Mendeley helps researchers organize the papers they read. Users import PDFs, and the software extracts details such as the title and authors, stores them in a library, and lets them highlight and annotate. A Word plugin inserts citations and builds a reference list in thousands of styles, which saves hours when writing papers and theses.
It has social and discovery elements, including groups for sharing libraries and a catalog of research papers. Syncing across the desktop, web, and mobile keeps a library available wherever you work. Elsevier acquired the company, which led some researchers to prefer open alternatives because of concerns about data and lock-in.
Mendeley has a free plan with storage limits and paid plans for more space. Its development has been slower in some areas than competitors, and some users have moved on. Alternatives include Zotero, which is open source, EndNote, Paperpile, and Papers. Mendeley suits students and researchers who want a free reference manager with sharing features.