Freedom251 › Citation Management Software
Citavi
What Citavi is
Citavi is research software for managing references, organizing research material, and supporting academic writing with AI features. It imports books, articles, PDFs, and webpages, and can search library catalogs and academic databases. Browser Pickers capture references, quotations, and images from webpages or PDFs. Users can attach quotations, summaries, comments, and images to references, then arrange ideas into outlines. Its AI assistant can summarize text, identify key insights in articles, and search for papers based on a topic described in plain language. Citavi offers over 11,000 citation styles that users can switch, upload, or customize. Its Word Add-In inserts citations and builds bibliographies in Microsoft Word; Google Docs users can copy and paste formatted citations and bibliography entries. Teams can share cloud projects with assigned roles and tasks, while projects may also be stored locally or on an institutional server. Citavi exports references and insights to NVivo, but later changes need to be shared again. Separate 30-day trials are available for Windows and Web, each with 1 GB of storage and no credit card required to start.
Who it suits
Citavi suits students, researchers, and faculty organizing sources, literature reviews, and academic writing. Teams can collaborate on shared projects, with online individual licensing aimed at groups of up to 10.
What it does well
- Imports references from many formats, including BibTeX, RIS, Excel, and Zotero.
- Browser Pickers capture references, quotations, and images.
- AI can summarize text and search for papers by topic.
- Offers over 11,000 citation styles.
- Teams can share projects with roles and tasks.
- Separate Windows and Web trials last 30 days each.
What to know first
- Paid plans include annual plans with prices varying by license type; institutional licensing is custom.
- Google Docs use requires copying and pasting formatted citations and bibliographies.
- NVivo exports do not automatically sync later Citavi changes.
Limits
The Citavi Web trial and Citavi Windows trial each last 30 days and include 1 GB of storage. The Windows + Web annual plan includes 5 GB of Citavi Space.
Plans
| Plan | Billed and limits | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Citavi Web | Annual; price varies by license type · Web access | On request |
| Citavi Windows + Web | Annual; price varies by license type · Windows desktop and web · includes 5 GB of Citavi Space | On request |
| Citavi institutional licensing | Custom licensing · Campus and institutional licensing · centralized administration | On request |
As citavi.com lists them, read 3 Oct 2026. The maker's own page has the final word.
Getting started
- Visit https://www.citavi.com/.
- Choose a Citavi Web or Citavi Windows trial; each lasts 30 days and includes 1 GB of storage.
- Start the trial without a credit card.
- Import references or gather material with the Browser Picker.
- Organize notes and ideas, then use the Word Add-In or copy formatted citations into Google Docs.
Verdict
Choose Citavi if you need reference management, research organization, and writing tools in one workflow, especially for academic projects or team collaboration. Look elsewhere if you need automatic syncing of Citavi changes to NVivo or direct Google Docs integration beyond copy-and-paste.
Questions
What platforms does Citavi support?
Citavi is available as a browser extension, a web product, and Windows software.
Is there a free trial?
Yes. Citavi Windows and Citavi Web each have a separate 30-day trial with 1 GB of storage. No credit card is required to start.
How much does Citavi cost?
Citavi is paid. Annual plan prices vary by license type, and no prices are listed here.
Does Citavi work with Microsoft Word and Google Docs?
The Word Add-In inserts citations and builds bibliographies in Microsoft Word. Google Docs use involves copying and pasting formatted citations and bibliography entries.
Can teams collaborate in Citavi?
Yes. Teams can share cloud projects with assigned roles and tasks in real time. Online individual licensing is aimed at teams of up to 10.
Can Citavi export to NVivo?
Yes. It can export references and insights to NVivo, but changes made later in Citavi do not sync automatically and require re-sharing the project.
Facts from Citavi's own pages
- AI features
- Its AI assistant can summarize text, generate article key insights, and search for papers using a topic described in plain language. · lumivero.com, 3 Oct 2026
- Browser tools
- Browser Pickers capture references, quotations, and images from webpages or PDFs. · lumivero.com, 3 Oct 2026
- Citation styles
- Citavi offers over 11,000 citation styles and lets users switch, upload, or customize styles. · lumivero.com, 3 Oct 2026
- Collaboration and storage
- Teams can share cloud projects with assigned roles and tasks in real time, and projects can be stored in the cloud, on a local drive, or on an institutional server. · lumivero.com, 3 Oct 2026
- Intended users
- The product is presented for students, researchers, faculty, academic writing, literature reviews, and research projects; online individual licensing is aimed at teams of up to 10. · lumivero.com, 3 Oct 2026
- Knowledge organization
- Users can save quotations, summaries, comments, and images linked to references and organize ideas into outlines. · lumivero.com, 3 Oct 2026
- NVivo integration
- Citavi can export references and insights to NVivo, but changes in Citavi do not automatically sync and require re-sharing the project. · lumivero.com, 3 Oct 2026
- Purpose
- Citavi combines reference management, knowledge organization, and AI-powered insights for research writing. · lumivero.com, 3 Oct 2026
- Reference gathering
- It imports books, articles, PDFs, and webpages and can search library catalogs and academic databases. · lumivero.com, 3 Oct 2026
- Security
- Lumivero says it aligns its solutions to SOC 2 Type II and ISO 27001; Citavi’s product page also offers an on-premise DBServer option for organizations. · lumivero.com, 3 Oct 2026
- Support
- Citavi support includes a knowledge base, community forum, support tickets, and live chat. · lumivero.com, 3 Oct 2026
- Trial
- Citavi offers separate free 30-day trials for Citavi Windows and Citavi Web, each including 1 GB of storage. · lumivero.com, 3 Oct 2026
- Trial requirement
- The maker says no credit card is required to start a free trial. · lumivero.com, 3 Oct 2026
- Writing integration
- The Citavi Word Add-In inserts citations and builds bibliographies in Microsoft Word; Google Docs use is described as copying and pasting formatted citations and bibliography entries. · lumivero.com, 3 Oct 2026
Where Citavi stands on Freedom251
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