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A better alternative to
Paperpile.

Write the paper, improve it with AI, and finish with your references connected. Bring the draft and its feedback into one free workspace, ready to export.

The right format, without the formatting.

APA 7MLA 9Chicago 18HarvardIEEEVancouverAMA 11ACS

Finish your paper in one workspace.

Citation keeps AI revisions, citations, and feedback close to the writing, so you can make progress in the same document.

Citation and Paperpile workflow overview
PaperpileCitation
AI writing

Ask AI sends research PDFs to supported external assistants in beta.

AI writing

Revise the current paper with AI using your draft and saved sources, then apply the edits you choose.

Your draft

Use citation plugins while writing in Google Docs or Microsoft Word.

Your draft

Write and edit the complete document in Citation’s browser workspace.

Connected citations

Add citations and bibliographies through editor integrations.

Connected citations

Keep references linked to source records and format the bibliography as the paper develops.

Document feedback

Share research folders, libraries, and PDF annotations on eligible plans.

Document feedback

Invite editors to revise the draft, comment on passages, and resolve discussions.

Bring your references

Export reference data and support BibTeX workflows.

Bring your references

Import bibliography files or review a configured Paperpile BibTeX feed snapshot.

Complete paper exports

Export references and use citations in your chosen manuscript editor.

Complete paper exports

Download DOCX, PDF, or TXT drafts, plus BibTeX or RIS reference records.

Free access

A free trial followed by a paid subscription.

Free access

Start writing with AI assistance, connected citations, and checks. Keep building your paper in a free account.

citation style families, including APA, MLA and Chicago
8
source identifiers for lookup: URL, DOI and ISBN
3
bibliography export formats: BibTeX and RIS
2

Keep moving from the next sentence to the final draft.

Why Citation

The paper gets better when you have room to work on it. Citation brings the editor, connected references, AI revisions, and feedback together, so each new idea can become part of the same developing draft.

Choose Citation as your Paperpile alternative to put the writing at the center. Ask AI for help with the current paper and saved sources, compare the suggested wording, and apply the changes you choose directly in the document.

Start free with a fresh document or an existing draft. Bring in the references you need, invite an editor when you want feedback, and export the whole paper when it is ready.

Feature comparison of Citation and Paperpile
FeatureCitationPaperpile
AI revisions in a built in paper editorSupportedNot supported
Built in paper editorSupportedNot supported
Citations linked to referencesSupportedSupported
Automatic bibliography formattingSupportedSupported
Editable reference recordsSupportedSupported
APA, MLA, and Chicago citationsSupportedSupported
BibTeX reference imports and exportsSupportedSupported
AI assistant connectionsSupportedSupported
Free access without a trial periodSupportedNot supported

Sources and styles

Give the paper a focused set of sources. Import reference records from Paperpile or find new ones by title, URL, DOI, or ISBN. Save the details with your document and insert connected citations where the evidence supports your point.

Choose APA 7, MLA 9, Chicago 18, Cite Them Right Harvard 12, IEEE, Vancouver (NLM), AMA 11, or ACS. Correct a record once and its linked citations update in the document. Change the document style to reformat linked citations and the bibliography together.

Writing and review

Paperpile’s Ask AI connects PDFs to external assistants. Citation brings AI into its own paper editor, using the current draft and saved source context. Ask for a clearer introduction, strengthen a paragraph, and apply the revisions you approve without leaving the document.

Invite an editor to revise and comment on the paper, then use version history to revisit saved drafts. Citation’s web check helps you inspect matching wording and source links before sharing. It uses accessible public web text, without private institutional repositories, and does not certify originality.

Imports and exports

Start with the references you have collected. Import BibTeX or RIS, or review a bibliography snapshot from a configured Paperpile BibTeX download link. Bring the manuscript through DOCX or TXT and put those sources to work in your next section.

Finish with a document you can take forward. Export DOCX for Word or Google Docs, PDF for sharing, or TXT for plain text. Export your source records as BibTeX or RIS alongside the complete draft.

Good questions.
Straight answers.

Why choose Citation as a Paperpile alternative?

Citation gives you a built in paper editor with AI revisions, connected citations, and document feedback. Write and improve the draft in the same workspace, then export the complete paper. Start free with a new idea or a document you already have.

Is Citation free after I start?

Yes. Citation is free with account usage allowances for sources, storage, AI assistance, and checks. You can see your current allowance in settings. There is no paid subscription required to keep writing in your workspace.

How is Citation’s AI different from Paperpile’s AI workflow?

Citation’s assistant works inside the paper editor with your draft and saved source context, so you can review and apply revisions directly in the document. Paperpile’s Ask AI beta sends research PDFs to external assistants. Citation keeps the revision step with the draft you are developing.

What happens when I import Paperpile references?

Citation imports reference copies from BibTeX, RIS, or a configured bibliography feed. A manual feed refresh provides a snapshot to review; it does not update or delete saved Citation sources automatically or write changes back to Paperpile.

Can I bring my draft from Word or Google Docs?

Yes. Import a DOCX copy, bring the source records separately, and insert connected citations as you revise. Existing Paperpile fields do not automatically become Citation links. Keep the original file and check formatting after transfer. You can export the finished draft as DOCX again.

Can I collect feedback and export the whole paper?

Yes. Invite editors to revise and comment on passages, or give viewers access to read. Continue improving the same draft, then export DOCX, PDF, or TXT. You can also download its source records as BibTeX or RIS.