5dive lets you hire and manage a team of AI agents via chat, working on tasks 24/7.
3 days free trial
About CiteTrue
What is CiteTrue?
CiteTrue is a free AI-powered citation verification tool designed for academics. It checks whether each citation in a paper actually exists and is accurate, cross-referencing with leading academic databases and PDFs. It flags fabricated, incorrect, or unreliable references before submission or review.
The problem it solves
Manual citation checking is impractical for lengthy papers, especially doctoral theses with hundreds of references. With the rise of AI-generated content, fabricated citations are increasingly common. CiteTrue automates this verification process, saving time and protecting academic reputations from retraction risks and misconduct suspicions.
Who is it for?
CiteTrue serves undergraduate, Master's, and PhD students, professors, reviewers, editors, and advisors. It is ideal for anyone who submits or reviews academic work. It is not intended for general-purpose plagiarism checking or non-academic citation use.
Real use cases
Students run papers through CiteTrue before submission to catch mistakes. Reviewers use it to avoid approving papers with bogus references. Journal editors screen manuscripts at initial submission to filter out fraudulent citations. Professors verify student work in an era of AI-assisted writing.
Key features
- Deep Verification — A heavier second pass using stronger AI models and wider databases for tricky citations (5 credits each).
- Batch Checking — Verify up to 1,000 citations at once (pro plan), scanning entire reference lists in one go.
- Year Mismatch Detection — Flags inconsistencies between cited and actual publication years, as shown in example checks.
- Source Reliability Flags — Identifies citations that reference non-existent or questionable sources, including potential AI fabrications.
- High-Volume Capacity — Handles up to 20,000 credits per month on the Max plan; 1,000 citations per batch limit on paid tiers.
- Export Options — Export verification results to CSV or PDF for records and downstream reporting.
SaaSpartout Score
7.0
/10
Editorial score from our review methodology — not user ratings.
◆ AI advisor — 30 seconds, no signup
Why are you looking at Ai Data & Analytics tools today?
CiteTrue Pricing
CiteTrue pricing: from $0/mo.
For comparison: the median starting price in AI Other is $19/month, measured across 206 tools we track. See the full SaaS Pricing Index →
Free — $0/mo
30 verification credits every day (1 credit = 1 citation check), batch limit of 30 citations per run. Includes Deep Verification calls. Good for light, occasional use.
Plus — $5.99/mo (billed $71.88/year)
1,000 credits per month, batch limit of 1,000 citations. Includes Deep Verification and Suggested Replacement Citations. For individual researchers with regular workloads.
Pro — $11.99/mo (billed $143.88/year)
3,000 credits per month, batch limit of 1,000 citations. Includes all Plus features plus Export CSV. Recommended for heavier users.
Max — $47.99/mo (billed $575.88/year)
20,000 credits per month, batch limit of 1,000 citations. Includes all features including Export PDF. For teams and high-volume editors.
Free trial: The free plan includes 30 credits daily; paid plans can be upgraded or downgraded anytime (prorated). Credit packs (e.g., 500, 2,000) are also available and valid for 6 months. Prices in USD.
Frequently asked questions
Is CiteTrue free to use?
Yes, CiteTrue has a free plan that gives you 30 verification credits every day (1 credit = 1 citation check). That's enough for light use, like checking a typical short paper.
How much does CiteTrue cost?
CiteTrue offers a free plan at $0/mo. Paid plans start at $5.99/mo for Plus (1,000 credits), $11.99/mo for Pro (3,000 credits), and $47.99/mo for Max (20,000 credits), billed annually. Monthly billing options are available.
How does CiteTrue work?
You paste or upload your citations. CiteTrue cross-references each one against academic databases and source PDFs to check if it exists and is accurate. It flags non-existent, incorrect, or suspicious references. A 'Deep Verification' second pass (5 credits) re-checks uncertain ones with stronger AI models.
Who is CiteTrue best for?
CiteTrue is designed for students (undergraduate, Master's, PhD), professors, journal editors, and reviewers. It's also useful for academic advisors who need to verify student work. It's not meant for general web citation checking or non-academic references.
What are the best CiteTrue alternatives?
Common alternatives include general academic tools like Grammarly (for style, not verification) and plagiarism checkers like Turnitin. However, CiteTrue's specific focus on verifying citation existence and accuracy against academic databases is unique. Many users use it alongside those tools.
What is a citation check credit?
One credit equals one citation check. Each citation you verify costs 1 credit (e.g., checking 10 citations uses 10 credits). Deep Verification costs 5 credits per citation. Credits reset daily on the free plan and monthly on paid plans.
