Citely is an AI source finder and citation checker for research. Verify references, match citations to academic databases, and convert citation styles.

Citely

Source finding and citation checking for research

Citely is a source finder and AI citation checker for research writing. It helps users look up original sources for claims, verify reference lists, and check whether citations appear authentic before they submit work.

The product is aimed at students, academics, and researchers who need a faster way to confirm that references are real and that citations match credible academic sources. Its homepage emphasizes source discovery, citation verification, and research integrity rather than general-purpose writing assistance.

Powerful citation tools for research workflows

AI Source Finder

Paste a paragraph, claim, or research question and Citely looks for credible papers that can support it. The source text says it can find original sources across databases such as CrossRef, PubMed, arXiv, and more.

Citation Checker

Paste a bibliography or formatted reference list to check whether citations are real. Citely is positioned to help detect fabricated or questionable references before you submit or publish.

Reference verification

The site describes cross-checking citations against authoritative academic databases and says it supports a wide range of citation styles, including APA, MLA, Chicago, Harvard, and IEEE.

Research workflow support

Citely provides source-finding and citation-checking workflows for researchers who want to move from discovery to verification in one place.

Workflow demos

The site includes demos for source finding, reference checking, and a full research workflow, which suggests the product is designed for step-by-step research review.

Credit-based usage

The pricing details show credit-based usage with different limits by task, including separate rules for source finding and citation checking.

Common ways researchers use Citely

  • Finding sources for a claim

    Paste a claim or paragraph when you need supporting papers. Citely is positioned to help you locate original sources rather than rely on uncited or unclear references.

  • Verifying a reference list

    Run a bibliography or reference list through the checker to see whether each citation appears real and properly formed before submission.

  • Checking research before submission

    Use Citely while preparing a paper, thesis, or dissertation to reduce the chance of citing fabricated sources and to keep references consistent.

  • Collaborative research review

    Share verification reports or citation libraries with collaborators who need the same source record for a group project or publication workflow.

Pros and Cons

Pros

  • Combines source discovery and citation verification in a single workflow.
  • Supports searches across multiple academic databases, including CrossRef, PubMed, and arXiv.
  • Includes practical billing guidance for source finding and citation checking.
  • Documents support for several major citation styles.
  • Provides guidance for individual researchers as well as team-oriented use cases like shared citation libraries and verification reports.

Cons

  • Pricing is credit-based and the public page does not show a simple per-document flat rate for every use case.
  • The site does not publish a full technical list of supported integrations or export formats beyond the citation styles named on the page.
  • Available evidence is strongest for the homepage and FAQ content; dedicated feature pages were not available in the collected sources.

FAQ

How accurate is Citely’s citation verification?

Citely uses AI-powered verification against academic databases such as CrossRef and PubMed. The site says it is used to check whether citations are authentic or fabricated.

What citation formats does Citely support?

The source mentions support for APA, MLA, Chicago, Harvard, IEEE, and other styles, with automatic formatting and style conversion.

Can Citely be used for collaborative research projects?

Yes. The site says Citely supports shared citation libraries, verification reports, and exporting verified citations for group projects.

How does Source Finder billing work?

Source Finder billing is described as 1 credit per successful search when at least one usable source is found, and 0 credits when no usable sources are found. Credits are charged after results are delivered.

How many references does 1 credit cover?

For Citation Checker, the site says 1 credit covers up to about 2,000 characters. It also notes that a plain reference list of roughly 8–15 references often fits in that range, depending on reference length.

Quick Facts

Category
Research tool
Primary use
Find sources and verify citations
Audience
Students, academics, and researchers
Source domains
citely.ai, CrossRef, PubMed, arXiv, Google Scholar
Pricing model
Credit-based plans and one-time purchases are listed on the site
Citation styles
APA, MLA, Chicago, Harvard, IEEE, and more