BibGenie is an AI research agent plugin for Zotero that brings AI-powered chat, library search, and paper analysis directly into your reference management workflow.
What is BibGenie?
BibGenie is a Zotero plugin that lets you interact with AI models using your Zotero library as context. It takes inputs such as Zotero items, PDFs, notes, snapshots, tags, collections, selected text, and images, and produces answers with traceable citations that can be saved as Zotero notes. It runs on Windows, Mac, and Linux within the Zotero desktop application and is developed by the BibGenie team.
Key Features
- Multiple AI Model Support — Use OpenAI, Claude, Gemini, DeepSeek, DeepSeek, OpenRouter, Groq, Ollama, LM Studio, Zhipu, Qwen, Grok, Kimi, and Minimax, either through official recommendations, BYOK, or local runtimes.
- Add Context with @ — Type a space then @ to search and attach Zotero items, attachments, notes, tags, and collections directly into the chat.
- Library Search — Find papers by title, author, year, DOI, tag, collection, or meaning (semantic search).
- OpenAlex Academic Search — Discover papers, authors, venues, citation neighbors, and research trends beyond your library.
- Web Search & Extract — Retrieve public web pages with source-tracing citations.
- Traceable Citations — Answers include automatic citations pointing back to PDFs, notes, snapshots, web pages, and OpenAlex results.
- Save as Zotero Note — Turn responses into formatted notes with headings, lists, formulas, code blocks, tables, links, and citations.
- Library Organization — Ask BibGenie to add tags, create collections, move items, check metadata, and preview batch changes before applying.
Who is it for?
- Academic researchers who need to search, read, and synthesize papers from their Zotero library and external sources.
- Graduate students managing large reference libraries and writing literature reviews with precise citations.
- Anyone using Zotero who wants AI assistance for deep paper reading, metadata cleanup, or organizing collections by topic or method.
What can you do with BibGenie?
- Literature review: Search your Zotero library and OpenAlex for relevant papers, then synthesize findings with automatic citations.
- Deep paper reading: Ask for methods, findings, assumptions, limitations, formulas, figures, and section-level explanations from attached PDFs.
- Library cleanup: Use agent actions to find missing metadata, add tags, or move items into collections, with preview-first workflows for safe batch changes.
- Save insights: Convert AI responses into Zotero notes with proper formatting and citation links.
How does it work?
- Install the free plugin from BibGenie download page.
- Open the BibGenie panel in Zotero and type @ to add context from your library.
- Ask research questions or request actions (e.g., "Summarize this paper," "Find papers on CRISPR from 2023").
- Responses include traceable citations; use the "Save as Note" button to store them in your library.
Pricing
BibGenie offers credit-based plans. The Free tier gives 50 credits per month with core chat, library search, and BYOK support. Pro ($9.99/month) includes 1000 credits, OpenAlex search, and web access. Max ($30/month) provides 3500 credits for heavy workflows. A Pro Lifetime plan is available at $199 (early bird). Credit boosters (500 credits for $6.99) can be added to any plan.
FAQ
Do you offer a free plan?
Yes. The Free plan includes 50 credits per month, core chat, library keyword/semantic search, and the ability to bring your own AI models. It does not include OpenAlex academic search or web search.
How many credits does a paper usually use?
Credit consumption depends on paper length and complexity. A typical paper reading might use 10–30 credits, while a synthesis with multiple papers may use more.
Can I integrate my own AI models?
Yes. You can use your own API keys for OpenAI, Anthropic, DeepSeek, Gemini, OpenRouter, Groq, Ollama, LM Studio, and other OpenAI-compatible endpoints. Custom model requests go directly from the local plugin to your configured provider.
Does BibGenie search the web by default?
No. Web search and web extract are available only on Pro and Max plans. The Free plan uses your local library and OpenAlex (if enabled) but not general web content.
Where are my chat records saved?
Chat records are stored locally on your device. BibGenie does not upload your chat history or library contents to its servers unless you use the official model recommendations, in which case conversation data is processed by the model provider (e.g., OpenAI) but not stored by BibGenie.
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