Citation Machines

Online Citation Generators

Online citation generators remove some of the effort involved in creating accurate citations.
However, citation generators are not always up to date with current style guide standards, including guidance for citing generative AI.

Quick links

Before you use a citation generator

  1. Test the generator before using it. Compare the citation it provides with the guidelines on the library’s
    Citing Sources page.
  2. You should never have to pay for this type of service. Below are free citation creation resources.
  3. Human error is still a barrier to accuracy. Be sure that you:

    1. select the correct citation style and use it consistently;
    2. select the correct type of item you want to cite;
    3. complete the citation forms as fully as possible;
    4. alphabetize citations in your bibliography or works cited page.

Citation generators online

ZoteroBib

A free, fast bibliography generator made by the team behind Zotero. No account is required. Add a URL or source details and generate citations quickly.

Styles: APA, MLA, Chicago, Harvard, and many others.

Good for: quick bibliographies with broad style support.


BibGuru

A clean, simple citation generator. Paste a title, URL, ISBN, or DOI and it will fill in details for you.

Styles: APA, MLA, Chicago, Harvard, and many others.

Good for: fast citations with minimal clutter.


MyBib

A free generator that can search and autofill source information, with an option to enter details manually.

Styles: APA (6th and 7th), MLA, Chicago, Harvard, and thousands of additional styles.

Good for: broad style coverage and reliable formatting.


Citation Machine

A long-running citation tool that lets you create citations and export bibliographies.

Styles: APA, MLA, Chicago, Harvard, and more.

Good for: a straightforward, familiar citation workflow.


Scribbr Citation Generator

An easy-to-use generator with extra academic support features and citation explanations.

Styles: APA, MLA, Chicago, Harvard, and other major formats.

Good for: students who want citation help plus guidance.


Grammarly Citation Generator

A citation generator built into Grammarly’s writing platform.

Styles: APA, MLA, Chicago.

Good for: writers already using Grammarly who want citations in the same workflow.


KnightCite

A simple, free citation generator hosted by Calvin University’s library.

Styles: APA, MLA, Chicago.

Good for: quick, basic citations in the most common styles.

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