connector are free and open source. Only file storage beyond 300 MB costs money, with paid plans starting at $20/year for 2 GB.
Does Zotero work with Firefox?
Yes. The Zotero Connector extension supports Firefox, Chrome, Edge, and Safari, saving sources to your library with one click.
Does Zotero save PDFs automatically?
On many sites the Connector saves any PDF accessible from the page, or finds an open-access PDF for the saved item. It can also save webpage snapshots if enabled in preferences.
Who makes Zotero?
Zotero is developed by Digital Scholar, an independent nonprofit that builds software for researchers and cultural heritage institutions, together with an open-source community.
Where Zotero fits
- Category: Best Web Clippers & Capture Extensions (2026)
- Also in: Best Free Save-to Tools (2026)
- Also in: Best Open-Source Save-to Tools (2026)
- If it ever shuts down: Save tool graveyard
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